United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

My physiotherapist tried the TENS Unit on the back on my neck while I was having physio done last week. At the time my bpi arm felt different-kind of just numb. She has asked me to ask all of you if anyone has had any success with this treatment. Courtney, one of your posts said you had this but then switched to the Scenar treatment. Do you think the TENS Unit did anything for the pain?
The next day after the TENS Unit my pain level was about the same as usual. All of my nerves are avulsed and I think this type of treatment working on the pain gate only is successful if the nerves are still attached. Can anyone confirm/deny this?

Hey Allsion! I did use TENS for a while and it was great for my pain. I had a home unit that I Could wear as often as I needed it. Some days I would wear it all day and turn it on for half hour inciments every 10 minutes or so. My physio is now using SCENAR for me and I get pain relief from that too. Allsion, I AM also in the processof gett a TES unit for nighttime use, while I Sleep, and a NMES for daytime use! CRAZY! Francine has great info on these here....http://www.injurednewborn.com/maia/estim.html as well as TENS and a few others I believe.l I think that whatever works for pain is great! See about borrowing one from your physio to start, thats what I did, try it at home and see if you like it. Then maybe check into getting one for yourself. Thats my advice Allison! How ar ethings going these days?

Hi Courtney,
It's bloody cold here! Last night was -20 Celcius, so that's about -5 F your temp. My Physio would rent a tens unit for a month for me to try. I'm just concerned you have to have intact nerves for this to work, with avulsions I'm wondering if it doesn't have anything to "trick" into thinking about something other than the pain. How are you doing from surgery? I've been rereading all the posts and am up to page 25, some say that surgery helps with the pain even with avulsions and no chance of any recovery-interesting, very very interesting. I'll have to look into this further. I'm still going for physio, massage with ROM, chiropractor, aquacise and some light exercise classes. The pain is very bad today, but it's my own fault! Had a little too many whiskeys yesterday. There's a lesson to be learned here, but damned if I know what it is! ha ha. ttyl.

Courtney & Allison~
I am so interested in knowing more about the T.E.N.S unit. I actually bought one 15 yrs ago, its an antique now I'm sure but I only used it to work my tricep until it was transfered and then I donated it back to the hosp. But now after talking to some differnt doctors I'm willing to try it for pain. Have either of you been talked to about having it inserted into your neck? One doctor talked to me about DREZ but I think I'll try this untit first. I guess I ran away from my injury for along time because I'm not sure what some of things are that you two talk about....Like whats Physio and ROM? I just went to see a PT in down town Chicago and thinks she can "help" my with my pain.
Allison, doesn't those drinks do wonders when your drinking them??? Yah, pain free!! But the next morning your arm has those driving the sharp pains that non-stop. And the cold??? Double wammy...not good. Been there, done that. Sorry, hope you feel better.
Kath

Hi Allison,
I too have read that the TENS (and other electrical pain devices) must have nerves in continuity (not avulsed or severed) to work.
The nerve repair to help with pain is definitely being done, even in cases where there is no hope of any gains in movement they have found that pain relief happens. It's the intercostal transfer that's usually done for this. If you find any other good stuff in that thread let us know-I've been meaning to go through it for ages but it's too daunting!
Cheers Jen NZ

hey allison! i hate to say it, but i think youre right as far tens for avulsions, i tried it for a while in various positions, but no effect. unfortunately.. the whisky is really the only thing that i have found that dulls the pain.. but like you said.. you pay the price the next day. im starting to seriously consider the drez procedure, its really the only treatment that makes sense to me for avulsion pain. hang in there though

Hey again,
ROM= Range of Motion. What my massage therapist does is, after she massages my back, shoulders and arms, she takes my bpi arm and moves it all around and stretches it out over my head, out to the side etc. I find the pecs and also the muscles on my bpi side are extremely tight.
Physio= Physiotherapy or physiotherapist. I go to her for work on my broken "good" wrist. She is trying to get movement back to my wrist by gently stretching it out and then gives me acupuncture with electricity attached to the needles(looks like tiny jumper cables atttached to the needles) for pain and swelling reduction. She had been doing acupuncture on the bpi arm but I don't think that was doing anything. She also showed me ROM exercises to do, but like most people, I fail to keep up with them 100%.

Allison,
Things have been CRAZY since surgery, arm is much weaker and the pain is out of controll! Hopefull by the end of this month I should possibly start to see something! That would be niec! My physio says that he can definitly tell a difference in the bicep but its still not moving my arm! Im not giving up though! You might be interested might not be but I got this supination strap/brace thing that I am wearing now instead of a sling (yeah) and just having myy arm hanging at neutral does WONDERS fro the pain! I love the stupid thing! Just a thought! This is where I got it from www.mckiesplints.com THANKS LIZ! Its e ven hot pink! hahaha

Kath I WIll be in CHicago the December 4th and 5th, maybe we could have lunch or something. I hae to get fitted for a shoulder brace deally thing! Let me know!

Stay warm everyone and keep postitve with this CRAP weather we are headed for!
Courtney

Hey there Courtney, I wonder if your pain is due to the weather??? Hot pink hand splint, gotta LOVE IT. How do you feel regarding your bicep, can you feel anything yet? When I try to flex my bicep I feel something NERVY? but no one can see or feel it. This just starting happening about 6 weeks ago, when I started going to massage and chiropractor. I think I'm also getting more skin sensation on the old arm, wild eh? Today whilst making Hooter's chicken wings, I got the worst pain yet in my index finger, a very sharp pain. I thought to myself, "oh that's new" wierd eh? I'm up to 2 x 300 mg neurontin, 3 times a day now. I'm not going to try and attempt going off until this pain stabilizes a bit. The pain has actually been worse the more physically active I get. This should not be! Where the heck are those endorphines anyway? We have snow here, but today was 0 C or 32 F. Very lovely.
Oh by the way, I have amitrypiline 25 mg for sleeping but twice it gave me what I like to call the heebee geebees. Toss and turn, can't sleep, walk around in circles holding my arm, very nasty stuff. I wonder if it's reacting with the neurontin. Taking both too close together. So anyway, please keep in touch.
ttyl
Allison

Courtney~
Lunch? That would be great. I live North of Chicago, about 50 miles but I can meet you. Where and who are you seeing? What is the shoulder brace going to do for you. I am soooo bummed about the TENS unit not working/helping for my nerve pain:( I am staying away from DREZ, it scares the cr-- out of me.
Let me know about the 4th and 5th, dress warm.....
Kath