All about TENS Machines

[LianneS]

Have just been on the website, looks good.... got a question though...there are 2 different TENS machines, both the same price...

One looks slightly bigger and has pads with it, the other looks smaller and has leads..... question is which do I go for peeps?
Im guessing the smaller one is more portable and maybe the bigger one would be for home use...am I right?

Theres a bit of info on them on the site but it doesnt really answer my question..

Advice welcome..
Cheers
Lianne

[kayadlington]

Hi Lianne,

I got the TENS machine on saturday, and its really good, I used it on my knees when I went shopping on saturday, and came home tired out but not in my normal amount of pain. So it looks like it's going to be a good investment.

I have the one with leads attached, think it might be easier to use than the one without leads, and may give you more variety in ways to use it.

Kay

[LianneS]

Ive ordered one...was going to get the one in Boots but when I got home I asked hubby about them and he ordered me (a new one) from ebay...was only £15!!! ... noone had bid and it only had 45 mins left when we went on.....

I then was telling my mum about it and she said she'd used one last year and hated it!!! ha ha ha oh well, I'll give it a try

Lianne

[nickb]

Lianne, was it you talking about trying to get pregnant next year? If so, just to make you aware-you shouldn't use the TENS machine when pregnant, or trying to get prgnant. Not sure why, I'm guessing its something to do with the electircal current, but I was told it by my rheumatologist a couple of years ago.

Glad its working for some people-I have one and found it helpful, but I find it such a faff working out if its the safe time of the month for me to be trying it (see above!) that lately I haven't used it.

[LianneS]

Yep that was me....

Yeah I read that you cant use it.... though Im sure it said somewhere for the first 12 weeks so I will look into whether I can use it after that....

You can actually get labour ones!!! Not sure how effective they are at keeping labour pain at bay!!!

Thanks for thinking of that for me, really appreciate it

Lianne

(does the see above quote youve said mean that you too are trying for baby??)

[LianneS]

Used it last night on my thumb area as theyve been playing up (yet another 'new' area that is now affected)

It was HORRIBLE!!! I really didnt like what it does, doesnt hurt just feels horrible, but that said it did relieve the pain so I will stick it out!!!

Its like those ones you buy to tone your stomach, I hate those too....

It just felt like I had pins and needles everytime it pulsed and at first (before I was on the right setting) it moved my muscle by my elbow!!!

Do people know if this method is just simply a relief for the pain or can it work you so that eventually you'd need it less (if that makes sense)

Lianne

[Sez]

Its like those ones you buy to tone your stomach, I hate those too....

I have one of those (my version of the treadmill bought at Xmas only to become an expensive clothes horse in the New Year!). Come to think of it, I think it has a Shiatsu massage setting which might be good for relieving back pain - had never thought of that before.

I'd like a TENS pen, but they're so expensive. Has anyone tried eBay for a TENS machine, and would they recommend it? (I know it can be quite dodgy buying electrical good from eBay)

[kayadlington]

Lianne,

I find that if I use my tens unit I can get relief for a few hours after I've turned it off, and then have to use it again, or in my case swop joints and use it on a different one!

I put mine on my hands the other day and didn't realise what it was doing until my house mate pointed out that my hands were twitching rhythmically! I think that it freaked her out I will in future not use it on my hands at the strength I use it on my back and legs....I promise

Kay

[LianneS]

Has anyone tried eBay for a TENS machine, and would they recommend it? (I know it can be quite dodgy buying electrical good from eBay)

Sez, Yep, got mine on ebay...they do have brand new ones on there (like mine) Mine only cost £15...was on buy it now for £20 but when we went on noone had bidded and there was only 45 mins left so we put a bid in....

Kay, youre not supposed to have it as strong on your hands!! havent you got an instruction booklet?! ha ha.... My hubby put it on too strong on mine to begin with and I was twitching!!!

Lianne

[kayadlington]

Lianne,

I only had it on 3 and it has 15 levels...I didn't realise it was that strong, it was only the second time I'd used it.

I'm not really the type for reading instruction booklets, but all mine said was that if you have it too high it will cause the twitches.

Kay

[LianneS]

I spose it is to do with the area that youre working on and the size of the muscles and joints.... My booklet said that it had to be the lowest setting...but if yours has 15 I would have thought 3 was ok.....

I dont read instruction booklets much either, wasnt getting at you.... I think people just need to be aware when dealing with things such as the TENS dont want any unneccesary damage to be done

When I first had it on it was too high and it caused my muscle by my elbow to pull..

Lianne

[kayadlington]

Lianne,

I didn't think that you were getting at me! I was just explaining my rational for the incident!

Kay

[LianneS]

Good, didnt want you thinking I was being mean!!!

Getting back to the subject.....

NickB said about not using TENS when pregnant and trying for a baby.... I knew about when not pregnant but since we're gonna start trying next month I need to know if its def not recommended to use TENS when trying....

I cant find that info anywhere and with this new found pain relief I dont want to get carried away with it and risk not conceiving..

Anyone know where this lies...

Lianne

[Sez]

On the pain-gone website for the TENS pen it says not to use in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy. Nothing about not using whilst trying. I think there may have been a contact telephone number/email on the site. Would it be worth trying to contact one of the TENS companies and asking their opinion?

[kayadlington]

Lianne,

I've just thought that you may be told to not use it whilst trying to get pregnant as you won't know the moment you get pregnant, so may use it in the first few weeks.

But you should still check with someone more knowledgeable about it.

Kay