All about TENS Machines

[kayle_d]

aha! Found the diagram that I used to try and work out points of where to use the pads. It took a while as it just came up with pictures of tens machines

Hope this helps Chloe!

http://www.1-800-medical.com/medical/paintech/elechart.gif

[lil_miffy]

fab link!!

its really important to put the electrodes in the right place. just putting them where it hurts doenst work.

[lil_miffy]

If you have a Tens machine where you can alter the puse wave length and frequency its worth understanding how the different tens modes work and when they should be used to get the most out of tens.
Tens is like any other kind of pain relief. If you use it properly it should work really well. But its not as simple as what the shops tend to market it. Sticking the pads where the pain is and switching it on is like taking paracetamol when you have a headache. It will help short term for people who only suffer from mild headaches.
For people with chronic pain and reccurent injuries you need more than a quick fix.

This is a little book that explains TENS and helped me to understand it and get the most of TENS.I was working with the Author who was my Pain specialsit who got me using TENS
http://www.alanking.net/kings-guide-to-tens.html
http://www.electrotherapy.org/modalities/tens.htm Is a site that explains TENS in a more detailed way

If you are using a machine that allows you to alter the pulse frequency and wave length the following are the usual parameters to be using. :
Hi tens (normal tens) - Acute pain/Sudden injury, Immediate pain
Mode (N) : 90-120 Hz frequncy , 100vs wave

Lo tens (accumpuncture tens) - chronic pain/preventative
Mode (B) : 2 - 5 Hz, 200-250vs vs wave

cx

[JoSo]

ooh thanks for that Carrie thats really useful x x

[lil_miffy]

It really frustrates me when I see cheap nasty TENS machines in shops or when people say they tried TENS but it didnt work and I know its beucase they most likely havent used it properly. USually beucase when you buy them in the shop the little leaflets you get don't go into einough detail and you need that to understand how it works to get it to work for you.
TENS is amazing and in my opinion usually works for 9 our of 10 people for a chronic injury or specific chronic pain when medicatoin and other treatments won.t eg back pain.
TENS is the only thing that will touch my lower back and SI pain, medication, heat, cold, massage, physio, accupuncture, Steroid injections, nothing else brings the pain lower than a 7 on the 0-10 pain scale.
I don't get carry over, as soon as i stop the TENS th pain is back but thats fine, I would leave it on permenantly if it wasnt so energy draining.
I have read about something similar to TENS thats implanted under the skin and attached directly to the nerves and controlled using a remote. It works the same as TENS and seems to work well in people who respond very well to TENS but nothing else but as with all spinal surgery its very risky. But its definaly something that will be at the top of my list to ask about if I ever get reffered to the pain clinic (the process the gp has to go through takes about a year here!).

I don't get much success with Lo TENS but then accupuncture didnt work either. However alot of people don't find the modulatoin mode benefital but I love that one and find that lowers my pain the furthest.

If you are using a shop bought TENS machine and find it does help but are restricted by a time setting or intensity or your pain isn't being reduced enough, or you aren't getting any carry over and you feel you should be it is probably worth investing in a proper medical TENS machine. These ones are like the one I have give you full control over the electronic signal which is baiscally giving you the full control over the pain management.
You can control the wave lentgh, freqency, intensity etc, there's no time limit etc. They also have 4 leads (2 on the left, -1 positive (red) 1 negative black) and th sme for the right), This is very important in terms of where you place the electrodes as the positive and negative left and right electrodes and the begnigng and end of the signal (kind of like a electric loop). The signal comes out the machine out one positive electrode through the nerve whizzes round your body and back out through the negative. (not exactly like that but something close. Where you strt and end this loop is very important which is why its not as straight forward as just sticking the pads where it hurts (and why you need 4 not 2).

[kayle_d]

These tens machines are good I have one like these with the 4 pads, could never work out how only using 2 pads could work as it certainly didn't for me.

However the company is very unreliable.

http://www.tensmachines.co.uk/tens-machine.html

I've ordered from here before, they alright as long as you don't need to contact them (as they don't reply to anyone/don't do anything requested - like changing an order/no contact phone number to actually phone them on), or want a refund, or have any problems, etc, etc... The person who owns this site also owns a similar site, with the same problems, also looks identical.
Which is this site: http://www.tensmachinedirect.co.uk/index.htm

[lil_miffy]

Oh thanks so much for the warning. il edit that and remove the link.
I got my machine from somewhere else who don't actually supply them to public now which is why i gave that company instead as they sold the same machines.
Dfinatly no good if they are no good with customer sales.

[lil_miffy]

Here is the correct company where I got my TENS from and where i get my electrodes etc.
It is a professional company that supplies to pain clinics and physio depts as well as customers.
I have the TPN 300 digital model.

http://www.physiomedhomecare.com/TENs/

[oxymoron]

I recently tried a TENS machine on my upper back, I get constant burning pain in the muscles there, and I have to say it was incredible. I used it for 35 mins and the next morning, I woke up pain free for the first time in years.

It was a combined TENS with the muscle stimulators, the ones to increase ur muscles apparently. I tried that too on my back and it had really felt as if I had worked my muscles. Has anyone else used EMS on weak muscles, and they see any benefit?

[Retro]

Just got an email from Physiotherapystore.com who are offering the TENS machine used by the NHS (which I really like) for £19.99 including VAT + free delivery

Lindsey

[Kattykins]

Wow - that is amazing. I was given one by the NHS years ago but it is now dying. I have been panicing over what I would do if it finally keeled over.

Thanks so much for the info!

xx

[Ruby]

I've been using the tens function on a compex energy unit. It has 8 pads you can use at one time and I love it. It's pretty expensive but as a muscle stimulator unit it has many functions. I'm going to use the muscle building programmes and fingers crossed build up some muscles all over. I'm keen to try the tone function on my wobblier bits and the relaxing massage is quite good too. Any one else ever tried this? I was recommended this by a Hypermobility specialist as despite daily physio my muscles are injured so often they really are quite useless. Ems units have been used in clinical trials on patients with severe muscle wastage and worked well. Costs a fortune and has taken me a while to save up. I'll keep you guys posted on results if you like?

[shirleytx7]

I have a tens machine I used after my back surgery. It has all sorts of functions for muscle stimulation, pain, etc. I haven't used it for over a year but will have to dig it out and use it again. I have never used it for anything but the pain function but will have to read the book and see about the other functions.

[Laura]

I have the Boots Advance TENS Machine, which is really good for my pelvis pain. The problem is, every three months or so, the wires break so that whenever I move at all, the machine beebs and complains about the connection to the pad. I've tried replacing the batteries, electrodes etc, but nothing works. They don't sell the wires separately, so I have to keep on taking them back to Boots (yay for a two-year warranty) to be replaced, which is rather tedious. Has anyone else experienced a similar problem with their TENS machine. The staff at Boots claims that I'm the only person who ever has to return a machine because it doesn't work properly. I use the machine on my lower back while I'm at work, which means that it is on rather a long time every day, but I can't really see that alone frying the wires.

[shirleytx7]

I remember after a couple of months I had to replace the wires because with use the wire where it attaches to the pad became loose and did not work. I just got new wires. It would seem this is a common issue as the pads, wires, electrodes are very easily available for my unit.