As I type my blog I am being electrocuted and I like it.
Just before New Year I overstressed my back while travelling and reached a stage where every step produced acute pain. At the point that the pain was absolutely unbearable and I was doubting whether I could make it back to the hotel I limped past an electronics booth that featured tiny "Tens" devices and the proactive young sales lady, seeing my distress, asked the source of my pain, pulled up my shirt, attached the pads and WOW in moments I felt virtually no pain. At that point I was so relieved that the price could have been virtually anything and the quoted $129 seemed eminently reasonable. Having paid I headed straight off but my Tens-Angel was insistent that I return the still attached demonstration unit and I hobbled to the nearest restaurant to attach my new best friend (which was fortunately pre-charged).
My Chiropractor had used a much larger scale Tens machine on my office visits but the relief was not of course permanent and I did not visit regularly enough to gain long term benefit. (NB. my Chiropractor who is an excellent health care professional has told me by way of correction that the machine that he uses has therapeutic effects rather than masking pain).
Since returning to Atlanta I have casually mentioned these portable Tens to two Doctors that I know both of whom immediately endorsed the device as effectively masking pain (one even said that he used it on himself regularly) but I was too polite to follow through with the obvious question "so why didn't you ever suggest it"!
In any event, some follow through online research has confirmed that this is an effective treatment that if used properly has no harmful side effects. I also discovered that Wikipedia claims that this form of therapy has an ancient history: "Electrical stimulation for pain control was used in ancient Greece in 63 A.D. It was reported by Scribonius Largus that pain was relieved by standing on an electrical fish at the seashore." Being that this was Wikipedia I have no idea whether that is accurate but there is certainly a history of medical use since the 16th Century.
Unfortunately I have also discovered that the frequency is entirely different to that used by the similar "passive exercise" devices advertised on TV that turn couch potatoes into body builders while watching TV and eating ice-cream therefore it seems that I cannot both alleviate the pain and tone my putative muscles at the same time.
Amazingly, this electronic blessing is available on Amazon at prices as low as $29! If you suffer from chronic back or other joint pain it surely has to be worth trying (subject of course to your medical advisor giving approval in order that you cannot sue me!)
Just before New Year I overstressed my back while travelling and reached a stage where every step produced acute pain. At the point that the pain was absolutely unbearable and I was doubting whether I could make it back to the hotel I limped past an electronics booth that featured tiny "Tens" devices and the proactive young sales lady, seeing my distress, asked the source of my pain, pulled up my shirt, attached the pads and WOW in moments I felt virtually no pain. At that point I was so relieved that the price could have been virtually anything and the quoted $129 seemed eminently reasonable. Having paid I headed straight off but my Tens-Angel was insistent that I return the still attached demonstration unit and I hobbled to the nearest restaurant to attach my new best friend (which was fortunately pre-charged).
My Chiropractor had used a much larger scale Tens machine on my office visits but the relief was not of course permanent and I did not visit regularly enough to gain long term benefit. (NB. my Chiropractor who is an excellent health care professional has told me by way of correction that the machine that he uses has therapeutic effects rather than masking pain).
Since returning to Atlanta I have casually mentioned these portable Tens to two Doctors that I know both of whom immediately endorsed the device as effectively masking pain (one even said that he used it on himself regularly) but I was too polite to follow through with the obvious question "so why didn't you ever suggest it"!
In any event, some follow through online research has confirmed that this is an effective treatment that if used properly has no harmful side effects. I also discovered that Wikipedia claims that this form of therapy has an ancient history: "Electrical stimulation for pain control was used in ancient Greece in 63 A.D. It was reported by Scribonius Largus that pain was relieved by standing on an electrical fish at the seashore." Being that this was Wikipedia I have no idea whether that is accurate but there is certainly a history of medical use since the 16th Century.
Unfortunately I have also discovered that the frequency is entirely different to that used by the similar "passive exercise" devices advertised on TV that turn couch potatoes into body builders while watching TV and eating ice-cream therefore it seems that I cannot both alleviate the pain and tone my putative muscles at the same time.
Amazingly, this electronic blessing is available on Amazon at prices as low as $29! If you suffer from chronic back or other joint pain it surely has to be worth trying (subject of course to your medical advisor giving approval in order that you cannot sue me!)
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