From: Ruthie.Hoffman@f223.n260.z1.fidonet.org (Ruthie Hoffman)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Tens units, etc
Date: 28 Aug 92 16:18:30 GMT
Reply-To: Ruthie.Hoffman@f223.n260.z1.fidonet.org
Organization: FidoNet node 1:260/223 - Interstellar System, Vine Valley NY

Index Number: 24039

[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference]

 > I guess I would like to see comment from those of us that use
 > tens units. I am interested in what type, size and makeup of the
 > various pads we use and what we like about the different types
 > and sizes. I am curious becuase I have fornd some work "better"
 > or longer that others.

Hullo Bob....  I've tried several different types of electrodes.
The ones that came with my unit were nice for a couple days and
then...no good.  They were called Jeltrodes.  They were re-usable,
supposidly for a couple weeks, but they dried out quickly and when
I tried to rejuvienate them as they suggested (put them in water),
the gel junk came off.  I then tried a couple different sizes of
the re-usable ones that are silver in color and round made by Empi
and called The Soft Touch.  The big ones were too big....the relief
I got from them compared to the smaller electrodes was diminished,
and they tended to "roll" off me...like...roll up from rubbing
against my clothing and sitting.  With the smaller ones the line
that you plug your electrode wire into pulled out of the pad!

What I use successfully now is a combination. I love the multi day
adhesive ones, either from Medtronic or Uni-Patch Multi-Days.  They
are square and stick on with an adhesive pad all around the carbon
rubber electrode (which has it's own gel on it too). (The ones that
the TENS unit maker sent me were awful. They had nylon reinforcing
webbing accross the gel area and the nylon lines poked and rubbed
like crazy!!!  Like those tags on clothing!!! YUKO!)   I can leave
this type of electrode on for several days...3-4 usually, through
daily showers and all.  A couple disadvantages to them are that you
can't move them around..once they're on a spot they're there to
stay until you take it off and throw it away.  Also, I have had
some trouble with skin breakdown with them.  I now use this stuff
before I put on the adhesive multiple day electrodes called
Skin-Prep by Smith & Nephew United and that helps ALOT with
protecting my skin from the adhesive.  When I remove them, I wash
the area real good, but gently, and use Uni-Solve, also by Smith &
Nephew, to remove any leftover ahesive. Sween Cream also helps to
heal any irritated skin after I'm all done.

When my skin gets too irritated by the multi day adhesive ones, or
I need to move the electrodes around alot or whatever, I use carbon
rubber electrodes by Staoderm along with Duraderm II skin mounts.
This makes the electrodes re-usable and self-sticking too.  No tape
and gel to mess with.  The skin mounts last for a few uses and
don't bother my skin.  They do, however, slid around on my skin in
warm weather, I've found. That I don't like.

So.....  you asked a question and got a book of a reply from me!!!
Sorry about that, but hopefully we can all learn a little from one
another about this subject.

CULater, Ruthie

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