TENS machine myth or magic?

[Cobra]

Just over a couple of weeks ago, I took a tumble as reported elsewhere, I was ( still am up to a point) in a hell of a lot of pain.
Making the most simple task very, very painful, standing, sitting, getting in and out of bed, reaching for something, putting something down, etc etc.
I was eating painkillers like smarties, that of course upset my stomach.
Tiger balm and various other embrocations were ( and still are) being applied liberally, which started to work after a few days.

And then I had an epiphany...
Many years ago I had a very serious M/Bike accident, it seems, unbeknown to me, my cloaking device had switched itself on.
A couple of years of Physio, helped greatly, and pre exercises,, I was hooked up to a tens machine, which helped with the pain relief and muscle stimulation.
This was quite a large machine, and just had one pulse setting. ( this was early '80's)

I was bewildered by the array of machines on Amazon, but finally settled on one no bigger than an iPod and has 10 pulse settings.
( This one is about £25 and well worth it!)

After 3 days of use ( twice a day for about 45 mins) I can happily say that the pain is ( I badly bruised a few ribs, twisted my back and god knows what else. )
subsiding and is now down to a bearable level, I can now do most things,
I no longer go upstairs on all fours, I can even get in and out of the car & bed, without gasping and cringing.

Magic or psychological? I don't care, but I'm convinced that its helping greatly.

 

[Fuji Dave]

Great news to hear Chris, I think if we can use or find anything to help with bad body pains then that's a win win for me.

 

[Box Brownie]

AFAIK the principal on which the TENS machine is based has a known and control group testing history.

If it works for you then that is excellent news.

All the best with your recovery

 

[Cobra]

Great news to hear Chris, I think if we can use or find anything to help with bad body pains then that's a win win for me.

Thanks, Dave, I'm convinced that it helped all those years go, and I've no reason to think its not working now.
The proof of the pudding and all that.

If it works for you then that is excellent news.

All the best with your recovery

Cheers Laurence

 

[Gav.]

Good to hear it works and you're on the mend

I know a couple of people who swear by them.

Just don't go mad thinking you're healing/feeling better and over do it

 

[Cobra]

Good to hear it works and you're on the mend



Just don't go mad thinking you're healing/feeling better and over do it

Cheers Gav
And that is a danger, isn't it?
I have to keep reminding myself, I'm on the mend, and not "fixed"

 

[Box Brownie]

Good to hear it works and you're on the mend

I know a couple of people who swear by them.

Just don't go mad thinking you're healing/feeling better and over do it

TENS is designed to generate the production of natural endorphins and reduce pain........I surmise that with reduced pain, movement has less pain but not so that you can go out and chop logs

 

[lindsay]

I had to look it up: transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. So stick a couple of pins in your skin and hook up to the mains?
Joking aside, many years ago in China, on holiday, we visited a hospital for Chinese medicine, and I volunteered to be subjected to a demonstration: the doctor attached a wire to my one hand, and got me to hold a lightbulb in the other; he then attached a wire to one of his hands, and waved his other hand around me in different areas of my body and head. The lightbulb was glowing all the time his hand was near me, to demonstrate the current flowing through both of us, and I had to say I felt bluddy great afterwards! So it's an ancient (well, as old as electricity) Chinese cure-all, it seems.

 

[admirable]

I have put my back out a few times, so a few years ago I had a loan of a Tens Dual Channel. All I can say is it was great, pain gone within the hour.
Not sure how it works but it works for me!

 

[Cobra]

TENS is designed to generate the production of natural endorphins and reduce pain.......

It also stimulates latent muscles, that the nerves can't, that was part of the problem re M/B accident.
I tore out the nerves from my neck that trigger my left arm.

but not so that you can go out and chop logs

Damn! I'll put that axe down right now.
As above to Gav,

I have to keep reminding myself, I'm on the mend, and not "fixed"

So stick a couple of pins in your skin and hook up to the mains?

What with the price of electric these days? I don't think so

The lightbulb was glowing all the time his hand was near me, to demonstrate the current flowing through both of us, and I had to say I felt bluddy great afterwards! So it's an ancient (well, as old as electricity) Chinese cure-all, it seems.

I'm fascinated by the Chinese cures and medicines, It's old traditional stuff, that has worked for hundreds if not thousands of years.
That and the Native American methods. They were chewing the bark of the willow tree, long before "we" had aspirin

 

[Fuji Dave]

If on Thursday theme day you don't start chanting OM, then I think you will be fine.

 

[stevewestern]

I have a tens machine, bought from the pain clinic I was referred to for lower back/bum pain that means I can't sit or lie on my back for more than 15 mins without needing to move. While I wait for surgeons and physios to work out how to sort it the tens machine certainly helps and I'm taking fewer painkillers. Stick with it @Cobra.

 

[hunnymonster]

Isn't "Traditional" Chinese Medicine not mostly from the 1950s when China couldn't afford to buy Western Medicine? Hence all the tiger parts & the like

 

[Cobra]

Stick with it @Cobra.

I fully intend to Steve

Isn't "Traditional" Chinese Medicine not mostly from the 1950s when China couldn't afford to buy Western Medicine?

TCM goes back 1000s of years, and some of ours is based on that.
Many of the animals used are now on the endangered list and, as I understand it, now banned for use.
But of course where there is a market, there will be poachers.

Of course it's not all about livestock, 1000 odd (approx) plants are also part of TCM ( Traditional Chinese Medicine)

 

[hunnymonster]

Indeed but before 1949 it was very much being denigrated by the Chinese medical establishment as largely backward & ineffective when subjected to clinical trial. Only after the privations caused by the war did TCM start becoming big again. The biggest reason it became so was the lack of Western drugs (money) & trained practitioners (war).

Since the 1970s, you'd be hard pushed to find a Chinese hospital running with just TCM though - in some ways their healthcare system is a lot more open to old methods when they work. You would routinely be treated with a combination of Western & Chinese medicine.

Don't get me wrong many/most Western drugs have been found in plants, on toast etc - there are charlatans in Western medicine, there are charlatans in TCM.

If it works for you, great - but what we see in the west as TCM has a history of no more than 70 years and largely hasn't been proven efficacious versus placebo by clinical trial.

 

[Cobra]

Indeed but before 1949 it was very much being denigrated by the Chinese medical establishment

As it's been running successfully, for 1000s of years, when western medicine was still floundering around largely in the dark,
I'm sure they have the edge on us.

 

[woof woof]

Glad it's working and giving you relief Chris

Does anyone remember that con man who sold a bomb detector system with credit card like cards you'd plug in to tell it what to detect? Apparently it worked much better than chance and guards at checkpoints did good work with them although in reality it was a useless empty box.

Just goes to show that there's more in heaven and earth etc

 

[Cobra]

Glad it's working and giving you relief Chris

Cheers Alan, as above it worked well before, so I had no reason to think it wouldn't work this time.

 

[Raincloud]

Have thought about trying one myself as i suffer with lower back pain and nerve pain....

 

[Cobra]

Have thought about trying one myself as i suffer with lower back pain and nerve pain....

They are good for both, in my experience.
They can be almost instant, initially, but you need to keep using it.
Until you are sure It's worked.
And of course your'll have it should there be any reoccurrence.
I use it twice a day, last one about an hour or so, before bedtime, for about 30-45 mins.
Just don't be tempted to turn it right up, it will hurt. Gently does it, certainly to start with.

This is the one I settled on, but its gone up a fiver since I bought mine.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0841BD4JY?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

Apparently it worked much better than chance...

... or not, as the case may be: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29459896

 

[mj4456]

I’m just grateful my TENS machine uses sticky pads rather than needles, would get less use otherwise.

 

[Cobra]

I’m just grateful my TENS machine uses sticky pads rather than needles, would get less use otherwise.

Don't they all?

 

[Bebop]

Sorry to hear about your fall and wishing you a speedy recovery. I'm glad to hear the TENS is making a difference. Whatever helps, I say.

I used a TENS machine when I was in labour with my first child. I had 24 hours of a contraction every few minutes, only mild-ish ones but, you know... I found the machine brilliant at first but after a while it seemed to make no difference. Maybe it's better in short bursts or maybe I'd become numb

 

[Cobra]

Sorry to hear about your fall and wishing you a speedy recovery.

Cheers Bee. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm being fixed and not fixed.
I over did it yesterday, and I'm now paying the price

Maybe it's better in short bursts or maybe I'd become numb

I think that might be the problem with them, I only use it twice a day for less than an hour each time.
And it is certainly helping

 

[Bebop]

Cheers Bee. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm being fixed and not fixed.
I over did it yesterday, and I'm now paying the price


I think that might be the problem with them, I only use it twice a day for less than an hour each time.
And it is certainly helping

go gently.

It’s not ideal this time of year, but I find my electric blanket brilliant for soothing hip and back pain. Or a hot water bottle/ one of those microwaveable wheat bag thingies

 

[Raincloud]

go gently.

It’s not ideal this time of year, but I find my electric blanket brilliant for soothing hip and back pain. Or a hot water bottle/ one of those microwaveable wheat bag thingies

I suffer with bulging discs, lower back. Hot water bottle is a real help with the pain...

 

[Cobra]

go gently.

I will now lesson learned.

I find my electric blanket brilliant for soothing hip and back pain

I'd not thought of that TBH. Not that I own one, but certainly worth considering.

 

[Nod]

You could always ask Roberts from the F&C area to prepare your bed warmer pan and apply it to the afflicted areas. Failing that, a hot water bottle might help.