Has anyone used a TENS unit to sooth aches & pains? I used one for some back issues years ago but I'm thinking it could help with some of the pain I have in my lower back, hips, & knees.
Also, does massage help? I'm not sure I can afford a massage very often but I wonder if my doctor writes a Rx for it my insurance may cover part of it.
I LOVE my TENS! I use it on my lower back and my neck. It helps a great deal, especially since my pain med choices are very limited.
I, however, cannot get massage because it sets off in immune reaction for me. I have ankylosing spondylitis, so I have to be very careful.
i have various autoimmune diseases that cause a lot of pain. BUT i have found that TENS unit has helped me greatly with my back and hip pain
Now there is a kind that works better than regular TENS which they implant in your body and place nodes both in neck and lower back ( or what i was told at least) and it runs around the clock...so that could make huge difference in pain.
Now i did ask about one of those for me and pain specialist said they mainly are helpful for people who had pain in very specific areas like shoulders, neck or hips...even knees and hips it would work. I have pain from shoulders down to my feet so she said odds are it would not help.
Massage...yes it has helped me as well...great deal in fact as long as you have a person who listens to what level to give the massage at as to pressure. I have had to get up off the table when a guy masseuse did not bother to listen or take me seriously...kept saying more pain i could stand less i have later on...well he was literally breaking bones where my joints have grown together and just did not get it.
But one of my good friends became one and i was her practice person..or one of them and it was wonderful!! Thing about it also was she not only helped my aches and pains but helped lessen a cold and other health issues.
I also have had foot massage only as i have severe RA in my feet...i get at lunch when i worked and was on my feet a lot. IT also was wonderful and on both i often would fall asleep.
So i think both can be greatly helpful to pain!! i also believe in epsom salts baths for many kinds of pain. Just if cause of your pain is severe inflammation like with RA do not do hot hot baths....or try to keep those joints out of hot bath water till cools down. Something about epsom salts really does help and on one site i belong too, many people wrote in about how to make scents using epsom salts and oils....which is really all you do...like adding lavender oil to bag of epsom salts and let it sit for few days or long but shake often. May not last entire bath depending how strong but sure is nice in beginning.
Or you can use nice scented candles...and i always have book...though i did just water proof cover for my e reader too!!
hope this helps ...i much rather a person try these ways than get on or increase their narcotic drugs because they have so many negative side effects...plus you become dependant on them ...everyone does and they never really explain what will happen if suddenly for whatever reason you cannot get your RX for those drugs...well it is pure hell and doctors should warn about it as well as how narcotics effect one's brain too.
My mom had looked into the implantable tens but there were two many "rules" regarding body movement, and she is very active with training dogs, so it was not a good choice for her.
I used the tens unit years ago and loved it. I'm not sure that the over the counter ones are comparable to the prescription ones though.
I just read the reply from person with ankylosing spondylitis which i also have and i never had immune response from a good massage. I will say when i was getting them often ( more than one a week) i only had autoimmune diseases such as lupus, ra and others which many people have.
I had my rheum not do any tests except pressure point and said i had fibro well pain specialists said lets take at least x ray ...i have had AS for many years...most likely it was causing pain in my hips and back that i complained about to my rheum originally...so instead of helping to slow it down...now i just must be very careful to not damage or even cause my bones to break because they are so messed up!! 2nd major mistake from that same Rheum!!
But i have had massages with pain doctor blessing...I was just told as i would do anyways...if it hurts to make them do it lighter and tell them about my joint and back issues so start lighter rather than hard.
It might be oil they are using....either bring one you know is safe or ask for plain or different kind of oil even. most have at least 3 or 4 kinds of oils as well as many scents.
Insurance...i forgot to mention this...TENS out of body are only from $20 at your drugstore to less than $100 online. I do know that how it vibrates does make difference for me in how much it helps...so start at lower costing ones first. Insurance use to cover it but now many do not due to low price.
Massage, I know that some do cover it just depends...also same is true now for acupuncture which also might be helpful but read about it and make sure you have a real one...not just someone trained by so so one. They have different ways of identifying them...so again search online about. My mom swore it helped her back problems very much.
I tried it back then for my RA in feet and other places..helped a bit in other places but not in my feet at all. i been told they are very hard to treat for pain...or any part of our extremities. Most insurances are now covering it but you must make sure person you use is covered by them.
THere also is this machine which works from what i understand similar to TENS but should be more effective and work even on extremities. Problem is...there are very few doctors including chiropractors using it though some do and so mainly you must buy it and see if it works....about $1,000 so expensive for me at least.
People who wrote reviews on Amazon and other sites, most who have arthritis and other back problems swear by it and many have stopped using narcotic drugs completely on it or lowered their use greatly.
search for spinal cord stimulators and you will get many sites for information both about TENS and those implanted as well as pumps...pumps a drug.
here is link for other item....as you see also says it helps with sleep..cause stops pain ...but some other things such as anxiety. Now i did email them to ask how it works and how it can work on pain as well as anxiety ...i really did not get answer..nor did they seem to care much about making a sale. I asked about helping me locate some doctor in large area from where i lived to just try it and woman who answered my email seemed to blow that off as well. Since they are located in Oregon and i was asking where in oregon is just a chiro or doctor who could try it on me...and i got no answer...and i do not recall her reasoning...made me wonder.
I am fully aware how much placebo effect can help both positively and negatively with pain...so all i wanted was to try and have a doctor explain how it could work on me or how i have pain it may help one area but not all...which is what most pain specialists as well as orthopedic and rheum say.
BUT i am still curious about it...sure be nice to get off narcotic meds. I wish you the best and hope your insurance will cover massage....often it will if your doctor fights for you to get some assistance.
I bought a TENS machine and lOVE IT! I use it on my lower back...just put it on a run it for 30 minutes while I watch TV.