Due to a nerve injury my physio has suggested purchasing on of the above devices.
Has Choice ever done any testing or had a buyers guide on TENS machines? I also can’t see any posts in relation to them here?
Thanks.
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TENS machines are mentioned in this article
I have a 4-channel and in my personal experience it provides short term relief. Would I encourage others to buy one? A basic one is probably as useful, and a Thumper does as well for me. If money is not tight it probably will not hurt but IMO neither is it a longer term treatment of choice. (no pun intended)
I doubt Choice is inclined to test TENS because they are portrayed as medical devices and as such are out of scope for various reasons save for the general comments.
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I have tried a variety of TENS machines over many years, including single and multichannel ones.
If I was buying another one I would buy the cheapest and most basic one available that suits my needs in terms of channels and functionality.
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First up - you CANNOT use a TENS machine if you have any form of electrical or metallic implant - eg Pacemaker, without consulting a doctor.
We have a Metron Pro Tens which has worked for Mr Z, although as his arthritis progressed it did not help as much. The TENS therapy was recommended to him by 2 highly experienced Physiotherapists who marked where he should put the electrodes. Placement is important.
The Metron Pro Tens has stood up to regular use quite well. It is 2 channel (4 pads, 4 wires into 2 connectors). You can use one channel only or both. The user can alter intensity, pulse rate & width, with various modes and timer. This is important because pain relief is subjective and the user needs to find what works for him in that session.
The dials and switches are tiny and require fine motor skills and good eyesight. It has a belt clip so you can move around, however it was only used lying down. It requires a 9V battery, which we have removed when not in use and has lasted years.
This is the only unit we have used, so I can’t compare it to others. It was purchased through our local pharmacy Co-Op. TENS stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation.
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Thanks for the reply. Do you have any insight between the 2 and 4 channel devices?
Hopefully this will not be for long term usage, but suitable for about 6mths use.
I enjoy using the 4 but it is a pain (no pun) to put on all the pads so have only used the 4 a few times. 1 or 2 is my norm. I originally went with the 4 because of insurance cover making it only little more out of pocket than the 2 channel.
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