What can putting a TENS machine on your carotid artery do?

[BCrawley21]

I was in to see my chiro and two techs took me to the TENS machine. I showed the tech where it hurt and.she said she couldnt put the electrode there but the other tech said she could so she did. I started to feel weird and looked it up and every site says NOT to put it on carotid but doesnt say what can happen if.you do.

[MedFaxxBob]

Supposedly the reason for not placing electrodes in that area is can excite a choking response however in the past 38 years of doing this I have yet to see that happen to anyone or hear of it happening to anyone.

[rosewine]

The carotid arteries are the main blood vessels that supply your head and neck so I presume if the electrodes were placed on or near that site it could interfere with blood getting to the brain.

[enirehtac17]

Hi I am no health professional , however, common sense you tell anyone not to put it there. If you don't have a tens machine at home , may I suggest to go on google or if you live in UK look it up on N.H.S site. I would certainly ask for another tech to connect electrode. However, what I do know is this could have detrimental on your heart. Although, please do not quote me on this good luck

[TryingMYbestAtlife in reply to enirehtac17]

What is this tens machine?

[jjanvil]

I know this is an old posting, but I also have been searching all over on the web & can't find any info about what happens if using the TENS incorrectly on the neck. Did you resolve your problem? Since I used the TENS on my neck I have constant neck pain, horrible headaches, & weird feeling in my head. I went to so many doctors, but nobody knows what to do. So far meds are not helping at all.

[TryingMYbestAtlife in reply to jjanvil]

I KNOW how you feel. I've taken all of the wrong drugs and physical therapy. I am in pain right now. My neck! I don't know what I could have done to injure it! I have pain that travels. This pain will go away for a while but not just yet. I Know that I've had this pain it for a month, but I think it's been longer. I have to do something but every thing I do doesn't make it go away. I was having abdominal pain 2 months ago, went to the ER because my doctor wasn't in. And I have many gallstones. They gave me a prescription for nitrous oxide and a bottle while I was there to prepare for surgery in 2 days. So I went to see the surgeon and I told him that I'm going to have a colonoscopy and he said to do that first. Now I wait for that day to come. Now I have this neck pain and I'm going to see my PCP tomorrow and I'm going to give him a piece of my mind. I think he loves to see me in this pain. I'm so frustrated. Does anyone here remember what I said about "back in the day" how physicians made you comfortable because they knew what would work. I had ear infections a lot when I was a child. He gave my mom a prescription for codeine and antibiotic it took the pain away! I didn't get addicted to it. I knew that in just a couple of days the pain would go away. So I didn't have to go to school for a few days. But does my doctor give me anything that works?? Nada zip zilch No! I should have called an ambulance.. I can't drive with this pain. They will give me a shot and a prescription for Vicodin. I'm waiting to see if the pain is getting better or not. Sorry I went off like that

[jjanvil]

WOW! So sorry to hear. To good health or at least better health! Best wishes.

[Arman_KB]

I hope there goes a notification for anyone who has participated in this thread, and I hope they are still active after 8 years.

I am going to answer your question not with anything more scientific than a couple of google searches, but with a degree of certainty, with my own, tested experience.

I have recently purchased a SKG Neck Massager that has a TENS feature among many others.

And very coincidentally, at the same time I started to take a new medicine which kind doesn't matter here really.

After a couple of days I started to feel that I am feeling numb and tingly mostly in the face.

At first I thought this was a reaction to the medicine. But after many searches, I did nit find any reasonable connection between the two, online.

But just today, I asked myself what if it's because of my very lovely TENS Neck Massager?

What if I'm using it wrong sometimes?

I searched and searched, until I came across a warning saying not to put TENS units on Carotid Arteries, but no one really saying why?

I suddenly began to recall how I use the TENS machine exactly on the furthest left and right of my neck (the sides).

And that is exactly what Carotid Arteries are.

I went and got my massager and started to test it again and this time, oay attention to the results.

I used the unit on my Carotid Arteries again but with low pulse intensity this time, because I realized it might be harmful.

Even with the lower degree, I realized my face goes numb after like 30-60 minutes.

Then I waited a couple if hours, and tested again. Exactly the same results, but after 20-30 mins.

I did it four time today and each time the symptoms came sooner. The last and fourth time the numbness started to increase un between 8-15 mins.

And now I am feeling numb all iver my face. Without even taking my medicine for a period.

My guess is that the shock causes the veins to somehow suddenly crunch on themselves and close up.

Although it may be therapeutic for muscles, apparently it can be very harmful to larg important blood veins. Especially for the most exposed one on the fragile skin of your neck.