Tens Machine

PamieAFC1903

My mate has told me to ask for a tens machine, but my physio is a *ahem* and wont budge to even help me a little, I complained to my GP, but he said because I haven't been to see someone about the scale of the problem they wont do anything.

She has hers for the pain and says it does her wonders, with the pain i am in (NHS Fife takes years to give appointments, even at GP Surgeries) would I be better off just buying one the now?

barbara12

Hi Pammie
I have had one for a couple of years now, it worked a little bit
at the beginning but not any more.
My son has bought me an expensive one for Christmas...and to be honest I am getting no benefit from it.
The things is everyone is different, so if you could borrow one and try it just to see, before you spend any money,
Barbara x

angelgirl7

You can hire them from mothercare and boots ............ I did for when I had my daughter. Worth a thought

B XX

PamieAFC1903

Thanks guys, I'm going to make an appointment to see my GP after the new year (if i can get one).

I hope it will work for me, another one of my mates has one, dont know if he still uses it, I may ask him if I can have a try

lindalegs

Hi Pamie,

I bought a TENS machine from Boots a couple of years ago - cost about £60. I find it beneficial if I'm having trouble with a particular joint and it can be very soothing too.

dreamdaisy

If you can borrow one to try, then do so. They work whilst you are 'wearing' it, but don't necessarily when you are not. I think the pain relief is based on its electrical impulse 'disturbing' that of the pain. Some people find them very effective, so if you can 'try before you buy' then do, to see if you are in that group. They do vary in price, Lloyds Chemists often have them on offer but I don't know if that chain is extant in Scotland. I wish you well. DD

PamieAFC1903

lindalegs wrote:

Hi Pamie,

I bought a TENS machine from Boots a couple of years ago - cost about £60. I find it beneficial if I'm having trouble with a particular joint and it can be very soothing too.

Thanks.... I found one from Tens themselves for £39.99

tjt6768

Hi Pamie, I ordered mine direct from them yrs ago, they knew I was in a bad way and due to go on holiday so they rushed mine to me, fantastic service, as for the machine, it worked a bit but I was having severe pain in my spine, and I could not put it on myself, so OH had to do it each time, they have self adhesive pads but back then they weren't great so we had to tape them on, then they'd move etc etc.... They may be a lot better now, I'm going back over ten yrs..
Hope you manage to get one and really hope it helps you too hun..

)

PamieAFC1903

tjt6768 wrote:

Hi Pamie, I ordered mine direct from them yrs ago, they knew I was in a bad way and due to go on holiday so they rushed mine to me, fantastic service, as for the machine, it worked a bit but I was having severe pain in my spine, and I could not put it on myself, so OH had to do it each time, they have self adhesive pads but back then they weren't great so we had to tape them on, then they'd move etc etc.... They may be a lot better now, I'm going back over ten yrs..
Hope you manage to get one and really hope it helps you too hun..

)

https://www.tenscare.co.uk/index.php?action=products&product=78

this is one I am thinking of getting.

tjt6768

That one might be removed by the mods as advertising hun, just so ya know... Might not but ya never know... But bloomin eck lass, that's a tad snazzier than the ancient one I had, lol..
Not a bad price either... )

PamieAFC1903

Lol...... if it gets removed meh, aslong as some folk manage to see it to tell me if it be decent lol.

tjt6768

As I said, looks nice n snazzy to me...
)

PamieAFC1903

Hehehehehehe

Chinup

Hi Pammie

I have been thinking about getting one too, that one looks a good price and nice and small, I have ordered it, I hope you find one that works for you. x Di

lindalegs

Pamie, that's exactly like mine .....must say it's come down in price. :roll:

hileena111

Hi, Only one thing.....check if you can use one...certain ailments and you shouldnt use them. eg Epilepsy.....I'm sure there are others as well but I know when the physio suggested it to me shortly after I was diagnosed and sent me to a class to see about them and how to use them etc...also to borrow one. She said that if you had certain conditions...and epilepsy was one of them it wasnt advisable to use it.....I have well controlled epilepsy so she said dont take the chance....it has been mentioned again by the physio I'm going to now {ab out 8 yrs on} and she said she would write to my GP and see what he said.
Love
Hileena

jilly

PamieAFC1903 wrote:

My mate has told me to ask for a tens machine, but my physio is a *ahem* and wont budge to even help me a little, I complained to my GP, but he said because I haven't been to see someone about the scale of the problem they wont do anything.

She has hers for the pain and says it does her wonders, with the pain i am in (NHS Fife takes years to give appointments, even at GP Surgeries) would I be better off just buying one the now?

Hi I have had one and been taught how to use it at the pain clinic , to be honest it helps a bit while you use it but when you stop it comes back . Saying that i have friends that find them really good so i think it is good for some, they usually have a offer on at chemists and they are half price , i would buy one then there is nothing to using them just read the instructions , i went to be shown how to use it but it is easy. hopeit helps you ....jilly

PamieAFC1903

hileena111 wrote:

Hi, Only one thing.....check if you can use one...certain ailments and you shouldnt use them. eg Epilepsy.....I'm sure there are others as well but I know when the physio suggested it to me shortly after I was diagnosed and sent me to a class to see about them and how to use them etc...also to borrow one. She said that if you had certain conditions...and epilepsy was one of them it wasnt advisable to use it.....I have well controlled epilepsy so she said dont take the chance....it has been mentioned again by the physio I'm going to now {ab out 8 yrs on} and she said she would write to my GP and see what he said.
Love
Hileena

Well unless it interacts with Asthma or anxiety I should be fine lol....

PamieAFC1903

Chinup wrote:

Hi Pammie

I have been thinking about getting one too, that one looks a good price and nice and small, I have ordered it, I hope you find one that works for you. x Di

Glad I helped . I may have to end up asking my mum to buy me it for my birthday hehe.

skezier

Hi Pamie,

Oh flower the catch 22 ....

They don't do a lot till they know whats actually wrong and they can take ages to find that one out as well.....

Has your gp referred you at all? You just have to keep pushig and pushing at times.

Tens used to really help, I had one years ago prior to the decompression and have ad one more recently... Hey they have changed and got much smaller and easier to use

Its one of those things you can't know till you tried it.

I still have one but for some reason both my neck and lumber wont tolerate it... hell have they got teasy

I really hope they will get you sorted soon and let us know how you get on with the tens. Cris x

frogmorton

Hi pammie

I have one and at times i still use it. It seems to help with the OA bit but less with the inflamatory bit. I borrowed a friends at first, but if you can afford it???? Have you tried e*ay???

Love

Toni xx

Bookseverywhere

It is amazing how things vary between different GPs. My GP has a physio whom he shares with two other GP practices, and the physio lent me a Tens machine - this was before I was diagnosed. It helped a bit at the start, but it seemed to stop working after a while

I don't think you should buy one because if it doesn't work for you it will have been a waste of money. If some GP practices in Scotland can provide Tens machine then I see no reason why others can't: it is just a postcode lottery. So tell your GP that you know of some GP practices that do provide Tens machine for people in pain. If you want to know the name of my GP, then email me privately and I will give you the details.

Best wishes,
Kevin.

hileena111

Hi, I'm in the North East of England and we can have one on loan from the physio until we decide whether it is any good for us or not.....thats after going through a short class to show you how to use them and answer any questions you might have
Love
Hileena

amboritic

The best machine is the TSE machine which is also a TENS machine, they have loads of different modes and are more powerful and also more expensive than a run of the mill TENS.

Mine is made by Acticare.

The TSE stands for Transcutaneous Spinal Electro-Analgesia, the biggest difference between the two is that when used in TSE mode the electrodes only go on the spine, or neck, not either side of the pain.

TSE effects are cumulative, not sure about TENS.

The TSE machine was recomended by the Pain Clinic, they tried it out on you, and gave you the details to buy one if you felt some benefit, I did so I bought one, it was the thick end of £100, but you don't have to pay the VAT if you have a long term condition.

I have had mine for the best part of 5 years, as I was seen at the Pain Clinic after a neck injury.