Cancer and TENS Usage-

[armslee]

I received my TENS unit this morning at PT. :woohoo:

Unfortunately I cannot use it on my belly yet, only my back:headbang:

While discussing my pain and progress for the last week with my IC symptoms I shared with my therapist the squamous cell carcinoma findings from my path results 2 wks ago that I received on Thursday. It will be 3 wks before I have another surgery to remove a deeper section of my cervix to determine how far the cancer cells extend.

My therapist said that there has been no real research done, but that while in school was taught that electrical muscle stimulation (like TENS) may possibly spread cancer cells. It isn't a FACT, but a posibility.

WEIRD.

Just thougth I would share this as I have looked and cannot find any research on it. Has anyone else heard of this??:hmm:

[Vampireness]

Well it's also been told in health show, that I've seen that radioactive stuff that transmit electricity like mobile phones can slowly give you cancer.

So TENS unit sounds scary but it has helped some I guess....

[armslee]

In all complete honesty, I am not afraid to use the unit. In fact I plan on getting that bad boy out and using it on my back within the hour.

I'm not that worried about using it on my abdomen. My doctor wasn't either or he wouldn't have prescribed it. I have to say that my therapist is a bit on the overly protective side. As I have never heard about this before, I wanted to bring it to the board to see if anyone else has.
My doctor's office is going to contact me later and tell me when I can use it for bladder pain. He wasn't in this morning when PT called so my nurse said she would talk it over with him.

I still think this is weird.:hmm:

[Vampireness]

I don't think your therapist is overly protective, cuz things that send electronic waves can radiate cancer cells or activate them, theres science to prove it.

However, a friend of mine has used this TENS unit and it has helped with her pain and frequency and urgency.

She is able to take car rides, she used to be able to hold it 5 minutes but now is able to hold it 20 minutes in a car.

She is able to work full time instead of part time and she goes 2 hours and sometimes when she is really relaxed she goes after 4 hours.

[massagedoula]

I think that the main thing here is that the TENS has just not gone through too many clinical trials. So the information about contrandications is theoretical at this point. We had a similar situation at our clinic, a pregnant client wanted to use TENS on her hip pain. I consulted with a physical therapist and she said that it is not standard of care to use a TENS during pregnancy because TENS has not been studied with a pregnant population. It is probably the same with TENS and cancer too. So if I were in your situation I would err on the side of caution and not use it over the cancer area. It is also very effective for bladder pain on the lower back, because the bladder nerves innervate that area.

[Vampireness]

massagedoula - Cancer area? Where is that?

[armslee]

My doctor gave me clearance 2 days after my last post and WOW!!!:woohoo:
The TENS really helps my bladder pain. Of course, I often just swap it from my abdomen to my lower back but hey, whatever works, huh?:dizzy:

The only "known" site for my cancer is in my cervix. I am having another surgical biopsy on 6/14 to determine how far it extends to my uterus.

At this point, not really worried about it spreading, I need pain relief!

[tracyjomojo]

Hi,

I'm new to the site. I had urgency symptoms that awakened me at night since my teens, but was not diagnosed with IC until 1998, had dmso instills,pyridium, etc.in 2001.
I was in remission for the last 3 years due to??? Possibly that I worked out and lifted weights 3 to 5X per week.
I was rear-ended in an automobile accident a month ago and have been unable to work or go to the gym since.
SUDDENLY it all came back!

It is nice to read that there are others out there trying modern treatments and that some work better than the older things they were using when I was last treated.

I go to physical therapy and have TENS treatment on my neck, etc.

I have a prescription to get a home device for my back, but from what I am reading here, IC sufferers are using TENS on their lower backs and abdomen.
This gives me hope!

Any specific area to apply for IC releif? ie: lumbar/sacrum?

Bless you and good luck with your cancer therapy. I will add you to my prayer list.

Never forget that the mind is a powerful thing and that positive thinking can overpower many things. I hope that you have a good support network!

[armslee]

Tracy-
My doctor gave me a prescription and told me to get it from my physical therapist. My PT was great, she worked with me for about 30 minutes explaining all about the unit, showed me where to place the electrode pads, etc. I felt very comfortable about it when I left. I am sure that your PT will do the same. Sure beats just getting a unit from a medical equipment place, they will tell you nothing!!

Good luck- I hope your TENS brings you much relief, I am in love with mine!!:kiss:

[tracyjomojo]

I think that the main thing here is that the TENS has just not gone through too many clinical trials. So the information about contrandications is theoretical at this point. We had a similar situation at our clinic, a pregnant client wanted to use TENS on her hip pain. I consulted with a physical therapist and she said that it is not standard of care to use a TENS during pregnancy because TENS has not been studied with a pregnant population. It is probably the same with TENS and cancer too. So if I were in your situation I would err on the side of caution and not use it over the cancer area. It is also very effective for bladder pain on the lower back, because the bladder nerves innervate that area.
May I ask where you put the TENS electrodes to give you the most benefit?
ie: sacrum or lumbar, or front lower portion of pelvis?

[Vampireness]

Thats great armslee!!! Im glad its helping your pain!!!

Did you previously have cancer?

The information I got about mobile phones and them contributing cancer. This website is a local mobile phone company's article where you can find information from WHO (World Health Organisation) as well:

http://www.starhub.com/mobile/faqs/sar.html

[Romans8:28]

I Love My Tens! On Bad Days It Helps Me Sit To Drive Etc. Went To See My Son At Basic Training Last Week, He Had A Overnight Pass. It's About A 2 1/2 Hour Drive. Before We Left Spent Alot Of The Next Day Just Driving Aroung, Then Had To Drive Home. The Pain Was Through The Roof By Then, So Put On My Tens And Did Take Some Pain Meds. But Much Less Then If I Didn't Have It, The Difference Was Incredible! Without It I Just Can't Do Long Trips!' Someone Here Showed Me To Do It Criss Crossed.

1 Red X X 2 Red

2black X X 1 Black

Like This Over The Lower Back. My Pt Told Me Just To Make Sure Both Tops And Both Bottems Are The Same Color. For Me This Is Great!
Glad You Can Use Yours!!
Shelly

[tracyjomojo]

Thanks Romans 8:28. I will keep that in mind once I get mine.This is helpful info. I just love this site. It is so sad that this community of wonderful people are all suffering, but nice to know there are others that understand.
My IC started at 12 yrs of age. I am now 37 and had 3 blissful years of relief
until I was rear-ended and injured. It sounds like they know a bit more about this disease's affects than when I was finally diagnosed thru surgery for Endo in 1998. They just need to CURE us!

What brand/model of TENS do you have?

I'm so glad to hear that there are people using this technology to help.
Those instills and caths just seem so painful, invasive and time consuming.
I think this type of TENS therapy seems to support having a fullfilling life and not letting IC dictate every activity. Good for you! That took great courage to drive that distance to see your son. Well worth the trip just to say you did something fun and didn't let IC stop you. I am recovering from an auto accident, which seems to have brought IC back into my life.
For the past 3 years, I exercised with weights & cardio 3-5X per week and was in remission.
I've now been out of commission for 6 weeks and low and behold, it is BAAACK! Worse than EVER!
I hope to use my TENS on more than my IC. My Fiance's brother is getting married in Taiwan the week of June 19th....and I know it is going to hurt beyond belief, but I am going to try to make it, and hopefully TENS and meds will do the trick.My doc will give me a note to present to the airline that states that I need to be able to get up and walk around periodically (for my back).

I used to take Pyridium Plus, which helped some, but made total emptying difficult. I didn't find any releif from Detrol or Ditropan. I now use Doxepin, Clonazepam and Lamictal at night to sleep.
What meds do you use now?
Thanks again for the info. I think the sharing of info on this site is so important to show that there are more options than maybe one doctor telss us about. Knowledge is POWER! Sorry this dragged on so long. I know I'm a bit wordy!
ThX! ~Tracy

[armslee]

Tracy,
My TENS unit is a ProMax. It comes from a company called Rehabilicare. They have been really nice to work with. The telephoned me when they received my paperwork from my therapist and asked how I liked my unit and asked if I had any questions. THey also told me what my insurace was going to pay and shipped me more electrodes.
I certainly wouldn't be able to work full time and keep up the way I do without mine. It has given me my life back.

I still have bad days. But the TENS really lets me take control of my pain management. There isn't a revolving high cost expenditure and you don't have to worry about running out of pills like you do with pain meds. There are costs for the electrodes but minimal in the scheme of things.

[tracyjomojo]

Thanks Wendi,
That specific TENS model info gave me the courage to get a referral from my primary care doc to return to the Urologist that I last saw in 2001, when I gave up because the DMSO instills were not helping and just too much!
I will return to her after 5 years, armed with this knowledge, and know that she has had 5 more years of experience in working with IC.
I feel empowered. Thank you.
Also~ Please feel free to private message me anytime. I noticed that you, too, are new to this site. I have not had cancer, but most females in my family do, so I am regulary screened. Please keep me posted. I am praying for you!

[Romans8:28]

Mine is a ProMed-350. The company I dealt with was not as gracious. The first one broke in two days. This one though working fine took 6 weeks to get a replacement! So stick with the company Wendi recommends!!

I am on those instills.., mine are rescues using lidocain, marcaine, solu-cortef, & sodium bicarb. I also do natural silver and MSM instills. Once you get used to it they don't hurt. For me they are an important part of my treatment. I also take hydroxizine, Elavil, a natural nerve blend, and at times percocet. My tens is an important tool in my coping stratagy but for me just a part of it. I have not let IC slow me down, we have a plumbing business, I homeschool the remaining 3 children at home and am very active in my church and in medical research! I have learned to allow myself to have limitations though and at times say no!

I have IC, chronic infection and lots of kidney stones in both kidneys. These things keep my IC difficult but I have a great doctor and lots of helpful tools.

For me the tens means sitting through church not on pain meds! and being able to take some trips etc! I hope yours helps you as well! I am glad you will be able to use it!

[Vampireness]

Glad to hear TENS work for some of you!!