going back to pt, getting electro therapy

[blackwolf]

i'm heading back to physical therapy for pain mgt., they want to try electrotherapy again. was heplful about 8 years ago after a pinched nerve, would like any relief from the left neck to ribs pain.

if it helps they want me to try a TENS unit, anyone have this, did it help in the long term?

i will also probably be getting an mri of my middle back, t7-9. doc doesn't like the complete loss of feeling(touch and pressure) and constant pins and needles.

one bit of good news, my gp(who i would just prefer to shoot) has now been fired and i will start to see an internal med doc for everything(but the everyday stuff)for that i will just go to after hours clinic.

still kinda in the hole, but a little better, just got pleursy again. kids and hubby have that nasty sinus infection, they are all on antibiotics.

best to all,

blackwolf

[Laura]

Hey Blackwolf! Good to hear about your new doctor!! Sounds hopeful already! I had a back injury a couple of years ago and used the TENS unit through the physio. I was really skeptical that it would do anything at all at first, but it did seem to help after 4 or 5 sessions. Maybe I was just starting to heal at that point, I'm not sure, but I would do it again as it seemed to help the spasms and nerve pain. I hope you have the best of luck with your upcoming appointments. Let us know how things work out! Laura

[Ernie]

I used the tens a few years ago and it was very helpful. I had no side effects.

Ernie

[Guest Mary from OH]

I have a TENS unit and LOVE it!! I have the EMPI brand. I have tried other brands and found them to not be as effective. I personally find the EMPI to be FAR superior (note: no affiliation with the company!!)

It seems to have the gel pads (reusable) which seem to attach(?) better to your body to get a better delivery of the stimulation. {sorry, you'll have to bear with me on my description, I've got a heck of a migraine}.

Also, the pads are reusable for quite a while and it comes with 2 rechargeable batteries. It also clips to whatever you're wearing and it has like 12 different ways of delivering the elec. stim.

I love mine. (can you tell?)

I had another one that was in-network with my insurance and returned it. I had to turn it up to the highest setting to even be able to feel it. With the EMPI unit, I can feel and get help at a MUCH lower setting. If I have to go up over more than 15 or so, I know I'm REALLY in trouble!! The other unit, I was going to 35 or more and I could barely even feel it. My pain managment dr. tested over 30 different units and will only write prescriptions for the EMPI. She really believes in it's performance. After using the 2 different machines. I'm a believer!! Good luck!!

[blackwolf]

thank you all, i had my first app. today at pt and spent 15 minutes with the electrotherapy and heating pad. IT WAS WONDERFUL!!!!!!!

i will have these treatments for 3 days a week over the next two weeks to see if it helps enough. if it does, i'll probably get a tens unit. my therapist said she had to set the unit they use really high just for me to feel the effect, she said as muscles relax it should get better. doc is still deciding on the mri, will wait to see how these treatment go.

mary-my pain doc also only uses empi, must be good.

thank you all so very much for your help and just being there for me. i have become almost desprate for care and things are finally starting to turn around. i found a support group for people with msa(multiple system atrophy), called the nurse running it and she invited me to come to the meeting. it was nice to talk about alot of the same symptoms and even got pointed toward a new doc that does everything for them, accually it is a group of three docs and i hope to start seeing one of them within a few weeks.

again thank you all,

blackwolf

[Amy]

Blackwolf,

I have used this type of therapy as I have a severe cerival spinal problem, completely fused from C3-C7 with plates and screws, have had three awful surgeries. Anyway I thought after the last surgery a year ago that it was very helpful. I was desperate with pain and if was a godsend.

[blackwolf]

thanks amy,

i'm sure i'm not a surgical candidate, not that i would do it. i just need to be able to keep moving. i still feel pretty good since the treatment i had firday. the pain is starting to come back but it isn't so bad.

agian thank you all,

blackwolf

[geneva]

BW, I am so glad that this is working for you. how wonderful!

A few years ago, my PT tried the tens unit on me and at the lowest level it overstimulated my system and I went into full POTS overload. It was not good. Just goes to show how different we all are when it comes to treatments.

[blackwolf]

had my second of seven treatments, still doing pretty good, get some numbing over of the pain i my middle back, neck still trouble, probably will get mri for it. got some new excerises to try, using stretchable bands and stretches.

so far no really bad sideffects of the treatments, though i have alot of muscle spasms after the treatments, though not as painful as the constant muscle pain.

hoping to not trigger a bout of super sensativity, still a fear of using the electrotherapy, once i a while i get pain that is all over my whole body and i don't want to even wear clothes and even a sheet is painful, standing, laying and sitting are all agony.

thank you all for your support through this.

blackwolf

[Guest Mary from OH]

Glad your therapy seems to be helping. Are you on any muscle relaxants? I have discovered that I have to be on them constantly. My muscles are in constant spasm. I am in constant pain. Without them, I'd be in even more misery. The TENS unit seems to help. Our PT programs sound really familiar. Also, when I got really bad I wasn't allowed to do any of that any more. My dr. had my PT only be a type of medical massage that they could only do after icing me for about 20 minutes to numb me otherwide they couldn't even touch me. Also, then I did exercises in a heated pool there at the PT center. My dr. would not let me (still does the same) do any other types of excercise.

I wish you the best of luck. They should be able to let you use the TENS unit for a month before you decide whether or not you want to purchase one. During that time, you'll be able to decide if it helps you or not. I'll hold your hand while you do it!! Plus, your PT will go through it with you. They'll hook it up and show you how to use it and everything. Don't worry. It's worth a try. Anything is worth it for pain relief!! Plus, there are a TON of variable settings so YOU are ultimately in control and also can shut it off immediately with the push of a button.

Take care!!

[blackwolf]

Dear Mary,

yup, I love my muscle relaxer, Soma(brand name, can't remember the generic )

gee what a suprise.

hope we all have better days ahead.

blackwolf

[corina]

Hi Blackwolf,

here's a short message from the Canyon. I'm very glad that you're doing some better and that this helps you with the pain. Hooray for your tense treatment!!

Corina

[Sunfish]

i used the TENS as part of PT when i had a neck/shoulder flare-up after a car accident last year & it seemed to help. might not have been as pro-active about PT but i'd had a csuccessful ervicial fusion a year before so we wanted to nip any problems in the behind right away. it definitely didn't do any harm though. glad things seem to be heading in the right direction for you!

:-)melissa

[blackwolf]

thanks corina, i'm getting higher, but slid down some today, took a turn tonight as the pain went way high, can't think of anything new but the pt i was supposed to do. my neck is really wacked as i have electric shocks going down both arms.

melissa-yikes, i think you have had the worst of it. i just am not one of any more surgeries, not unless i really have to.

my ability to type is gone again and i made so many mistakes reading during church group, i just had to give in and let someone else read.

i'm sliding again.... look out below!!!! wide load on the way down!!!

blackwolf

[blackwolf]

another stupid question.. does anyone get pain that feels like there is a horrible tight band wrapped around certain points of your body(my worst are chest, and then all joints except hips, and lower arms and legs) that losen and tighten and stabbing, i mean s-t-a-b-b-i-n-g pain, the kind that brings tears to your eyes.

mabey, i'm just nuts

thanks, everyone of you.

blackwolf