Tens Unit

[Guest guest]

My husband used a TENS unit for his back pain and it worked so-so. I do know

others use it and have pretty good results. The " shock " can be very very

mild, to where you don't even feel it or very strong and it can hurt. My

dentist uses something like this on the gums so you don't feel the needle.

See the nerve endings are brought to life (so to speak) and block out other

pain....hence it might help a certain area with arthritis pain. But BEWARE

don't let children work the controls and parents should use on themselves

first!

Hope this helps,

Sandi A. (Ashli's mom)

[Guest guest]

As I wrote before, my grandfather has a tens unit for his back, and

occasionally you'll see him jerk or jump suddenly, and then he'll laugh and

say, " Got a good jolt that time! " LOL So if its strong enough to make a

grown man jerk, imagine how that could feel to a child!

[Guest guest]

I used a Tens unit when my back was fractured many years ago. Did not do much for me but a friend I knew had favorable comments about it. It had a dial with many settings & came with a slew of safety warnings. The shock fealt allmost as though there was a very odd and intense vibration that was sent all around the area of contact. It causes the muscles to contract and expand and numbs the nerve endings temporarily.

Re: Tens Unit

My husband used a TENS unit for his back pain and it worked so-so. I do know others use it and have pretty good results. The "shock" can be very very mild, to where you don't even feel it or very strong and it can hurt. My dentist uses something like this on the gums so you don't feel the needle. See the nerve endings are brought to life (so to speak) and block out other pain....hence it might help a certain area with arthritis pain. But BEWARE don't let children work the controls and parents should use on themselves first!Hope this helps,Sandi A. (Ashli's mom)For links to websites with JRA info visit: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Village/8414/Links.html

[Guest guest]

PEACEJ@... writes:

<< OK, what is a Tens unit? Is there a website that explains how it

relaxes the muscles? I am especially interested as my muscles cramp like

crazy. >>

KJ

It's actually a T.E.N.S. unit (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation).

If you do a search you'll find plenty of sites with info. I believe there's

even one called www.tensunit.net

I used to have one for use on my ankle, which was badly injured (along with a

lot of other things!) in a car accident back in 1984. I found that it

really helped.

in health,

rachel~

[Guest guest]

Hi, I'm Meg, a friend of Kay Braddock's for many years. I've been lurking

for a couple of years but due to flares and on and off computer problems,

I've never sent any messages. I hope that L am doing this right.

Liz said....

> I did a little check on the T.E.N.S> and some people have never heard of

> it. I found ont company ..one..

During a pretty severe SI flare a few years ago, my PT got me set up

with a TENs units that really made an amazing difference ( when the unit

worked -- it was frustrating in that respect). At that time, my HMO paid to

lease a unit. Then, they severed the relationship with the Medical

equipment company and quickly after that they would not cover durable

medical equipment. I tried to buy one and no one would sell me one if I

didn't go through the HMO. Amazing that they wouldn't take my cash:) So

where did you find one, Liz? I'd love to get one again as I'm coming out of

a flare that kept me in bed for 4 months and I'm just now getting to the

point I can walk outside the house. A little non-naracotic pain relief would

help.

I have found the information and companionship in this list invaluable and

it has gotten me over a lot of hurdles even tho all I was doing was lurking.

Thank you all. (see Kay, I finally did it!)

Meg Minnich

undiff. spondy., SLE, Sjogren's, FM, GERD, and general mess right now

[Guest guest]

, I used a tens unit for a while and did not like it it made my knee pain

much worse and I quite using it. That was years back actually now that we

mention it my ex took it when we divorced. kinda strance huh....What are you

taking for pain? when can you get into dr.Y? Maybe can get you into some

sort massage therapy quickly. Let me know

holly

[ ] TENS unit

I just got a home TENS unit from my physical therapy office. I was very

excited about this as i have such horrible back and neck pain. I used it for

two days and since then, I have been in even worse pain!! I have horrible

pain radiating from my neck down into my arms-I have never experienced

anything so bad. And I have had to double pain medication. Has anyone ever

heard of this happening with a TENS unit? I wondered for some reason if this

was something unique to Lyme that the PT would not know about. Who knows.

Everything I read says to put it on the painful area and it should decrease

it.

Thanks if you know anything!

[Guest guest]

Lynn,

I did use one off these for a while. I liked it and purchased one for about $90. I still use it at times. It does help at times, but when I am in a lot of pain..I am usually just miserable and suffer through it...sad to say. Let me know how it works for you.

Love, Sue #2

-- TENS Unit

Hello all,

Been reading all the posts tonight and I see that quite a few people can't use a lot of the meds. My doctor put me on Ultram for pain. It is used a lot for Fibro. I use that daily and on really bad days I use percocet(as little as possible). My physical therapist also set me up with a Tens unit. It helps the best on my moderate pain days. The only thing that wipes out my pain is the percocet or deep sleep. Anyway, hope this is helpful.

Lynn Renae Dudenhoefer

lynndude@...

-On any path that you may stroll,

-keep your angel in your soul!

____________________________________________________ IncrediMail - Email has finally evolved - Click Here

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/18/2006 1:15:18 PM Eastern Standard Time, bobluhrs@... writes:

Can the tens unit be used to electrify the blood like> Beck did?

The current doesn't pass through sensory nerves and blood with a Tens unit.

Are there other devices which safely use electric current on the body? Yes. Muscle stimulators relieve pain, reduce spasms and edema, tonify weak muscles, and assist the healing process, run at from 1 to 130 Hz. TENS units are used to block pain run at about 80 to 90 Hz. Interferential Therapy units are a type of muscle stimulator run at 3000 to 4000 Hz. Bio Feedback instruments used to modify behavior and retrain the nervous and muscular systems, run from below 1Hz to about 40 Hz. Bone Growth Stimulators, used to heal broken bones, run at various frequencies. Deep Brain Stimulators, which use implanted electrodes to impart electrical pulses, run from between 120 and 160 Hz directly to the brain to control involuntary muscular tremors in Parkinson's disease. Heart Pacemakers use an electrical impulse to regulate the hearts ryhthm.

[Guest guest]

no

>

> Can the tens unit be used to electrify the blood like

> Beck did?

>

[Guest guest]

even if it did, the current from a TENS does not accumulate like it

does from a simple 6 volt battery. Current has to be running " on " at

all times to affect microbes. Becks' device is nearly always on, that

is why the square wave was used, it has flat peaks and instant rise

and fall. My problem with it is the current negates itself every time

it reverses. It's safer to use since it does reverse, but that can

also be safer for the microbe. Most stimulators use high volts and

short durations, they are " off " most of the time, with only brief

spurts of energy. Microbes respond to current x time. If the device

issues a heavy pulse every second, but the duration is only 1

millionth of a second, it certainly won't compete with a battery that

does 50 times lower current for a million times longer. the

electrons build up over time and corrupt the microbe. too short a time

leaves the process incomplete. Plain old batteries work faster,

cheaper, safer than most other things on microbes, including ozone,

silver, etc, in my xperience

bG

>

> In a message dated 3/18/2006 1:15:18 PM Eastern Standard Time,

> bobluhrs@... writes:

> Can the tens unit be used to electrify the blood like

> > Beck did?

>

> The current doesn't pass through sensory nerves and blood with a

Tens unit.

[Guest guest]

Hi Debbie, I used a Tens unit for a while, and it did distract me from the pain,

did not give it the long term trial as I should have, I guess the constant

feeling of it on me made me nervous, but that was a while back when EVERYTHING

made me nervous, give it a try, also learn the different settings and let me

know how you do. I think I read here that someone was using it and getting good

results.

Shirley

anne <annedebbie2001@...> wrote:

Has anyone here had any experience with a tens unit? My pain

management

dr sent me to a pt yesterday to get one. Im using it right now and

dont yet feel any differences in the pain. How long should i give it to

start to work?

Debbie

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Debbie,

i used one for several months. it is important that the electrodes be placed

correctly in an X fashion. and you might have to experiment with where you

place them on your back. the pt should have done, found the right spot because

when i got mine i walked out pain free. it really helped my low back and right

leg pain while i was rehabing my double knee replacement and could not walk

right and was really straining my back.

email me if you have more questions....birddog@...

Carlene in MT

tens unit

Has anyone here had any experience with a tens unit? My pain management

dr sent me to a pt yesterday to get one. Im using it right now and

dont yet feel any differences in the pain. How long should i give it to

start to work?

Debbie

[Guest guest]

Jody, I am curious to know, how did your doctor (physician?) find out you had

blood clots and how did he tell you to hook up to the stereo and how did you

know the clots were dissolved?

Regards

tens unit

when I had blood clots in my left leg and couldn't afford a tens unit -

my doctor showed me how to hook myself up to a stereo! it worked and

the clots dissolved.

Jody

[Guest guest]

>

> when I had blood clots in my left leg and couldn't afford a tens

unit -

> my doctor showed me how to hook myself up to a stereo! it worked

and

> the clots dissolved.

>

> Jody

>

Jody...please tell me about the stereo unit you used. I have one to

use via computer which is to be connected to stereo speakers. Is

this like the one you use? If so...could you tell me more about it,

I haven't used it yet and am a bit 'antsy' about the use of it.

Thank you so much for sharing. Zena

biztekmom@...

[Guest guest]

Rich: Thank you again for a wonderful answer/reply.

Hi, .

My wife has a TENS machine for her back and shoulders, and she has

found it to be very helpful at certain times.

I don't know if the shapes of the pads make a lot of difference. We

usually orient them with one on the spine and the other out

laterally, spanning the area where the pain is located. My logic in

doing this is that the nerves in the back run that way, and I figure

that orienting the pads that way will induce the maximum current in

the nerves. She usually uses four pads, because there is usually a

large enough area that hurts that two circuits are helpful, with one

set higher up on the back than the other. I think she's had the

machine for about a year. She doesn't have lumbar issues. Her

problems are higher up in the thoracic spine and out to the right

shoulder. Stable scoliosis and an injury. And this woman goes on

kayaking expeditions!

Rich

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/15/2006 12:59:00 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,

beccajane@... writes:

I would like to purchase a Tens Unit, but looking online is a bit

overwhelming, there are so many and you can't tell what is good or

not. Would anyone be able to recommend a specific Tens Unit to

purchase.

My physical therapists got one for me. They were able to get it at a much

lower cost and bill it to my insurance by saying it was a medical necessity.

[Guest guest]

Since the TENS is classified a *medical device*, and is RX'd, legally,

you need a prescription. It can be dangerous isf you do not use it as

Rx'd. For example, over a sinus could cause bleeding or worse.

I'll tell you about mine from EMPI. All the supplies, multiple shapes

of electrodes, attachments, leads, rechargable batteries, etc. are

rather expensive if you cannot get an Rx and insurance covers it...but

EMPI is very good at deliveries, maintenance and dependability. The

model I have had for years is a (EMPI Epix VT )2-cycle that allows you

to set patterns, intensity, etc as well as level of pain pre and post

for record keeping...fits in a pocket or can be worn in a belt.

>

> I would like to purchase a Tens Unit, but looking online is a bit

> overwhelming, there are so many and you can't tell what is good or

> not. Would anyone be able to recommend a specific Tens Unit to

> purchase. I would appreciate any suggestions anyone could offer.

>

> Thanks,

> Becky

>

[Guest guest]

I've had one at home for a couple of years now and

mine works really well for me. I have several spinal

disorders and tOS.

Good Luck.

--- dogmama85712 <dogmama@...> wrote:

> I'm thinking about getting a TENS unit. Does

> anybody have

> recommendations? It looks like they are available

> from the web now.

>

> I used one during PT & loved it. I have disc

> problems in L-5 & S-1.

> Heat seems to aggravate it now. The TENS unit would

> give me relief for

> a day or two.

>

> Thanks

>

> Kim

>

>

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[Guest guest]

I bought one at a motorcycle show for about $80 several years ago. It's

small and comes with it's own carrying case which makes it very convenient.

I've used it on my back (L3, L4 & L5 are fused) and on my shoulder which has

some arthritis in it. I also had tennis elbow and used it there and it

completely cured it. It's been 2 years and it hasn't come back! It's

always helped.

Dawn

-- TENS Unit

I'm thinking about getting a TENS unit. Does anybody have

recommendations? It looks like they are available from the web now.

I used one during PT & loved it. I have disc problems in L-5 & S-1.

Heat seems to aggravate it now. The TENS unit would give me relief for

a day or two.

Thanks

Kim

[Guest guest]

I used a muscle stimulator, RS 4, instead of a TENS. I really liked

it. Works much like TENS.

[Guest guest]

My wife was in a car accident last week and is having some minor back

pain. Our insurance company has agreed to pay for a TENS unit and a

technician is coming over tomorrow morning to show her how to use it.

-dave

On Mon, Mar 3, 2008 at 5:29 PM, <fancyfashions@...> wrote:

> I used a muscle stimulator, RS 4, instead of a TENS. I really liked

> it. Works much like TENS.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Joy,

A TENS unit is fine for people with SMA. It helped with spasms in my

lower back. I'm not sure that it would help with a pinched nerve and

such.

Alana

>

> I'm still having a ton of pain in my leg and I think it could be a

nerve problem but I don't know. I was going to borrow a tens unit to

see if it would help-but then I just now thought " I wonder if they

are bad for ppl with SMA. " Does anyone know if they are ok to use or

not?

> Thanks!

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

TENs units sucked for me. Made my pain worse. I don't think they work

good for SMA.

>

> I'm still having a ton of pain in my leg and I think it could be a

nerve problem but I don't know. I was going to borrow a tens unit to

see if it would help-but then I just now thought " I wonder if they are

bad for ppl with SMA. " Does anyone know if they are ok to use or not?

> Thanks!

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

funny how we're all different. it seemed to help me instantly the 1st night I

used it. I just wasn't sure if it was safe for " us " . I only used it that night

and felt better. the next day I found the old cushion and that is helping too.

whew!

Amy <charmedcripchic@...> wrote:

TENs units sucked for me. Made my pain worse. I don't think they work

good for SMA.

>

> I'm still having a ton of pain in my leg and I think it could be a

nerve problem but I don't know. I was going to borrow a tens unit to

see if it would help-but then I just now thought " I wonder if they are

bad for ppl with SMA. " Does anyone know if they are ok to use or not?

> Thanks!

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

What is a tens unit?

-Amy