Does anyone know why TENS units are being discontinued? They are such a wonderful alternative to pain meds

General
1

I use a TENS unit (the electronic nerve stimulator like what is used at the chiropractor's office with the electrodes, ya know what i'm talking about right?) I have used one for my back pain for about a year now and just found out the last time I went to buy new pads for my unit that they are being discontinued! Like, all of them, all together, not being made anymore! Which wouldn't be such a problem if I didn't have to buy new pads every month or two because the stickiness wears off and they don't make a good connection. I'M SO DISAPPOINTED! THIS UNIT IS SUCH A GREAT ALTERNATIVE TO PAIN MEDS AND MUSCLE RELAXERS! Does anyone know why this is? Or if its going to be replaced by a similar product in the future? There are already so few alternative therapies that work for FM, just hate to see this one go. Its like the medical world wants us to be dependent on our meds.

Thanks for your thoughts :) Be well today

Julie

2

No I had no idea. And i need pads for mine to. They do help especially being on your feet or sitting a long time.

No they are not you can still get them online just google them. I am stocking up just in case they are. Where did you hear this at?

3

I hadn't heard this but this is bad news for sure. I have one too and I get so much relief from it. I find the rectangular pads last longer. I had heard they were thinking of discontinuing covering them for insurance but nothing about stopping their production. are you sure they weren't talking about the insurance thing? I can't imagine why they would stop making them!

4

I did a GOOGLE search and couldn't find anything on this. I'm hoping they meant that your insurance is no longer going to cover the pads. Please see what else you can find out!

Nancy

5

I didn't know either.My husband just bought pads, and they never said anything. too bad :( Charlie

6

Try E-Bay

7

I didn't find anything about them being discontinued either. I don't use one because I'm allergic to many adhesives. The sticky pads irritate my skin. I did come across garments that can be used with the TENS while doing the search though.

http://www.medi-stim.com/electrodes/cgarm.html

They may be useful for some so I wanted to share.

Susan W

8

JDixon Go to near bottom of my page and i give you links to actually suppliers of TEN's Units plus pads etc....some as cheap as $20. I do recall Sportsman Guide was under $100 as I knew that was how much they initially cost when my mother first started using them in early 1980's.

I agree completely with you that this device is thousand times better than taking pills and works much better. My mom was able to do most every thing she could before spurs in her back started rubbing against nerves( we all get spurs on our spine as we age) unlucky people they hit nerves.

GAIAM is excellent site for natural products in your house etc....but kind of pricey. There is much better one, I just cannot recall name of it and apologize...but it might pop up under GAIAM on Goggle. So i wrote this part..really at end ...as i found TEN's Units just by Goggling them..and am too tired to rewrite entire post. So apologize that long and most needed news is at bottom. I am leaving others...just since they might be cheaper

Sportsman Guide...it is online and a catalog that i have seen carries them. You do not need Doctor's Rx or anything. So you might try them.

I also got massage machine that works a lot like TENS and it really did help with fibro pain....plus my husband hurt his back..like nerve pain kind of hurt so i had him try it and he also had great results. I Q Massager Professional 11...online site is www.iqmassager.com.

So you can try both those places. Sportsman Guide does call them TEN's Units or just TEN(S)...not sure if s is on title. IT could be just the brand your chiro is using. IF anyone has Kaiser..they supply these for FREE if you have the kind of pain it will work with.

LIke i have RA pain and was told it would not touch it...mainly since it was in my feet and you need to block nerve pain getting to your brain...by nerve routes.

Here is amusing note about my mom...she used her TEN's unit for years(over 10)....went on disability over her back pain since even driving in car small bumps made her back hurt. She had by pass surgery about 6-7 years ago and lost about 30-40 lbs. Her back has not hurt her since...she did put all her weight mainly on front in waistline so it would be hard on her back. But her back totally stopped hurting...so something shifted!

I hope these two places help you...plus pads on massage are like one used on ten's unit. link http://www.iqmassager.com/ http://www.sportsmansguide.com

sportsman guide does look like hunting and lot of out door men stuff...but it carries great other items....like Tens unit..i was really surprised!

Also Gaiam ...i think they have it too(could not locate it but was searching fast)....am not sure if spelling this right....catalog plus channel on Roku ..has a lot of yoga and natural products plus i noticed quickly mayo clinic for dealing with fibro...DVD or something.. help with pain etc.

here is their link http://www.gaiam.com/

OH i just checked massage machine that is very much like tens....costs $300 on there...i got it on Beyond the Rack for $70!! ..it is one of those discount shopping sites. Hopefully you can just buy pads and connect them ...they snap on.

I just google TEN Units and got a large number ..

here is list of links that are still selling them online as well...there are number so this is just few..http://www.lgmedsupply.com/?gclid=CNvA_ZmzjrUCFYp_QgodEzUASg

http://www.otcwholesale.com/tens-units.html?gclid=COS6z7SzjrUCFQhyQgod33wAJQ

http://www.tenspros.com/?gclid=COGk-86zjrUCFeGDQgod9n0AOQ

Now i saw them as cheap as $20 on some of these sites...so check around for prices....and they has number of different units so hopefully you can just buy pads ...to fit your unit.

ALSO...for those who do not know about TEN's Unit is and how it works etc..what kind of Arthritis and pain it can assist...in fact if you have severe pain in from hips on up...so entire back area...i would try cheap one and experiment on placing pads to hit correct place. The massage things i got.....actually gave me small poster that shows nerve meridian and where to place the pads to help with pain in certain areas...so might something like that with your unit. Tens unit is cheaper than mine...and i bet just as good or better....so check into it.

Here is that link http://arthritis.about.com/od/assistivedevicesgadgets/g/tensunit.htm

9

Her chiropractor most likely is going to stop carrying them......they are not going to be discontinued by manufacturers! But it is always good idea to keep a couple months supply on hand. I know my mother did once have problem with getting her pads and it was major panic....so from than on she kept about a good 6 months worth at home just in case.

Oh she also broke the TEN's Unit a few times so she kept extra one of those also in the house....Especially if like her, she got them for only her co pay so $20.00. She also got turned on them by her acupuncturist at Kaiser .he been working there since early 70's so long before it was accepted!

Yes she had too as i did as well go to pain class ...which was nothing like what woman wrote about. We got breaks every 15 minutes plus encouraged to move around while he was speaking as we needed. We both learned things we have continued to use...though some clearly have been updated.

SO my mom every week when bad...would get half hour massage, acupuncture than told go home take warm bath or lay and relax for good half hour to hour to let acupuncture fully work. I did try it as well...massage was nice but acupuncture did not help my feet with RA....and i can say this...for most part no it does not hurt but if they hit nerve ..it hurts!!

So i really would encourage people to try this if their insurance covers it. Like i have said i have really old friend from kindergarten and her husband is acupuncturist who works mainly with fibro patients in Napa and is having excellent results!

SO TEN's UNITS ARE AVAILABLE!!!

10

The company I get my pads from and where I got my unit from, Empi just called to see if I needed more pads so I asked them and they said no they are still in business. Yeah! Also wanted to share a hint my PT told me years ago - if after you wear the pad a few times, take and wet your finger and rub it on the gel pad and put it on the plastic storage sleeve and keep all your pads in the frig. By wetting it it renews the sticky gel and keeping them in the frig prolongs the life of them. A great tip! I use my unit on my shoulders and low back. Couldn’t work without it!

11

I think this may be the case. I know that the last time I went to PT, I was told that they weren't going to use the ultrasound anymore for PT because "it didn't help." Well, I beg to differ but it DID help me! I'm sure that was also an insurance issue and a good way for insurance to weasel out of making payments for TENS visits and ultrasound visits. Personally, I hated PT for everything but the ultrasound as everything else they showed me or did to me hurt me long term. So go figure...

12

I buy the pads thru Amazon

10 packs of 4pads for $14.55 today

if you spend $25 you get free shipping.

13

I just got my usual reorder list today from Empi. Nothing said about not making them. Sorry.

14

Hard to believe, because "Dr. Ho" advertises every hour of the night on one channel or another, and all that is is a TENS unit. I think someone's messing with you. It can't be possible. Yeah you can even get them cheap from medical stores on ebay.

15

Petunia you can buy a home version, hand held ultrasound machine for pain for under $100 here:

http://www.ezultrasound.com/. I want one but I hoped to try it before spending money on it.

16

OK I found a page about it. There are about 20 brands being discontinued, but not all of them. If you go to this page you will see dozens that are not discontinued.http://www.medi-stim.com/stims.html

Discontinued TENS units
For accessories or service for the following TENS units, please contact Medi-Stim at 1-800-■■■■■■■■.
• Acu-Stim • MH 8000
• DualSTIM • MS-23 TENS/EMS/IF/Russian
• Dynex V • MS-23T
• Eclipse + • Perfect Curve
• EZ-TENS • SMP-plus
• Maxima Please See Premier TENS Plus • Spectrum II
• Maxima II • Spectrum Max-SD
• Maxima III • SX-plus
• MaxTENS 1000 • TENS 2000
17


Sheila's on the right track. I think that they are all moving toward the combination units, with both TENS and EMS or other stimulation. They will probably be phasing out the older TENS only units.

I also got a lot of hits on searching that insurance companies are no longer covering them, so that may be an issue too. The home machines are probably cheaper than going through insurance anyway if you have any kind of copay.

I hope you find what you're looking for!

18

I have an EMPI Select unit - don't see it on the list so that's good. I just got it last year. It's helped me so much!

19

Hi j,

I had no heard this! It is used in every Chiropractor, Pain management, Physical Therapy place I have ever been to. I do know that you can buy one for your home and have heard the commercial ones are the best.

Personally, I could never tolerate them, shoot me right off the table, even on low, but I have to be one in a million, most people get marked, substantial relief.

I hope you can get one before they get rid of them!

Love and hugs,

SK

I see that Sheila and Renie have a better knowledge of this! Good, they will give you good info!

20

Just to clarify, i do have a unit. Ive had it about a year now but w them being discontinued, so will the pads, which need to be replaced every couple months bc the stickiness wears off and they wont conduct.