Tens units ?

[Boaz]

Anyone had any experience with back pain relief using a tens unit ?

[daengmei]

I was given one to use for a shoulder pain, in early 2000 or so. While it does work, it cannot be used while I work. The "sticky" pads will not stay put. Taped down no good either due to my sweating. It will most likely give relief until you turn it off. Mine runs by 9v battery and a rechargeable is the only way to go. If I was forced to just sit around, it would be ok. My device has 10 different types of output with an adjustable intensity level. Two separate channels that can be programmed to use different types output. On low level, it is somewhat calming. Like putting your tongue to a 9v battery. Turn it up and the muscles close to the pads work with the pulse of electricity. Can be painful if turned up too high. I did use it all the time, but slowly weened myself off of it. Pads don't last long and can be expensive.

I imagine they could be quite different now, more than a decade later. They sell similar devices over the counter at Wal-mart and others. Mine was a prescription from a surgeon.

[GhostHawk]

My wife struggles with fibro, when it flares a tens unit is one of the few things that will give relief.

I also use massage with Thera-gesic to loosen up knots/tension. My dad turned me onto this Thera-gesic ointment some 4-5 years ago. For muscles it works awesome and fast, joints take longer, more applications but it does seem to help. For back, perhaps.

The call it a pain relieving creme but it warms, rub it in right after a shower when your pores are all wide open and it almost burns. Not expensive and for me it often gives good relief of arthritis pain.

https://www.amazon.com/Mission-Pharmacal-Thera-Gesic-Penetrating-Relief/dp/B000UUGZJU/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1490722933&sr=8-3&keywords=Thera-gesic

[sawinredneck]

I've had this model about two years now, https://www.hidow.com/shop/acu-xp-micro/
It can be found for much less. I've been very happy with it, the new pads are a gel type and are reusable, they get dirty, just wash them with water. I bought extra pads and have yet to need them!
We bought it at a mall kiosk in Vegas, I think we paid $200 for everything, it was my best friend on the drive home!
Check Amazon, there are several on there for decent prices just read the reviews!
I suffer from chronic back pain, loaded on Fentynal and other lovely drugs, on bad days these things are a Godsend! If you think you need one, you probably do, I wish I'd have gotten mine sooner!

[Josh Smith]

Hello,

My wife has some damage in her shoulder, accompanied by arthritis.

I bought her an OTC unit a while back, and it works for her.

It, combined with Lidocane patches, keep her from having to take narcotics -- and in addition to her shoulder, she has a couple herniated disks and one knee is without cartilage.

She walks to work every day.

I'd explore both options.

Regards,

Josh

[StolzerandSons]

I was thrown from a horse in my mid 20's and broke my right hip, all four corners of my pelvic ring and my tail bone as well as some inuries to my back. The horse usually wins. As part of my phsical therapy I used a tens unit for several months. It worked great when I was sitting or laying down and it wasn't bad if all I was doing was walking from room to room in the house. But if I was at the actual physical therapy session I was always getting caught in the leads or the patches would come off. There never seemed to be a good way to tuck everything away that things didn't get caught on seatbelts or on my clothing or just anything really.

So it provided a lot of relief in some ways but was an inconvenience in other ways...take the good with the bad I guess.

I didn't use it for very long though, just a couple months during the main part of my physical therapy then the doctor tapered me off of it. If it was a long term thing I imagine a person woudl find solutions to wearing it everyday all day that would make it less problematic.

[sawinredneck]

I run the wires down the neck of my shirt and keep the unit in my pocket T, it could be better, but I can function with it.
Normally, if I'm hurting that bad, I'm not doing much anyway.

[abunaitoo]

Funny you should ask......
A few weeks ago, we had our Gunshow.
A friend suffers from bad back and neck pain.
I asked him if he wanted to try "Tens".
He used it all day Sunday.
He told me that while he still had pain, it helped enough that he didn't suffer all day.
Could stand and walk around more than any of the shows before.
Didn't have to take his pain pills.
Sent him info to get one off of ebay.
Yes, pads don't last all that long if used outside when it's hot.
I get them off ebay. Can't tell the difference between expensive ones and really cheap ones.

[JWFilips]

Help Fix my sciatica Last year Went for 3 1/2 months with only about 2 hrs sleep per night then my boss bought me a accuXPD I used it about 4 times a day for 30 minutes each time ( With the individual electrode pads this way I could move them around where I needed it. Inside of two weeks It brought me back to almost 6 hours sleep per night Plus I was able to use it on my calf muscle which faired the worst in my ordeal

[Boaz]

Have considered getting one . Frankly will have to seek relief soon . Don't want drugs ..will not go there . I remember when they had to be prescribed and really expensive . Heck , you can get em on EBAY now starting at $15.95 . Seems like an alternative to pain or addiction . I will not take drugs unless there is absolutely no alternative .

Common complain seems to be the pads not staying when moving or sweating . Gets plenty hot in my country during the summer and I'm still active . Ought to be worth giving a try though . I thank you for your input and experience .

[Wayne Smith]

I have several clients who have had them surgically implanted. Chronic pain issues, usually back damage, but some with other problems. If doctors are surgically implanting them it seems that they must work, no?

[Lloyd Smale]

they gave me one at the beginning of my back problems and it didn't do a thing. After 5 operations and chronic pain they talked me into an implanted stimulator and alothough its probably 10 times more powerful then a 10s unit it still doesn't do much. The idea is to put an electrical stimulation (shock) steady so that it tricks your mind into concentrating on that instead of the pain. If you want to walk around all day feeling like your sticking your finger in a light socket and think that's better then pain it might be for you. About the only time I use mine anymore is if I have to drive a long distance or am sitting for a long period of time like in my deer blind. To be honest I'm considering having them take it out because I kind of worry about having a foreign object in me and the problems it might cause if something like the battery starts leaking. My buddy who has MUCH worse pain then me got one after I did. At first he thought it worked for him but after two years had it taken out because in reality it doesn't fix anything. I think of a 10s unit as a Yugo compared to a porche with the implanted one. Might be worth trying if its free but don't bother if you have to buy it or pay a copay on it. Theres the truth of it from someone that's had one implanted for 8 years.

[Bulldogger]

I have one and use it when over the counter meds don't help enough. It is cumbersome to get it mounted and sticking on as others note. I heartily recommend it though. When I need it, I am VERY glad I have it. I might go buy a new one, as the one I have is 10 years old, from back when they cost over a hundred dollars. I got mine through my physical therapist as an insurance covered item, and am glad that more people can use them today as the prices have gone down.
Hope it helps you.

Bulldogger

[375RUGER]

I used one for fibromyalgia for a few years, along with all the mind altering drugs they prescribe. Tens just masks the pain signals and will likely have less effect over long term use. It might be worth a try for you, but I don't recommend it as a long term solution. Shooting electricity through your body is iffy business.
You might try some essential oils. Mix peppermint, wintergreen, and copaiba, equal parts. Without knowing the cause of your pain that's the best I can recommend off the top of my head. Oils work even better if you can find yourself a blonde to apply them.

[308Jeff]

Bought this one a couple years ago for my girlfriend.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DCEBLP4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

She has severe lower back pain, and it helps a lot. Goes through batteries like mad, but batteries are cheap.

[Teddy (punchie)]

Darn back!! Any way I'm on H wave unit now , Only thing that works for me 100 % is Ice. I hear people say they are sore and I'm sure they are. When I'm sore I still need ice. The H-wave does work for sore muscles, one or two treatments sore over worked muscle is okay. Back pain ?? Help yes take it away completely NO. But that said I'm still learning where and how tricks to it. Make a huge difference of where and how strong. This unit almost not strong enough.



I stained muscles and herniated a disc at work 12-27-16 , Nice Christmas gift. Any way it was sore as hell and I had to strain just to move. Was seeing the chiropractor and he didn't like what he seeing, so he sent me to Medical Doctors, then I got reminded what total pain was. All the stained muscles and the disc gel did a number. I'm use to migraines and can take allot but darn this was bad. Like going up to a fifty mile fencer and letting it hit you. Jan 4th By 3:00 PM I was on ice, using my gel and had taking 4 ibuprofen still no help. Wife (Lynn) came back from farm I asked her to call Dr. Allen and see what he says, he replied ice it. So now I'm hurting no way to set and or stand just sore, by 6:30 it was bad ask Lynn and girls to rub some of the pressure points and more gel. All that got me was a breath before the real pain started. So we got out the older Meds we had back muscle relaxers. No help, by 8:00 that's it take me to farm shoot me like an old horse or cut it off, or to ER . By now this old farm boy use it hitting my fingers with a hammer and shake off was done. Ready to cry, swear etc. told my 10 yrs. old girls your going to see Daddy cry just the way life is learn to deal with it.

Poor mom had to meet us ER she didn't now what to do or say, I'm like mom it just hurts nothing is going to work for now we tried it all all ready. At 74 she has never had bad back trouble. At ER darn X-rays and CT scan Poor Nurses did know what to do or say. Darn fencer was on all the way. After a few shots and more heavy drugs was able to cat nap. Few more pills and out you go. Was not able to walk or set for long for two weeks, had to use wheel chair to go see my Dad in hospital.

Now I'm able to sleep most nights for 5 hours or so not enough but okay (not tonight left knee and hip awoke me at 3 something). Walking is still a learning thing, My left leg is like just not right, I have to look at ground to see where and how to place my steps.
If On my feet too long some days maybe an hour, some days three hours, feels like I have a bee walking on my foot. Left outside leg gets a warm feeling. Also I notice a almost shaky feeling to my legs like they are over tried, or nerves, hard to explain. Two injections have helped some. Pain is down to 4-6 but holding in this area, if setting get worse if walking too much get worse. PT is okay but still not easy to do feel almost dunkish afterwards. So at 49 I'm just taking one day at a time, resting trying to do little things, some days not much at all. Back to doctors on Tuesday and Wednesday, see what's next. Tried of setting around but too sore to do much else some days. I have made some shows and sales but three again stand too long I need find a seat , last Tuesday was at auction about every 20-30 minutes left leg would get that feeling like you better get up and move and stretch. Try to place bid if your not in the room. I do thanks God for it getting better and I'm improving but still not right. One thing I learned is I need to slow down and not work as hard or as many hours. Money is only money.

God Bless !! Teddy

[sawinredneck]

Been doing the same going on eight years now, Teddy, it's a miserable existence! One injection helped, the other I couldn't walk for three days after. Then at $1,200 and $1,400 out of pocket, couldn't afford them anyway!
Finally found a gal this winter that does PT and EXPLAINS it! All the times the Drs told me it was just in my head, then left it at that. She he explained how and why, she explained the exercises and why they helped, how to move differently and why it helped. Really changed my mental state, and that helped me tremendously! She made no bones, she couldn't fix me and I'd never be right again, but there were things I could change to make what I'm doing easier on me.
I still hurt, the seasonal changes are flat killing me right now! Barometric and temp swings hammer me the worst, but I'm a lot better than I've been for years! I highly encourage you to find someone like this and see what they can do for you! We sometimes have to remember the Dr's work for us, if they aren't helping, we can fire them and find one that will!

[Kraschenbirn]

Started using a Tens unit a couple years ago for sciatica and found it fairly effective for short-term relief. As my arthritis progressed, I found it less effective but still use it.

Bill

[kfarm]

My wife at 68 has scoliosis and for the last several years has been in terrible pain. Being small almost any dosage of pain medication put her out. On a whim I ordered one of those Quell units shown on TV. While it does not eliminate her pain completely it has allowed her to decrease her pain meds by at least half.

[TexasGrunt]

I've used one for many years. For me it works while I'm not moving around. As soon as I start moving around I have to turn up the power or it doesn't work. Then when I quit moving it's too powerful. NEVER wear one while driving. If the controls get bumped bad things can happen.