PatientsLikeMe ™

MS
Skip over navigation
Join Now (It's free!)

Already a member? Log in

See More Treatments

See all treatments in the PatientsLikeMe system shared by patients just like you.


Brand Names: Empi TENS, Microcurrent Electrotherapy
See also: STS Dynatron Machine, Sympathetic Therapy System

What is TENS Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation? Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is an electronic device that produces electrical signals used to stimulate nerves through unbroken skin. Read more...Click to read more below


Reasons Taken

38 patients in the community are using or have used TENS Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation.

Reason # Patients Percentage of patients
Pain 16 53%
Other 4 13%
Stiffness/spasticity 4 13%
General health 2 6%
Numbness, tingling, pins & needles (paresthesia) 1 3%
Muscle spasms, neck and shoulders 1 3%
disease-related symptoms 1 3%
Loss of manual dexterity 1 3%

Dosages

Based on the patients currently using TENS Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation.

  0 day 0 min none 0 none 2 hr day
  2 Number of Patients: 2 2 Number of Patients: 2 11 Number of Patients: 11 1 Number of Patients: 1  

Duration

How long current patients have been using TENS Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation or how long patients were using TENS Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation before stopping.

How Long Current Patients Have Been Using TENS Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation

0-1 month 1-3 months 3-6 months 6 months-1year 1-2 years 2 years or more
0
3
3
4
8
8

How Long Patients Used TENS Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Before Stopping

0-1 month 1-3 months 3-6 months 6 months-1year 1-2 years 2 years or more
0
0
1
1
0
0
Why Patients Stopped Using TENS Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (multiple reasons could be selected)
Reason # Patients Percentage of patients
Did not seem to work 1 33% Did not seem to work: 33%
Other 1 33% Other: 33%
Course of treatment ended 1 33% Course of treatment ended: 33%

Patient Reported Evaluations

Results from 4 patient evaluations. See the overall results and all individual evaluations.

Efficacy (Effect based on reason taken)

Moderate 67% 2
Slight 33% 1

Insomnia

Side-effects (as an overall problem)

Severe 0% 0
Moderate 25% 1
Mild 0% 0
None 75% 3

Top reported side-effects include:

Summary results are based on 4 individual responses. For more information, see overall results for Adherence, Burden and Cost.

Individual Patient Reported Evaluations (2 of 4)

  • OBXGemini
    Sensation: moderate
    Overall: mild
    Cognition: mild
    Vision: moderate
    Speech: mild
    Swallowing: mild
    Upper limb: moderate
    Walking: moderate
    See profile
  • OBXGemini
  • by OBXGemini
    Aug 25, 2008
  • EfficacySlight
  • Side-effectsModerate
  • Pain
Advice/Tips
Start with the lowest setting that you start to feel, gradually increase settings. Don't try any setting that bothers you, stay at the setting that helps you most and is comfortable even when going out. Use on clean dry skin, might be a big mistake to try mixing it with say Icy-Hot or something like it. It really helps to have someone to help place the pads or electrodes in the correct place.

  • dbrister
    Sensation: moderate
    Overall: mild
    Cognition: moderate
    Vision: moderate
    Speech: mild
    Swallowing: moderate
    Upper limb: moderate
    Walking: moderate
    See profile
  • dbrister
  • by dbrister
    Sep 04, 2008
  • EfficacyModerate
  • Side-effectsNone
  • Pain
Advice/Tips
buy an Empi brand if possible - lifetime warranty invest in rechargable batteries use reusable patches order large quantity of patches when yearly deductible has been met

See all evaluation results for TENS Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation



Back to top