Dan.Payne@p0.f5.n290.z1.fidonet.org (Dan Payne) (04/24/91)
Index Number: 15139
FK> Got to run and help daughter with homework, write and tell me which un
FK> have.
FK> Later Sarasota Fred
I am using a Medical Designs Spectrum MAX-SD tens... keep three fully
charged batteries handy, and usually have each side set at a minimum of
50 (many times cranked as far as it will go), it is no panacea, but it
relieves tha pain to the point that I can live with it, and function in
a reasonable manner, In the 6 months that I have had it, I have gone
from needing it every day, to needing to use it only on "bad days"... I
guess you just eventually learn to cope with it. My dad has an older
unit (around 1984 or so) his is of little use, and he recently got one
like mine, and the difference was amazing... don't know if it would be
the same for you (I'm no doctor), but the difference between the two
units seemed to be worth it for him.. (he has a degenerative disk
disease of some sort, and has 5 collapsed disks)...
later
dan
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Internet: Dan.Payne@p0.f5.n290.z1.fidonet.orgKeith.Jones@f3.n157.z1.fidonet.org (Keith Jones) (05/30/91)
Index Number: 15861
[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference]
I am curious as to others experience with TENS units. I am currently
using one to alleviate nerve(?) pain in my foot. Works great. I have
even been sleeping with it. I have heard these units lose their
effectiveness over time. My doctor says no. Anybody had any experience
with them?
-Keith-
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Internet: Keith.Jones@f3.n157.z1.fidonet.orgDennis.James@f83.n128.z1.fidonet.org (Dennis James) (05/30/91)
Index Number: 15865
[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference]
Hello Keith!
In a msg of <26 May 91>, Keith Jones writes to All:
KJ-> AREA:CHRONIC_PAIN
KJ-> @EID:a6c3 16baa480
KJ-> I am curious as to others experience with TENS units. I am
KJ-> currently using one to alleviate nerve(?) pain in my foot. Works
KJ-> great. I have even been sleeping with it. I have heard these units
KJ-> lose their effectiveness over time. My doctor says no. Anybody had any
KJ-> experience with them?
They lose effectivness only after a certain amount of time that you
actually have it on and running. The nerves become overstimulated
and the unit becomes ineffective. You stop it for an hour and than
reapply it and it will work just like always. Thats why the
doctors recommend that you take daily breaks from using the tens so
that it gives your muscles and nerves a rest.
Continual use can also break down muscle tissue from what I understand.
I have used one for about 2 years and it is still effective.
Good luck
Dennis
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Internet: Dennis.James@f83.n128.z1.fidonet.orgmax@uunet (Max Meredith Vasilatos) (06/04/91)
Index Number: 15939 In article <15861@handicap.news> Keith.Jones@f3.n157.z1.fidonet.org writes: >Index Number: 15861 > > I am curious as to others experience with TENS units. I am currently >using one to alleviate nerve(?) pain in my foot. Works great. I have >even been sleeping with it. I have heard these units lose their >effectiveness over time. My doctor says no. Anybody had any experience >with them? > > -Keith- I have a TENS on my face and neck, and it helps (not completely, but any help at all is a miracle). I too wear it all the time; I even wore it into surgery! As far as losing effectiveness goes, my understanding is that the nerves become overstimulated and thus desensitized. I turn mine off for an hour every 4 hours (if I can stand to) and that seems to revitalize the effect. Max Vasilatos max@athena.mit.edu
Orville.Bullitt@f36.n135.z1.fidonet.org (Orville Bullitt) (06/07/91)
Index Number: 16007
[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference]
KJ> I am curious as to others experience with TENS units. I am
KJ> currently using one to alleviate nerve(?) pain in my foot.
KJ> Works great. I have even been sleeping with it. I have heard
KJ> these units lose their effectiveness over time. My doctor says
KJ> no. Anybody had any experience with them?
Keith,
I used a T.E.N.S. Unit (Stayoderm) for about 9 months for an L5-S1 Spondo.
That is a misallignment of the vertabra in my lower back.
After about 9 months time, it did lose effectiveness.
I am now using Tolectin and Cytotec.
Good luck wit your TENS.
Later,
Orville
... I look better than I feel.
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Internet: Orville.Bullitt@f36.n135.z1.fidonet.orgOrville.Bullitt@f36.n135.z1.fidonet.org (Orville Bullitt) (06/14/91)
Index Number: 16038
[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference]
KJ> I am curious as to others experience with TENS units. I am
KJ> currently using one to alleviate nerve(?) pain in my foot.
KJ> Works great. I have even been sleeping with it. I have heard
KJ> these units lose their effectiveness over time. My doctor says
KJ> no. Anybody had any experience with them?
Keith,
I used a T.E.N.S. Unit (Stayoderm) for about 9 months for an L5-S1 Spondo.
That is a misallignment of the vertabra in my lower back.
After about 9 months time, it did lose effectiveness.
I am now using Tolectin and Cytotec.
Good luck wit your TENS.
Later,
Orville
... I look better than I feel.
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Internet: Orville.Bullitt@f36.n135.z1.fidonet.orgmax@athena.mit.edu (Max Meredith Vasilatos) (06/22/91)
Index Number: 16339
I sent this article also to sci.med. It is slightly modified
and updated here. I think the information might be useful to
misc.handicap readers.
----------------------
I wear a TENS unit, with electrodes on my left face (temple and jaw)
and back neck (behind the ears) for pain control. I've been doing
some experiments and thought the following might be useful for anyone
using or working with TENS therapy.
The main problems: the electrodes fall off, the gel dries out (no
more conductive juice), the adhesive is too irritating, or they are
hard to reposition to find the right spot.
Why this is important: to work, the unit and electrodes have to
be on most of the time. I (and presumably others) won't keep them
on if they are annoying. Also, finding the right spots to place
them is important and takes some trial and error every time.
I've tried 3 kinds of electrodes. They are all too big for the face,
and since the face and neck move lot, their "grip" is not secure.
(My doctor is a pediatric maxillofacial surgeon and is pretty into
solving this problem; it'll help with the kids.)
The types of electrodes:
1. carbon permanent ones ("the old kind") - these require gel
application and get stuck on with an overlaid adhesive patch.
They need to be removed, washed and re-gelled every day.
The adhesive patch holds well, but hurts to remove.
No Brand for the 'trodes, Patch = Uni-Patch.
2. disposable ones - you gel-ify the surface with a drop of
water and slap them on. They last for two days and get
thrown out. The adhesive is like superglue so they are
almost impossible to reposition, but they stay nicely on.
They hurt *a lot* to remove and pull out my hair by the roots.
Brand = TENS-Aid SYNTAC.
3. repositionable ones - surface gel can be revivified by
adding water, and you can move them around. They don't
stay on at all. Brand = Multiply.
I've been trying different adhesives with the repositionable ones.
Paper tape falls off. Silk surgical tape holds for a while (but not
to hair in the back) and then falls off. Plastic tape holds for a
while and then falls off. Curity adhesive pads have good staying
power, but the middle (where the electrode is) falls away from the
skin. Bandaids have the same problem with the middle. Cutting off
just the sticky end and using that works pretty well, but gets too
irritating after about 4 hours, especially in hot weather. It also
sticks to the back of the electrode and is hard to remove.
By chance, I've stumbled upon Tegaderm, which holds well, doesn't
irritate the skin (much), and peels off (relatively) easily.
Because it's transparent, I don't look quite so mummified with it
on my face. (It also sticks nicely to my [.25" long] hair in back,
but doesn't pull it out.)
I've cut the repositionable electrodes down to about 1 centimeter
square, and the bandaid covering on them has come off so they are
"naked." Now, chopping 1 large Tegaderm into 4 pieces yields
enough to hold on 4 trodes. I can stand it for about 12 hours.
Unfortunately, 14 pieces of Tegaderm cost me fifty dollars, and
my insurance doesn't want to pay for it.
The TENS has let me decrease my consumption of percoset and codeine
substantially. Hope this helps someone. Hope that some day the
insurance folks can recognize and support a working solution.
Max Vasilatos
max@athena.mit.eduKeith.Jones@f3.n157.z1.fidonet.org (Keith Jones) (06/25/91)
Index Number: 16418
[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference]
I currently use electrodes for my TENS unit and have no problem with
positioning, reapplying or skin irritation. They are called DERMA-TRODE
SL TENS ELECTRODES. I purchase them from:
American Imex
16520 Aston Street
Irvine, CA 92714
(714) 553-8885
or
(800) 521-8266
Give them a call on the 800 number to find out more info. They work
for me.
-Keith-
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