Tens Unit for Endo Pelvic Pain?

[Emily321]

Anyone had any luck with a Tens unit??

[Livingdeadgirl]

I was wondering the same thing.. been looking at them on Amazon lately!

[luthien in reply to Livingdeadgirl]

I got mine from amazon - HIDOW, its amazing.

[yomomma]

Yes but it's temporary. Anything that's temporary I hate. I would have a surgery in a heart beat if I had pain bad enough. The ting unit works then when I turn it off the pain is still there. I think it's a joke myself. Doctors try everything because they keep you in the system. And here in the states they can't write pain meds anymore unless you have surgery.

[luthien]

I've not tried it for period pain yet. I have two types though.

TENS stimulates muscles by small electrical impulses so it can be used to build muscle or help with muscle pain.

My one for pain (brand HIDOW about £40) has larger paddles with self adhesive sticky stuff, and can be used on up to two separate areas (four paddles in total, with replacements). It has a booklet on how it works. I've used it for lower back pain. My other one is an abs belt with 4 sections that gel goes on.

The theory behind the TENS unit; it can be used for any type of pain, however there should be settings, patterns, and levels and come with a booklet on how to use it including pictures and types of pain it can help. It should be used for only an hour a day, 30 mins a day to start with. The idea is to work out what just gets rid of the pain and is just comfortable. I admit it does feel weird at first, and can make you giggle. Don't pick a setting that causes pain. It needs time to retrain the body with how it responds to the pain you've had so it will take from a week to three for you to notice the effects. When I've used it for my back pain (not there all the time) I first waited for it to be at what I felt was it's worst then started treatment; set it to what was comfortable for 30 mins a day, repeating the same settings for the first week and then an hour a day for the second week and finally an hour every other day then onwards; I've not had that pain again since then.

What people don't realise is it's not a quick fix, so for periods it would probably be best to start when your pains are bad, after reading up on location and starting intensity / patterns (google the brand or look up the help guide), then use it for just half an hour a day on the first week, even when your periods pains are gone, make a note of your settings and do an hour a day for the second week, then you can do an hour every few days there onwards. If you get a wireless one, the circle with the paddles just goes under your clothes and the remote goes in your pocket so it can be worn anytime. It suggests not to wear it in bed. You should notice the next month your period cramps will be a little better, they may not go away completely, but if it helps you manage better it'll be worth it.

Docs suggest them but don't tell you how to use them; as it's an alternative pain therapy it will take time with settings, placement positions, etc.

The brands designed specifically for period pains have a set setting and intensity which I guess helps to make it easy to use but it means it can't be used elsewhere and if it doesn't work (intensity or setting doesn't suit you) you can't change it. Also they're a lot more expensive for just one sort of pain.

Hope that helps xx