Tens Machine

breane

I wondered if anyone has tried using a Tens machine for pain relief and if so,does it work?I have heard they are good for general aches and pain but didn't know how they would work with severe pain especially flare ups.I am still taking Sopadol but I don't find it of much help and until my liver function is sorted out,my GP won't prescribe anything stronger.I would buy a Tens machine if I thought they did work but I don't know anyone who has tried one.Also,I am on the waiting list to see a Rheumy and I wondered what I can expect from the appointment. :? With all this pain I find I am turning into a grumpy person :x ,not at all like me.My o/h is very supportive but I think my complaining about the pain day in day out,must get on his nerves at times.I never thought OA would change me into such a different person to how I used to be.I guess it's the same for all of us who suffer with this disease.Thank you all for you advice and support. Breane.x

lindah

We bought a tens machine when I had a bad do with sciatica and it worked great.
I don't use it much for o/a because the sites of the pain are so many.
Mine was from Lloyds pharmacy about £15-you just have to be careful with the control,not turn it up too fast.
Arther changes us all,the other day I was telling the doctor I don't recognise myself anymore,the changes in 1 year are incredible.
Do you find the more you try not to moan on, the more there is to moan about?
Good luck if you buy one
Linda H 8)

eckstardeluxe

I'm so glad you posted this and also the response. I heard the pain clinic offer these and am being seen in 6 weeks. People who have them for their sciatica have told me they are brilliant, I'd love to hear more responses as my sciatica is off the scale today. My Gran :oops: had to come to my house today to change my baby son's nappy I was stuck on the floor for hours. What an embarrassment. :oops:

denpen

Hi Breane
I have a tens machine I have had this for 15 years ever since I first was diagnosed with OA in my lower spine I can say that it worked very well for this problem in my lower back, But you have to find the right spot to put the pads which is a trial and error and takes patience to find the right spot, but its better than taking tablets and is well worth trying.
Hope this helps
Denise.

fossillady

denpen wrote:

Hi Breane
I have a tens machine I have had this for 15 years ever since I first was diagnosed with OA in my lower spine I can say that it worked very well for this problem in my lower back, But you have to find the right spot to put the pads which is a trial and error and takes patience to find the right spot, but its better than taking tablets and is well worth trying.
Hope this helps
Denise.

Hi Breane, I too have had a tens machine for a while and have used it on and off with good results. When my back went completely in Oct it worked well on the sciatic pain. It didn't take the pain away completely but made it more bearable if that makes sense. As Denise says it does take a bit of trial and error to find the right spots for the electrodes and the right programme for your pain but I would agree it's definitely worth trying.

Hope you get to give one a go

Take care,
Marie x

ritwren

Evening Breanie, I've been using a TENS machine on and off over the past few months. I borrowed one from our hospital physio to trial it for a couple of weeks but had ordered my own after about a week because it was a great help. It's really good for the lower back pain and shoulder pain. If you see a physio you could ask her do they offer that service and try before you buy. It does depend where abouts you put the pads and my skin sometimes becomes too sensitive to it and I have to stop using it for a few weeks. The one I have also has a button to work on the acupuncture points. It would be well worth a try. It comes with different pictures to show you what points are best for different areas of pain. I hope you get some relief soon

breane

I have seen the tens machines in my local chemist but didn't realise they had pads to put on the body,I just assumed you held the machine on the point of the pain.I'm glad some of you have found them helpful.It's been a bad few days with flare up in the shoulders and neck so it would be nice to get a couple of days with less pain. Each day I say to myself,''I'm not going to moan about the pain today'',but I always do!! Do any of you take sleeping tablets and if so,do they work OK with pain relief meds? I don't want to feel spaced out the following day. :shock: Breane.

dianne2110

breane wrote:

I wondered if anyone has tried using a Tens machine for pain relief and if so,does it work?I have heard they are good for general aches and pain but didn't know how they would work with severe pain especially flare ups.I am still taking Sopadol but I don't find it of much help and until my liver function is sorted out,my GP won't prescribe anything stronger.I would buy a Tens machine if I thought they did work but I don't know anyone who has tried one.Also,I am on the waiting list to see a Rheumy and I wondered what I can expect from the appointment. :? With all this pain I find I am turning into a grumpy person :x ,not at all like me.My o/h is very supportive but I think my complaining about the pain day in day out,must get on his nerves at times.I never thought OA would change me into such a different person to how I used to be.I guess it's the same for all of us who suffer with this disease.Thank you all for you advice and support. Breane.x

Hi

If you get in contact with your OT they will put you in touch with a physio and they will lend you a tens for 6 weeks so you can try before you buy. I used it and it was brilliant but then it started to interfere with my epilepsy{I had been told it was ok as pregnant women with epilepsy use them}

Good Luck I hope a tens machine helps you

love Di xx

woodbon

Hi I've used one, and its fine if you know were to put it, but I found it hit and miss. I think the fault was me when it didn't work, putting the pads in the wrong place :oops: Love Sue

mash65

hi breane,i did have physio & they used the tens but i only found releif whilst i was on the table.
as for sleeping tablets alot of us taken amptripyline they do help as there a muscle relaxatant too.i found that although they help me get off to sleep i have terrible nightmares.
i take 40mg per night.
but were all different so what works for 1 may not work for the other,anythings worth a try.good luck. debsx

skezier

Hi Breane,

When my back wasn't as bad as it is now the Tens used to really help but now it just annoys it unless its the big one that runs off the mains, as yet they still help. As Di said you can get them from the hospitals and they will also tell you where to put the pads. Its worth a go> Take care, Cris

Hui Debs,

I hope your a bit better/ less painful today? x

mash65

hi cris,thanx,just a bit sicky(stress)it always happens.
im just resting up,see rhymy on mon for answers.
keep taking the pills & get on with it.thats what we told
hope your ok.debsx

penfactor

Hi there! My sons friend lent me a TENS & my lovely son bought new pads for me but with the pain being deep in my hip I find it hard to know where to put & after one session was much much worse. I havn't had chance to ask consultant about it though still so bit scared now to use :?
On the subject of being different person - yes absolutely - my life now revolves around getting from a-b & feeling so miserable but feeling ashamed I feel so low & sorry for myself. My Dad is in hospital now very ill so life is just from door to hosp for one of us at any time. Who wouldn't feel depressed under these circumstances? No fun or parties or even being able to do a simple shop job.
Sometimes posts on here can be a bit too cheery & make you feel even worse - hope mine cheers you in a weird "fellowship of misery" way!
XX

frogslegs

I have had a tens machine for about 10 years and would like to think it helps but it does not. When I visit the physio he uses one for about 30 minutes then followed by 15 mins of massage, 10 mins of ultrasound and 10 minutes of massage......and I do find that does help with the pain...but it returns the next day. (this is for the hip) but I have tried it on other areas and even after an hour.....no difference

eckstardeluxe

Hi Breane, just to let you know, I'm off to find one now and phone around all the pharmacies. The sciatica is just getting worse and the Dr says nowt can be done. I'll let you know if I get one how it goes. x UPDATE Lloyds pharmacy have two especially for arthritis and sciatica and not labour, 2 pads £15, 4 pads £20. Hubby's away to pick it up now, I'll give you an update soon.

colinone

Hi guys, My daughter bought me one last year and i tried it for about four weeks. It lives in the draw now and i found it no use it all.
Colin

breane

Hi there,it does seem that using a Tens machine is a hit or miss pain relief.It helps some people but not others,similar to tablet pain relief,what works for one doesn't work for another.Perhaps it works best if you only have pain in one area on the body but I can have the pain in hands,shoulders,knees and feet all at the same time so would have to use the machine on the pain which was worst at that particular time.I don't mind buying one if I thought it worked but it could be a white elephant,use it once or twice,get no relief and then it just gets packed away.Perhaps it is of more use to ordinary muscular pain not arthritis.I think it's going to be a long time before we find something that really does help us. Until then,we all have to struggle.Hope you have all had a fairly pain free day. Breane.x

eckstardeluxe

Well I bought the TENS this morning and took the poster's advice to make sure I got the pads on in the right place. My left leg is the bad one and I'd try anything today the pain was so bad. I put two pads on, one on the back of my calf and the other on the back of my thigh. I used it consistently through the day and I actually thought it helped. It took my mind off the sciatica but my calf had been very rigid and tense and using the tapping and massage together. Tonight my calf muscle is very relaxed. Only time will tell if it really works but I have it by the bed now so I can put it on in the morning as my sciatica starts when I get up and progresses, Tramadol and diclofenac have not been touching it recently. I would say I used it for over 4 hours today though, but I found it pleasant, especially on my thigh. The sciatica stopped at my ankle which had been extremely painful this morning.