Hi,
My doctor got me a TENS unit this week it help with neck and shoulder pain. I've tried it for a few days and not sure how I feel yet. Haven't felt any relief. For those who use it, do you feel relief during the treatment or is it something that happens after multiple uses. Also I think I feel like it is aggravating my symptoms, not not totally sure as the last few days I have had a very high increase in pain. Has anyone used it and felt it made your pain worse?
If it is making your pain worse, either the pads are placed wrong or it is set too high. It should never hurt. On the other hand, I do not find that it does much good. They have used on me at PT and I have owned 3 different models over 10 years...waste of my money. But at least half the people I have discussed them with feel like they help.
Get a Physical therapist to demonstrate using it for your particular problem.
__________________
C3-C7
Severe DDD, Severe neural foraminal stenosis at 2 levels, moderate canal stenosis at 2 levels, significantly impaired left shoulder & arm function. Chronic moderate compression fracture at C6.
The Following User Says Thank You to Daffydolphin For This Useful Post: cspineguy (11-21-2012)
READ NEXT POST PLEASE,,,Duplicate& omit please!So sorry! use the reusable, gel or karaya type that are big & oval. You rewet them to make them sticky again. The square, one time use electrodes, with the black in a line down the middle, are too sharp of sensation. Tens works by causing some minimal pain, NOT real pain, to send a signal to the brain to release serotonin & other endorphins. It also scrambles the signal of your back pain. Its hard to describe. When set right( i have to use on full blast 24 hrs a day) it actually buzzes out the pain i am feeling. Put it on, leave unit open, turn the settings & the " volume" down & gradually increase all until you feel your pain less. It works while you have it on. The effects last 30 mins tops for me after taking it off. On me if too high or electrodes too small( more surface area is super important to me) its too sharp. I like continuous. If too high it can contract your muscles. That may be sore later. But, imcreasing your pain, idk. Ask the PT ppl to help you set it & they may have more comfortable electrodes. Either too high or too low, it should make you say Ahhh, thats better. Of course, all this is just what i feel and my observations on myself. With little or no pain meds it should help get you through until you get real pain medicine, thats what it does for me! I got thru a dr leaving & finding another with and only because of the tens. I swear by them, and my pain is a monster. It can be a hassle but it helps me to take less narcotic medicine. Try putting all settings on halfway & increase the "volume" slowly. When it " grabs" turn it down a bit, then adjust pulse width( i like it on as hi as the pulse width can go) rate- try halfway, then "play" with it. If you get it right you will know, it will make you feel a reduction in pain. Like I said this is what works for me & my experience. I would hate for you to abandon it without you even having it set right to give it a fair trial. Sorry if this is so long and
redundant. I am just trying to explain something that is hard for me to
explain. I just noticed that you are using on your neck! I cant stand it on my neck! Thought that you were treating low back pain with the TENS, try it on your low back, if & unless your dr ordered otherwise. Thank you, gmak
Last edited by gmak; 11-21-2012 at 10:08 PM.
Reason: ps & typos reword, duplicate & not edited fully, wrong person?
Dear cspine, i have to use the reusable, gel or karaya type that are big & oval. You rewet them to make them sticky again. The square, one time use electrodes, with the black in a line down the middle, are too sharp of sensation.When i put electrodes too close together it kind of squeezes my muscles. Tens works by causing some minimal pain, NOT real pain, to send a signal to the brain to release serotonin & other endorphins. It also scrambles the signal of your back pain. Its hard to describe.. it tells you in the booklet. Did you get the booklet? When set right( i have to use on full blast 24 hrs a day) it actually buzzes out the pain i am feeling. Put it on, leave unit open, turn the settings & the " volume" down & gradually increase all until you feel your pain less. It works while you have it on. The effects last 30 mins tops for me after taking it off. On me if too high or electrodes too small( more surface area is super important to me) its too sharp. I like continuous. If too high it can contract your muscles. That may be sore later. But, increasing your pain, idk? Ask the PT ppl to help you set it & they may have more comfortable electrodes. Either too high or too low, when set right it should make you say Ahhh, thats better. Of course, all this is just what i feel and my observations on myself. I got thru a dr leaving & finding another with and only because of the tens. I swear by them, and my pain is a monster. It can be a hassle but it helps me to take less narcotic medicine. Try putting all settings on halfway & increase the "volume" slowly. When it " grabs" turn it down a bit, then adjust pulse width( i like it on as hi as the pulse width can go) rate- try halfway, then "play" with it. If you get it right you will know, it will make you feel a reduction in pain, necks are hard though so little space, imo. But for me i use it on low back. Like I said this is what works for me & my experience. I would hate for you to abandon it without you even having it set right to give it a fair trial. Sorry if this is so long and redundant. I am just trying to explain something that is hard for me to explain.
Last edited by gmak; 11-21-2012 at 10:06 PM.
Reason: typos, reword,
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to gmak For This Useful Post: cspineguy (11-22-2012), tifmon (11-23-2012)
Thanks for your advice Daffydolphin and gmak. I'm going to keep working with it over the holiday and weekend to see if I can find the right setting and place that helps. Hopefully it will help.
The Following User Says Thank You to cspineguy For This Useful Post: gmak (11-22-2012)
That's my feeling 100%! I have not heard from many folks who've gotten any real relief from them. It did no more good for me that tapping my head and rubbing my belly. I actually find it hard to believe they can be sold for pain management (or relief). But for those it works for, good deal but not for me even remotely. Good Luck on 'ya.
We all have to realize that treating chronic pain is about using as many modalities as possible. No one thing is going to provide 100% relief...
I use my TENS unit at least once a day and it helps lessen the pain a bit.
Just like my daily exercise, physical therapy, yoga/stretching, use of injections or steroids when needed, massage, acupuncture, ice, heat, counseling, biofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy, eating well, not smoking, getting a good night's sleep, maintaining a healthy weight, aqua therapy, etc....
There are also medications like nerve pain meds which target that specific type of pain. Same thing with a muscle relaxer....these help tremendously with muscle spasms.
Finding a great PM to help us live the best life possible with having a comprehensive program is best.
So...it's easy to find an inexpensive TENS unit online and as mentioned...anything that helps even a tiny bit to lessen our pain is good. All modalities added up should equal to about a 5 on the pain scale.
The Following User Says Thank You to Ilovemycutedog For This Useful Post: gmak (11-24-2012)
hey cspineguy, how are you. I have tried the tens unit and it did nothing.
I told you, there is NO treatment for neck pain. Not even physical therapy.
It's not good to have neck pain, not good at all. It's a nightmare.
Maybe that's the reason why it doesn't work for me. I've been in two car accidents and one motorcycle accident and I suffered from whiplash terribly. It's my nightmare as well!
