Any every used a "TENS" unit for pain

[boba]

Hi gang, I am finally in PT and had my first neck injection today. It's been about 6 hours and the pain is getting worse again. Yesterday I got a TENS unit for the PT people and it does help some and keeps me for using the Narcotics so much. Pain pills and muscle relaxers are not my choice of pain control and hopefully this will get me through the worse pain times. Anyway have any of you used the"TENS" as a long term pain control (IE 6 + months)?

BTW the unit I have is a Empi Select.

[bobert1]

Long term, NO. I used one in '07 for a month and it didn't help me. I tried various settings with no relief. I hated the tingle on the mid settings. Don't know if that setting would have worked because of the pins and needles feeling. This was for my lower back. GOOD LUCK.

Edited November 14, 2008 by bobert1

[Glen517]

Wow Bob you and I are so different. That tingling feeling as you call it is one of my favorite things when I'm in pain.

Boba: I haven't used it long term as in on all the time. I purchased my own and use it every time I have pain and it works for me. (floorcovering installer 20+years) lower back and siatica. They work different on some people you may not get any relief from it or you may love it like I do. Try it. If it works it's a plus NO DRUGS.. Good luck with it and let us know..

[HSMITH]

I have used one for 6 months or so, several hours a day. No ill effects at all and it helped a ton. I just wished they made one with about half again more power.....

[HighVelocity]

I've been using a Tens unit on my right hand for about 5 years. The arthritis at the base of my thumb can be pretty darned uncomfortable at times. A few minutes with the Tens when it flares up and all is well again. I could not have made through a year of SSR shooting without it.

[Neomet]

I have used one for 6 months or so, several hours a day. No ill effects at all and it helped a ton. I just wished they made one with about half again more power.....

Howard, have you gone to PT and gotten Electrical Stim? Similar theory to a TENS unit but they can ratchet that baby up to what feels like about 99% of the voltage used in San Quentin. Obviously it is for short term therapy sessions but I got great results with it.

[VegasOPM]

I have one for back pain. It only helps me when I have serious knots, but it is a godsend when that happens.

[HSMITH]

Yeah Neo, that machine absolutely rocks, but when I ran out of benefits I lost access to it. They thought I was nuts when they came back in and found that I had adjusted it. I had it turned up all the way for about 5 minutes, boy did it work good. Evidently most people get really uncomfortable but it felt great to me even though it was extremely strange. They didn't leave me unattended with it anymore, but they would turn it up pretty high for short durations. They told me you could get burns from it if you used it improperly LOL.

[Neomet]

Yeah, it depends on who you get for a therapist. Great piece of equipment though.

Edited November 15, 2008 by Neomet

[Graham Smith]

Used one for a short term when I was having intense pain in the sciatic nerve (hip and leg) and it did help. Having worked in a hospital for most of my 20 yrs in the Army, I can tell you that any therapy is going to work better on some people than others and that it is important that you give it some time to work.

Also, Pain has a cumulative effect - what starts out being merely annoying becomes unbearable with time. Most therapy will not stop the pain immediately and so even if the pain is being reduced, it's often difficult to see that because the longer the pain goes on the worse it seems to be. Dealing with most pain long term is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one. That's why pain clinics focus on psychological therapy as well as physical therapy.

Not to sound all "new age", but meditation and relaxation are often the most beneficial treatments. Part of my treatment was bio-feedback which helped me relax the muscles in my lower back which eased the pain. Didn't help when I was walking, mind you, but did allow me to sit more comfortably.

[SharonAnne9x23]

I just got my TENS unit last week. It has helped tremendously. I have been on methadone for chronic pain for 7 years. I also take Norco for breakthrough pain. I went to a new pain management clinic last week and they started me with a different pain regimen and added the TENS unit. I am allowed to use it at will and adjust the settings as well. I use it almost constantly. We will soon add Accupuncture and guided imagery. I am on total disability related to my chronic pain from abdominal adhesions and spinal infection. I now have 6 vertebrae fused/fixed in my lower back.

Only those of us suffering from chronic pain know what it is like. Fortunately I have found a pain clinic that looks at my comfort and activities of daily living ability as goals of treatment, rather than my last dr who just wanted me off meds regardless of my pain and disability level.

Good luck Boba and all of us in chronic pain.

[All-Gator]

Just a few comments:

TENS works on the gateway theory of pain...essentially closing an existing pathway of pain by blocking a neural intersection (closing the "gate") and usurping the right of way. It works only when it is on and "should not" in it self provide long term lasting effects. However, it will allow (better) participation in PT/exercise which will provide long term benefits.

Howard, the burns occur when the electrode pads are incorrectly attached producing an arc between the pad and the skin. If correctly attached (using gel) the highest settings should not produce a burn.

A-G

Oh, BTW, my practice was as a Director of a pain clinic primarily with orthopedic patients.

Edited November 15, 2008 by All-Gator

[boba]

Everyone thanks for the encouraging words and advise. Today the pain level is around a 2 and the unit seems to help. I have been working (I am a programmer). Sitting had been very painful and after the first couple of hours at the computer the pain gets to be a 8 - 9 even if I get up every 20 minutes or so. I just got a call from EMPI (manufacturere of the TENS unit I have) and they said that my Health Insurance would cover it less the deductible. This was a WC covered injury so now they have to go back to the WC for authorization. I will find out next week. PT has been very light so far due to the pain and muscle tension. Their goal behind the neck injection and this TENS unit is to get me to the point PT can actually work on me. The nuerosurgeon said that if I am not showing improvement after 30 days of PT then he is suggesting surgery. I plan on going to U of M for a second opinion and have them do the surgery if it comes to that.

Thanks again everyone.

Bob

[vluc]

TENS/EMS and therapeutic magnets have done the trick for me.

[SharonAnne9x23]

I had to change the battery in my TENS unit. Killed the first battery in 6 days. My unit is a Prostim 2000. I now have it set at 4 bars out of 8 (i think). I can't stand it long enough to count the bars when it is at maximum. Also I am now running it on Continuous.

[ChrisStock]

They told me you could get burns from it if you used it improperly LOL.

Yep, blistered up just fine. Had so much nerve damage that I didn't even feel it happening

I do own an Empi unit, and love it. It is a lifesaver for the lower back and torqued out muscles. Having 6 different modes to choose from from tingling sensation to a steady thump lets me fine tune it for what I need.