1] I live in a very small town where income for most is very limited. This really shows when you go into the store or the pharmacy where you can find the lower priced items such as aspirin, or maybe some icy hot to rub on for pain, but they are missing things such as microwavable wraps or TENS units, anything that people may either be suspicious of or are just unsure if it would work for them and they don't have enough money to take a chance on something new that they just discard. Most of what they have to offer I am way beyond them working for me, and much of what they carry that is in pill or liquid form, I cannot use because I had major stomach surgery last year and cannot digest these in most forms.
2] I generally do not make a trip to the store to look for pain relief. I am on prescription medication as my health has gone beyond what an aspirin would take care of. I actually spend more time looking at items when I am not searching for one particular item.
3] I do like to look to see what new devices there are though. The last thing I tried was a TENS unit and that was the wrong thing for me to use. I ended up in the emergency room with back spasms that were the worse I have ever experienced. I have purchased some OTC pain reliever to take along with my prescription meds when I am trying not to use so much of the opiates/narcotics. Even then, I cannot take anything that is time release or in capsule form due to my past surgery. Brand doesn't affect me that much as I look to see what the active ingredients are, many of the 'generic' versions are pretty much identical to the brand name versions.
4] There are several devices I wouldn't mind trying if I could afford to.

What I do when I find something rather expensive to try is I will do an internet search of reviews to see what others who already have it think
Laser MD Pain Relief
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Thank you for sharing your experiences. How did you come to try the TENS unit and where did you get it? What brand was it?
ReplyDeleteYou say that you do like to look to see what new devices there are. What is appealing to you about these types of things? What are you hoping for from them, relative to the 'tools' you already use for pain relief/management?
ReplyDeleteI really do not like having to take all the different medications I take. I am constantly looking for alternatives that can do more than offer a bandaid solution.It seems like each condition I have contributes to the others...ie...I have been told that all of my muscles are too tight. If I do the stretches that have been recommended to me, my pain level in different areas are increased...if I do excercises for my hips for example, my back and my knees become much more sensitive. I know there is no cure for what I have, but I just cant give up on the idea that there is something I can do to slow down progression and maybe be able to do some of the things I enjoy such as going fishing, canoeing, horseback riding, bowling, etc....
ReplyDeleteI purchased my TENS unit shortly after they became available to buy OTC. I have an omron long life pad. I have had to stop using it after I put each of the two pads on each side of my spine, where I have pinched nerves. My back could not handle the stimulation and I ended up in the emergency,when, after two days of being unable to control the spasms in my body, I could no longer handle the pain. I hadnt thought in advance what it might do to stimulate those nerves.
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