TENS and/or e-stim machine?

patachin

Thinking of getting one of these (probably the e-stim) for some ongoing tendonitis. 

Anyone have any experience w/home use of these, or recommend a model?  Or, tell me this is a dumb idea?

jburbatt

I use a TENS when my tendonitis flares up pretty bad and rest isn't helping. I think it helps some...but it's definitely not a miracle machine (sadly).

Dana Laytham-Herbert

I have a TENs machine that was prescribed to me by my physiatrist for back pain - it takes the edge off but I agree with Jennifer, it's not a miracle machine. My insurance paid for the machine though:-)
Dana

Leigh Boyle

TENS is a pain relief type of e-stim (there are multiple uses and machine types). you can change the parameters around, but at the end of the day it's short term pain relief. nice to have, but certainly not a miracle cure.

Another type (functional estim or NMES/neuromuscular re-ed) is used to re-educate/strengthen muscles. basically it helps contract the muscle and then you work with it to stimulate muscle fibers to get them all firing as they should. You can also do this with focused strengthening on the problem area but another nice to have.

If you're going to plunk the change down- try to get a unit that does both versus just one. You'll get more use out of it that way (injury, recovery, pain relief). Most are very user friendly so it's not like you're playing around with Hz and pulses per second settings.

[Deleted User]

I've been thinking about getting an e-stim device as well. I've been looking at some of the Compex devices, any thought would be appreciated?

chuckg

@arron I love the Compex, but they are so dam expensive! I swear by it for recovery.

Matt Samojeden

I have the Globus Sport + unit now for ~ 2 years. I love it. I use it for mostly recovery and for some resistance strength training. I am working with it again this OS again and am pleased with the flexibility of the product. Purchased it from HammerNutrition.com

Paul Hough

I have a Home Medic ultarsound machine. It doesn't look like much but it works. My wife took it to her PT early this year and they tried it on themselves and were surprised that it really works. I've been through 6 bottles of gel the past 2 years and found it to be more effective than massage.

patachin

Picked up an LG model.  Have used the e-stim mode a few times and now and it seems to help. Or, maybe it's just the placebo effect.  I'll take that too.  Thanks for the advice.