Mr K, a 50-Year-Old Meter Reader for a Water and Power

Mr. K, a 50-year-old meter reader for a water and power company, fell and injured his lower back. After 5 days of bed rest, which had been prescribed by his physician, the pain did not diminish. His physician prescribed transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. This type of treatment involves:

A) reducing stress and promoting relaxation, thus reducing pain
B) placing electrodes on the skin over localized muscles and attaching them to a machine which measures electrical activity of the muscles and conveys this information to the individual through tones or lights
C) placing electrodes of a small battery-operated device over the painful area to stimulate the nerve fibers electrically
D) application of splints or braces so that pressure is applied to muscle groups, thereby reducing pain