Sore neck - anyone use a TENS machine?

[DrBeckett]

I have had a bad lower back for about 6 wks now. Came out of nowhere. And it was crippling. I actually missed a day of work and I never miss work. I went to my pain specialist and he recommended a TENS unit. I love it. It helped while it was on. And over time, it did get somewhat better, but I did end up having to have my back injected. I will never have that done again. I’ve had my hips injected before, but this was some kind of new hell. On the right side I could actually feel the pain down the side of my leg. I think I will do much better if I lose a lot of weight and continue on the TENS machine. But you can’t use it too often because you will get used to it and then have to set the machine on a higher level.

I’m glad the chiro helped!

[artisticgold]

I have had very bad pain for years, including hip, back and neck. Just got diagnosed with Lymes and it is most likely chronic. Been going on for years. As I read up on lymes, stiff, painful neck and headaches are rather common with the disease. If you think you could possibly ever have gotten bit by a tick, it may be something to rule out.

[SuckerForHorses]

@artisticgold

I have had very bad pain for years, including hip, back and neck. Just got diagnosed with Lymes and it is most likely chronic. Been going on for years. As I read up on lymes, stiff, painful neck and headaches are rather common with the disease. If you think you could possibly ever have gotten bit by a tick, it may be something to rule out.

For a separate reason I was tested and negative.

[Magicboy]

Glad you found a good Chiro and it sounds like you are getting some relief

[Ambitious_Kate]

@Calamber

TENS units are definitely not a placebo and they have a very targeted use. They are used to dull the nerve endings and thus help with spasms.

Huh? YOu can’t dull the nerve endings. If you “dulled” your nerve endings you damaged them. A Tens unit delivers a small electrical charge. And why? What is a small electrical charge going to do? Just because you stimulated something doesn’t equate to pain going away.

If the problem is muscle, there is a spasm or inflmation. Anti inflamatories or anti spasmotics will help. Its hard to resolve neck pain because there is no way to rest the neck muscles, they are constantly in use, and the job of supporting the head is intense. Sometimes a neck brace helps relieve and rest some of the muscles so they get a chance to be relived of some of the work, but not always.

With neck pain for this amount of time I would continue to get imaging. If there is relief from using ibuprofen (800 or 10000mg every 6 hours for several days) then I would presume there is an inflamation. Where it is, would be resolved with imaging.

[Calamber]

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[Calamber]

@Ambitious Kate

Huh? YOu can’t dull the nerve endings. If you “dulled” your nerve endings you damaged them. A Tens unit delivers a small electrical charge. And why? What is a small electrical charge going to do? Just because you stimulated something doesn’t equate to pain going away.

If the problem is muscle, there is a spasm or inflmation. Anti inflamatories or anti spasmotics will help. Its hard to resolve neck pain because there is no way to rest the neck muscles, they are constantly in use, and the job of supporting the head is intense. Sometimes a neck brace helps relieve and rest some of the muscles so they get a chance to be relived of some of the work, but not always.

With neck pain for this amount of time I would continue to get imaging. If there is relief from using ibuprofen (800 or 10000mg every 6 hours for several days) then I would presume there is an inflamation. Where it is, would be resolved with imaging.

You totally misunderstand how the TENS units work. Dulling the pain by electrically interrupting the pain cycle does not “destroy” nerve endings. That is how it works and why it is very tricky to use it in the neck region.