TENS unit for pain conrol

MK111 · Feb 17, 2017

Anyone using a TENS unit for pain control and can give me any tips of uses?
At times my lower back pain is so severe I just need to lay in bed for awhile. It was so bad last Sunday I looked up reviews on Google and found one of the best TENS unit reviews as being a Healthmate Forever TENS EMS unit Pro12AB. Ordered off Amazon and received today.
After doing the beef home kill yesterday I was in so much pain I couldn't sleep last night and that was after only getting 3 hrs of sleep the night before.

Well I put it on 10 minutes ago as I started typing this post and it feels better already and it's on the lowest setting.

Any tips from long time users? I've used a TENS units 5-6 yrs ago will relief but it wasn't quite this bad.

I got so bad 3-4 yrs ago I requested a MRI to be taken just hoping surgery would solve the pain problem. But as my Doctor told me before the MRI there was no damage to repair as it's just MS nerve damage. The Doctor was 100% correct as nothing was seen so there's nothing to be repaired.

bowhunter1023 · Feb 17, 2017

Best tip: Use it.

We have one here and I'm not sure what to say other than put it on, set it how you like it and let it do it's thing. I use it on my neck (against their warnings) and will crank it to the point I twitch. It does a great job of relieving the tightness caused by the swelling in my discs.

giles · Feb 17, 2017

Best tip#2...don't crank it all the way up because you think it isn't working. When it kicks on...you'll find yourself on the floor trying to hold your bowel movements from touching your underwear.

I love mine!

Bigslam51 · Feb 17, 2017

Maybe I should look into one of these for my back. How much do they cost, does insurance cover it?

Fletch · Feb 17, 2017

Well thank God you don't need surgery.... 3-4 Advils normally take care of my aches and pains....

MK111 · Feb 17, 2017

Bigslam51 said:
Maybe I should look into one of these for my back. How much do they cost, does insurance cover it?

The unit I bought cost $150 plus I bought 10 sets of reuseable pads total was $176.

After 2 hrs of use the total cost has been paid for in my mind in relief.

I'm only using setting 2 above off.

MK111 · Feb 17, 2017

Fletch said:
Well thank God you don't need surgery.... 3-4 Advils normally take care of my aches and pains....

I didn't want surgery either but when the pain makes you bed fast at times I would have welcomed it.
I already take 3-4 vicodin pain meds per day for my MS muscle pain it does nothing to even dull the pain. No one around me can tell when I take the vicodin as it has no effect on me. I took one yesterday during the butcher and one of the guys said 'Frank going to go to sleep now'. 30-60 minutes later he says 'damn he's no different now than before'.

Gordo · Feb 17, 2017

Fletch said:
Well thank God you don't need surgery.... 3-4 Advils normally take care of my aches and pains....

Advils are my go to also. When my lower back gets a bulge/bump that stuff helps out tremendously. My folks drilled the 'Advil works' into my head for a long time. Hope it keeps working

Gordo · Feb 17, 2017

MK111 said:
I didn't want surgery either but when the pain makes you bed fast at times I would have welcomed it.
I already take 3-4 vicodin pain meds per day for my MS muscle pain it does nothing to even dull the pain. No one around me can tell when I take the vicodin as it has no effect on me. I took one yesterday during the butcher and one of the guys said 'Frank going to go to sleep now'. 30-60 minutes later he says 'damn he's no different now than before'.

It's a whole other discussion, but how quick your 'tolerance' develops from opiates is insane.

I've never lived with chronic pain and feel for you guys dealing with it.

From your posts I've read overtime, it seems like your still kicking ass and takeing care of business!

Keep after it!

Buckmaster · Feb 17, 2017

Bunch of old men here...who's cutting firewood with me all day tomorrow?

jagermeister · Feb 17, 2017

Back pain is no fun. Sorry to hear you're going through this Frank. I've used TENS machines before but I've honestly never believed they solved any problems. For me, and many others, back pain is often just the side effect of a different issue. Typically, a weak core. If your core is weak your back muscles will work harder than they need to, resulting in fatigue and strain... Consistent pain. I know this doesn't apply to everyone and I know you have other stuff going on so take this all with a huge grain of salt. Over the years I've found that exercising my abdominal muscles and obliques usually alleviates any back pain I'm experiencing.

hickslawns · Feb 18, 2017

Never even heard of a TENS unit. I'm with Jagermeister. I use an inversion table, a couple Ibuprofren, stretching, and abdominal muscle workouts when my back flares up. Sometimes when it isn't bothering me too. It isn't an apples to apples back issue though I don't think. Not sure they suggest inversion tables if you have heart issues. If memory serves, I think you said you have had bypass surgery before.

MK111 · Feb 18, 2017

hickslawns said:
Never even heard of a TENS unit. I'm with Jagermeister. I use an inversion table, a couple Ibuprofren, stretching, and abdominal muscle workouts when my back flares up. Sometimes when it isn't bothering me too. It isn't an apples to apples back issue though I don't think. Not sure they suggest inversion tables if you have heart issues. If memory serves, I think you said you have had bypass surgery before.

Have congestive heart failure, 2 open heart surgeries for a artery repair 20 yrs ago and a pig value 12 yrs ago. Back problem started 9 yrs ago 3 yrs after the last open heart surgery.
Doctors say the back problem is MS nerve damage.

Constant pain is no fun since it's whole body muscle pain caused by MS nerve damage. Just gets worse at times.

But what the hell I'll be 73 at the end of the month, battled MS for 37 yrs. But I'm still walking and alive in severe pain but it's sure better than being dead. My older brother is 78 and he's the oldest living male in our family tree in over 200 yrs. All the other males of the family died younger from heart failure.

giles · Feb 18, 2017

Frank...first off, I'm terribly sorry you have to deal with this. I've broken my back twice and have a hell of a time dealing with it. I only hope I can still get around as well as you do when I'm your age. It's scary to think about.

Blan37 · Feb 18, 2017

Alternate laying on heat and then cold while running the TENS unit if you can. It makes a big difference for me when I do that. Helps relax those muscle spasms and deadens the pain.

Good luck to you. Hope you heal up fast. Back pain sucks...

MK111 · Feb 18, 2017

I'm amazed so far. Used it 8 hrs last night and it just felt better. The unit has a timer 20-80 minutes so I set it on 80 minutes and went to bed. Slept 6 hrs straight through and this morning pain is almost gone. I just have a spot lower down toward the tail bone that feels like pressure. So I took the reuseable pads off and took a shower. Put the pads on a little lower and hooked back up. Now instead of a power setting of 2 I can only use the lowest 1 setting.
I used the unit out of the box and the battery looked full charge and after 6 hrs It was still at 50%. Recharged for 30 minutes and 100% again.
Time will tell it the excellent results continue. So far I determined it works wonders.

I used heat in the past but can't use cold because the cold causes severe muscle spasms.

"J" · Feb 18, 2017

Had an issue with a pinched nerve over the summer into the fall... My brother swears by this unit... All my experience was muscle spasms after using it...

MK111 · Feb 19, 2017

"J" said:
Had an issue with a pinched nerve over the summer into the fall... My brother swears by this unit... All my experience was muscle spasms after using it...

After 2 days of use the results are great in pain relieve in my lower back. Too soon to tell but I maybe having some relieve in muscle pain in my whole body.
Muscle spasms hasn't been a problem yet but I take anti spasm meds for my MS muscle spasms problems. Which at times it is so severe I'm laying on the floor having the wife wrapping heating pads on my legs. Most of the time these bad ones happen when I'm tired from a hard days work.

Gordo · Feb 19, 2017

Good to hear your getting results buddy. Keep letting it do its thing!

hickslawns · Feb 19, 2017

Great to hear it Frank. Keep us updated. This is interesting.

TENS unit for pain conrol

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