Tens??

[lilyjordan202]

Hey everyone, I went to see my chiropractor lately for my chronic low back pain. He suggested TENS which is a form of electrical stim. I could take it home with me and use it during the day. Does it help? Has anyone tried it?? I don't want to invest if it isn't going to give me relief.

lily

[Pharmacist.steve]

My experience with TENS units ( I use to fit/sell them).. is that the vast majority of people will get relief from them in the short term...BUT.. the nerves will accommodate the electrical stimulation until you can turn it up to its highest setting .. and get no relief.. I would not buy one until you had rented/used it for at least 30 days.

[Kandra]

Hey everyone, I went to see my chiropractor lately for my chronic low back pain. He suggested TENS which is a form of electrical stim. I could take it home with me and use it during the day. Does it help? Has anyone tried it?? I don't want to invest if it isn't going to give me relief.

Hi lily,

I tried one several years ago...made my pain much worse. However, many people do get some relief from them as Steve said...I think he gave you excellent advice and would even try to use it for 60 days before making up your mind.

[Mark N]

I got relief from my TENS unit until my lumbar spine got too bad and as Steve pointed out it finally quit working on my pain. I think it is worth trying.

[lobelsteve]

Everyone in chronic pain needs a TENS (except those with Pacers and IACD's)
If it doesn't help give it back.
Most of the folks I see have already used TENS and said it hurt worse.
That is alomost always because the therapist, Chiro, or whoever- trained tehm wrong and they were putting the pads in the wrong places or turning the intensity up too high. If you can twitch the muscle it ain't TENS anymore.
Turn it so you can just feel it.

[Kathi49]

And that's what I do Steve; keep it on one of the lower settings and on the mode I like best. So, I just place those electrodes a bit to the side of the lumbar where I know the issues are and put the TENS on 5. That's about as high as I go and it does help. At least the pain signals down the leg and into the ankle are interrupted for awhile. I can't or at least have been told that I can't, place it on my neck due to the fusions.

[Leeaelle]

Hi ~ I found that my Tens Unit irritated the nerves even more. I also had sciatica with my back injury, and the Tens REALLY got that going! So I had to quit using it.

Just a word of caution too. And I'm NOT trying to start any controversy ~ I'm just passing along what I was told. I've had 2 Neurosurgeons tell me that anyone with spinal problems should NOT see a chiropractor unless they want to end up in a wheelchair. All a chiro has for reference is X-rays. They can't do MRI's that show the soft tissue, such as discs, etc., so they're taking a risk when manipulating you. Plus they don't have the specialized training in the Central Nervous System. Before I'd been told this, I went to one out of desperation, and the Chiro broke my sternum!!! As atonement, he offered me a whole FREE VISIT! How nice of him!

Anyway, just passing along what I was told. Like I said, I don't want to start a controversy.

Best of luck. Peace, Lee

[mrsdoubtfyre]

a few years ago for my severe tendon injury (groin pull from a fall)
the therapist suggested I get an IFc unit for home.

I found one online for about $140 and it worked great.
IFc seems to work better for healing than TENS. My PT emphasized that TENS is inferior to IFC.

This is the one I bought:
http://www.healiohealth.com/tek9.asp?pg=products&specific=jnnrmmm8
Be careful if you have implanted electronic devices like pacemakers etc.
And you cannot use it if pregnant.

This is for soft tissue repair and healing. Consult your doctor if you have nerve problems, as that may respond less well.

[Kathi49]

Lee,

I completely agree with you and have been told the same thing by my spinal PM. So, no controversy here. :) I am sorry to hear about your sternum, wow! :eek: Like you, I once went to one a long time ago just to see if he could help a bit. Boy, do I have a story about what all he wanted to do. Keep in mind I already knew what was wrong with my spine but the things he told me were so far off I got out of there as quickly as I could. Not only that but money, money, money...catch my drift? :eek::)

[Nana4&cntn]

I will never go to a Chiro again! I did go to one after my accident and never got any relief but did enjoy the massage portion of the treatment. Now since I am fused, there is no way anyone will touch my back.

My mom used to see a Chiro on a regularly, he ended up breaking the facet of the c5. She had 'floater in her spinal fluid and is lucky not to be paralyzed.

I have a Tens unit and use it periodically with little help from it. I have also had 3 different spinal stimulators inplanted and explanted. The problem was I ended up having to turn the units up so high to get any pain relief, I ended up with major muscle spasms. So not worth it in my opinion to use a Chiropractor or Tens or SCS. This opinion is only for myself. Everyone has different experiences and opinions.

[lobelsteve]

I will never go to a Chiro again! I did go to one after my accident and never got any relief but did enjoy the massage portion of the treatment. Now since I am fused, there is no way anyone will touch my back.

My mom used to see a Chiro on a regularly, he ended up breaking the facet of the c5. She had 'floater in her spinal fluid and is lucky not to be paralyzed.

I have a Tens unit and use it periodically with little help from it. I have also had 3 different spinal stimulators inplanted and explanted. The problem was I ended up having to turn the units up so high to get any pain relief, I ended up with major muscle spasms. So not worth it in my opinion to use a Chiropractor or Tens or SCS. This opinion is only for myself. Everyone has different experiences and opinions.

Please shed some light on the SCS problems you have had. It cannot stimulate the muscles to contract if placed in the correct location. But we can make them cause excrutiating pain by cranking up the amps and pulse width... but we wouldn't do that..

[steph2323]

Hey everyone, I went to see my chiropractor lately for my chronic low back pain. He suggested TENS which is a form of electrical stim. I could take it home with me and use it during the day. Does it help? Has anyone tried it?? I don't want to invest if it isn't going to give me relief.

lily

I have used the tens unit 3 times in the past 5 years, and each time it has had either no effect or made my muscle spasms worse. Tried various settings,ect as my doc was convinced that it would work, despite trying for 3 straight months the last time and nothing. No longer seeing that doc:)
Stephanie

[Ragtop]

I have used a tens many years ago, when going on a trip to Disneyland with my son. At first it seemed to help, but I found that over time, it made me worse. It is possible that I was doing more than I should have, and that caused the increased pain also, hard to tell, but I gave it up.
It was terrible trying to get the glue off my back in the 4 places where the pads were placed. I have a 5 level fusion, and it's almost impossible to scrub my own back, and since I live alone, it was very difficult to clean
the areas. I tried just about everything but the glue was horrible to get off.
Peace
Rags