Do any of you use a TENS Unit for your MS related pain? I got one today after getting a script from my neuro for it. Those of you that use one, does it help you? Now I have to get instruction as how to use it since the medical supply place I got it from isn't trained in how to use them. I've been having such bad mid spine pain and left hip pain. I do take Tramadol twice a day as ordered by my neuro. It helps, but not a whole lot. I seem to always have more trouble when the seasons change. I just feel awful the past few days. Sorry my post is all over the place. I was just looking to hear other's experiences with TENS machine and if the season's changing affects your MS too? Also what have you done or taken that has helped your MS related pain? Thanks in advance for any thoughts and experiences you can share with me.

I would imagine that it would depend on where and how the pain's affecting you.

TENS are for muscle and joint pain, correct? Or am I way off?

I used a unit previously, for my TMJ. I had the pads attached to my jaws on either side. It didn't seem to help me much, but TMJ is the least of my pain... my pain's actually the result of the nerves in my face going crazy.

I very occasionally get TMJ specific pain, so for me the TENS unit didn't help curb the neuralgia, only medication eases the severity of the pain enough to function/work for me.

My pain, other than being relieved by medications, is relieved by taking a hot bath (not recommended for most with MS - heat has a positive effect for reducing my pain, rather than flaring up my symptoms). Pressure changes/seasonal changes make my pain scale go wild at times, and I can always expect an increase in headaches.

I know TENS units CAN be quite beneficial, depending on the type of pain you're experiencing. I hope it works for you (and it's drug free, bonus!).

Hi Desinie,
I go to a chiro and he has attempted to use the tens unit for me...
HUGE NO NO....
for me the tingling sensation only made my already tingling hands worse and made the back spasams "tens" time worse (sorry for the pund lol)

I also take the tramadol, only I take it 3 times a day along with zanaflex and I also take cymbalta which helps with the neuropthy pain as well.

I would love to hear how it works out for u.......

Last May when I had the Spasticity From Heck (felt like a giant invisible python wrapped around my ribs, squeezing me really hard, along with spazzies in my feet, and numbness just about everywhere) I stole my mom's TENS unit from her and put it on my ribs.

It was the only thing that made me feel a little bit better. Tazered that invisible python to try to get it to leave me alone. I had to turn that thing up almost all the way. (wouldnt recommend that, that hurts almost as much as the spazzies, but I was desperate. At least I could control the intensity of the TENS)

The TENS helped me somewhat, because when the spazzies were bad, I could slap that on and it would distract me from the weirdness and the pain from the spasticity. Psychologically I think it helped me more than physically. I still have mom's TENS and I've used it at least once or twice since then for annoying Hug pain. It does help sometimes.

I need to dig mine out (I actually have two, an A-Tens and a more programmable one) and get over to PT for some work. I expect that it will be used for spasms, which is what I got it for on the first place, only a different body part. Its use for pain is usually as a distraction method. Good luck!

LOVE mine! I ordered a special belt to hold the electrodes so I dont have to ask anyone to slap them on my back, and I sit and relax and let the things work. My muscles become so spastic and upset that they actually pull at the tendons and bones. Its painful! The TENS unit will allow the muscles to relax and so the pain backs off for me.

I hope you find relief.

I got a prescription for one, from the very first MS specialist I saw in 2007. He told me I was too old for MS and go home and get a tens unit. Made me so mad, I never got it!

Tens unit works great for the muscle spasms I have. However it doesn't seem to do a thing for the broken bones and torn hip flexor. I think it depends on the type of pain and the location. As far as instructions, you can usually find a manual online if you google the make and model.

My instructions were to increase intensity until you found one that is strong but not painful and play around with the different variations until you find one you like.

Good luck. Hope it works for you.

i used to have a lot of lower back pain when i was still working; 12 hr days.
i've used a tens and it did help but only temporarily.

maybe your dr needs to find the cause of your pain. is it MS or maybe a disc?

i hope the tens works for you.

I'm sure it's pain from spasticity from the MS. My whole back is so stiff and all my muscles feel hard. I even feel with my hands where there's an indentation in between my lower 2 ribs on the right side. My left leg which is my weaker leg has been having increased spasticity lately too with cramps.

I did have an MRI of my whole spine a few years ago when this mid spine and back pain first started and my discs were all fine. The MRI did show mild degeneration of my cervical spine and thoracic spine. I just turned 40 in December, but feel like I'm 80 for a long time now. A manual did come with my TENS Unit showing how to use it. There was only one local place that supplied TENS Units here and it was $325. I saw them on amazon for $150 when I looked before I got my script. I wasn't sure if insurance would approve it, so I wanted to see how much they were if I had to pay the total cost.

Thank you all for telling me your experiences. I really appreciate it. I wouldn't know 1/4 of what I know about MS( even though I'm an LPN, but not working now due to MS) if it were say, years ago when we didn't have the internet. Feel free to keep your experiences coming and telling me what has helped your pain.