peterr@utcsrgv.UUCP (Peter Rowley) (11/18/83)
The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. show "Marketplace" of this week reported a disturbing story concerning the suppression of a proven, non-drug, pain-killer. In 1974, a Minnesota inventor created a device that used Trans-cutaneous (sp?) Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) to suppress lower back pain. The device is somewhat bigger than a Walkman(tm Sony) 1 and is attached to two flat electrodes, placed on the skin. It has a few controls, to control current etc. Not having the marketing muscle to get the device out, the inventor made a deal with Johnson and Johnson to further develop and distribute the apparently proven device (the Marketplace report did not, unfortunately, mention any clinical trials). Five years later, in 1979, the device was still on the shelf and the inventor sued, receiving $170 million dollars and a judgement which blamed J&J for depriving millions of people of the pain-relief-without-side- effects of the device. The decision was appealled and the judgement recently reduced to $8 million, still a huge amount. The report included an interview with one man who suffered such severe back pain that he had to take large amounts of pain-killing drugs, with their depressant side-effects, which lead him to a "black life". Now, with the TENS unit, he can lead a normal life. The report also gave considerable play to the fact that J&J's Tylenol makes them $500 million a year in sales. Though the report was not as clear as I would have liked, the judgements in US courts indicate that a good case for the device's effectiveness has been made (i.e. J&J did not argue successfully that the device could not be sold as it didn't work-- I don't know what their argument was). Thus, if you or someone you know suffers from chronic pain, it may well be worth asking your doctor about TENS. CBC Toronto (354 Jarvis, 416-925-3311) may be able to provide further information.
mike@csugnat.UUCP (Mike Vevea) (11/20/83)
A bit over two years ago, I was in the hospital, and the person who shared my room was using a TENS unit. At that time it was described as an experimental treatment, which required a release from him. It was very effective...he was in for disk surgery, and was not on any drugs; the major problem was that occasionally it was knocked loose. If the electrode was not in GOOD contact, he got zapped. One time a nurse had to adjust it, she also got zapped (& jumped about three feet). It seemed like a very good product, but one which needed some work to develop a more secure way to fasten the electrodes on. Mike Vevea
wetcw@pyuxa.UUCP (11/22/83)
I was in the hospital at this time last year for back surgery and was given a TENS unit to help combat the sciatica pain. It worked to a point, however, since I had a severly herniated disk, the TENS unit could only do so much. After a while, the unit could do no more for me except compound the pain. It does work on mild to medium pain, but I can't reccommend it for the real debilitating type pain. I ended up having microsurgery on the back and can say that anyone with a similar problem should consider it and not try to let a TENS unit cover the problem.
nishri@utcsstat.UUCP (Alex Nishri) (11/24/83)
In regard to the interesting article posted by utcsrgv!peterr about the TENS method of non-drug pain relief, the CBC "Marketplace" TV show describing this gave the following address for getting information: TENS Box 220, Station A Toronto, Ontario Canada (Sorry -- I did not get the postal code down. But mail should get through without it.) I would be interested in any other information anyone has on TENS. Alex Nishri University of Toronto ... utcsstat!nishri