Anyone use a TENS machine?

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claireychn074
claireychn074 Posts: 1,343 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I’m debating getting a Compex muscle stim and tens device, and would be interested to know if anyone’s used tens for pain relief. I’m looking predominantly at the muscles around sore joints and there appears to be mixed evidence as to whether they work.

For context, nearly 50, train 4x a week for 2.5hrs (Olympic weightlifting), hypermobile, and incredibly static during the day. Pain is starting to annoy me!

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  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,126 Member
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    I have a TENS and EMS device: I use the TENS functionality for period pains and for that I would recommend it - when the cramps are really bad, it doesn't always eliminate the pain, but it certainly does help. No experience with it for joint/muscle pain though.

    The device you're thinking of buying is expensive? Mine was a cheaper one from Amazon (50 euros) - I'm not sure the expensive ones are necessarily better.
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,343 Member
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    Lietchi wrote: »
    I have a TENS and EMS device: I use the TENS functionality for period pains and for that I would recommend it - when the cramps are really bad, it doesn't always eliminate the pain, but it certainly does help. No experience with it for joint/muscle pain though.

    The device you're thinking of buying is expensive? Mine was a cheaper one from Amazon (50 euros) - I'm not sure the expensive ones are necessarily better.
    The one I’m looking at is in the sale! 😀 purely considering that brand on recommendation from someone, but I can see Amazon have tonnes. Interesting that it helps with period pains - hadn’t considered that.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,401 Member
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    Note, everyone is different. Hypermobile sea sheep here. I'm about your age. My muscles are chronically tight, and that's perfect for me. Once I start relaxing them my joint and muscle problems start. Meaning I keep stretching, massages and all the lot to an absolute minimum and focus on the smaller, deeper muscles with exercise to stabilize my body, not put the priority on the big muscle groups because it's easier to create imbalances.
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,171 Member
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    I used one briefly when I was powerlifting. It seemed effective the few times I used it. I’m just weird about electricity and would get more stressed dealing with electrodes and stuff than the benefit I received. Pity you aren’t closer, I just cleared out a drawer and the TENS is now in my donation bin!
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,343 Member
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    yirara wrote: »
    Note, everyone is different. Hypermobile sea sheep here. I'm about your age. My muscles are chronically tight, and that's perfect for me. Once I start relaxing them my joint and muscle problems start. Meaning I keep stretching, massages and all the lot to an absolute minimum and focus on the smaller, deeper muscles with exercise to stabilize my body, not put the priority on the big muscle groups because it's easier to create imbalances.
    Ohhh I hadn’t thought of that. Drat it. I’m struggling with bad knee pain at the moment and it’s due to my quads. I also end up being really stiff - yet still flexible - which is really irritating. I’ve only realised recently I’m hypermobile so I hadn’t thought about what would happen if I actually relax my muscles!
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,401 Member
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    claireychn074 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    Note, everyone is different. Hypermobile sea sheep here. I'm about your age. My muscles are chronically tight, and that's perfect for me. Once I start relaxing them my joint and muscle problems start. Meaning I keep stretching, massages and all the lot to an absolute minimum and focus on the smaller, deeper muscles with exercise to stabilize my body, not put the priority on the big muscle groups because it's easier to create imbalances.
    Ohhh I hadn’t thought of that. Drat it. I’m struggling with bad knee pain at the moment and it’s due to my quads. I also end up being really stiff - yet still flexible - which is really irritating. I’ve only realised recently I’m hypermobile so I hadn’t thought about what would happen if I actually relax my muscles!

    Hey, try it. Maybe it works for you. I just shared my perspective, which might not be typical. Maybe get a cheap one, or see if you can rent a TENS machine somewhere for a few weeks.
  • lwhittlesey
    lwhittlesey Posts: 1 Member
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    I use a TENS. I have one knee that acts up now and then and it works like a charm, 10 minutes and it feels brand new. But everyone is different in every pain is different. I got mine cheap on Amazon.
  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,388 Member
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    In this particular case, I would say it depends a great deal on what is causing the primary issue. If it is fact joint pain probably less likely to help in my opinion. If the problem is primarily with the muscles surrounding the joint it may help, and may help quite a lot.

    @yirara brings up a great point in regard to strengthening supporting muscles and not being too limber or relaxed when hypermobile, so that might apply well here. But with @claireychn074 being a well versed lifter, chances are the muscles are there for support already.

    I have a severely herniated disc in my lower back, and in my case a TENS helps greatly if I overdo it and get my back too tight. I am far from hypermobile and have never had great flexibility, so for me the magic combo is to stay loose enough to allow some flexibility yet work my back enough to allow more support for the essentially gone disc. If I reach a point where I'm getting muscle spasms of any sort, I find that the TENS helps me work my way out of it.


    I have one of the lower cost ones, and even it has more than enough range and settings to suit what you might find works for you. There is very little money to lose in trying one.

  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,343 Member
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    robertw486 wrote: »
    In this particular case, I would say it depends a great deal on what is causing the primary issue. If it is fact joint pain probably less likely to help in my opinion. If the problem is primarily with the muscles surrounding the joint it may help, and may help quite a lot.

    @yirara brings up a great point in regard to strengthening supporting muscles and not being too limber or relaxed when hypermobile, so that might apply well here. But with @claireychn074 being a well versed lifter, chances are the muscles are there for support already.

    I have a severely herniated disc in my lower back, and in my case a TENS helps greatly if I overdo it and get my back too tight. I am far from hypermobile and have never had great flexibility, so for me the magic combo is to stay loose enough to allow some flexibility yet work my back enough to allow more support for the essentially gone disc. If I reach a point where I'm getting muscle spasms of any sort, I find that the TENS helps me work my way out of it.


    I have one of the lower cost ones, and even it has more than enough range and settings to suit what you might find works for you. There is very little money to lose in trying one.
    Uh yeah, I definitely don’t need to worry about building up my quads or hammies! There’s always room to improve but those are pretty stacked already! 🤣
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,343 Member
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    For anyone interested / also considering one - I’ve borrowed an EMS from a department at work. It’s a medical device often used to support patients following leg surgery so it has tonnes of options. Using it for a month on an agreed setting to see if it has any impact. It’s free (unless I want one) and will be v interesting to see what benefit, if any, it gives to recovery after training.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,126 Member
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    TENS and EMS aren't precisely the same thing: TENS works on the nerves and EMS contracts the muscles.
    https://dunwoodychiropracticcenter.com/blog/526171-tens-vs-ems-whats-the-difference-and-how-can-they-help-me-manage-my-pain

    My device has both options, but I've only ever used the TENS function (since I use it for period pain).

    I thought it might be good to point out that they are different things, I'm not sure every one knows :smile:
    You're interested in EMS rather than TENS?
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,343 Member
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    Lietchi wrote: »
    TENS and EMS aren't precisely the same thing: TENS works on the nerves and EMS contracts the muscles.
    https://dunwoodychiropracticcenter.com/blog/526171-tens-vs-ems-whats-the-difference-and-how-can-they-help-me-manage-my-pain

    My device has both options, but I've only ever used the TENS function (since I use it for period pain).

    I thought it might be good to point out that they are different things, I'm not sure every one knows :smile:
    You're interested in EMS rather than TENS?
    Valid points, thanks for picking it up! 😀.
    I was originally looking at TENS for pain relief and many of the gizmos on Amazon have both TENS and EMS. I reached out to a physio I know at work to ask if he had any advice / knew of any papers about using TENS for pain relief - particularly in those who are hypermobile. He suggested EMS might be better as the increased blood flow generated would help doms, but not reduce hypertrophy. Apparently there is some early evidence that TENS can worsen hypermobility pain as it reduces the inflammatory response.

    So, given that the work EMS device was offered free for a month I thought I’d give it a go and see what happens. If it doesn’t work, then they can show me how to change the frequencies and move to TENS cautiously to see what that does.

    At the end of the day, I’m a middle aged woman in a sedentary job, who then does a fairly challenging sport. So it’s not really surprising that I have aches and pains!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,527 Member
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    I have one and use it occasionally on my elbows. I have both tennis and golfer's elbow.

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  • zebasschick
    zebasschick Posts: 909 Member
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    I used to use a TENS machine for pain in my shoulder after I tore my rotator cuff. It helped quite a bit. I got turned onto it by my physical therapist, who used to use it during our sessions.
  • foldinthecheese
    foldinthecheese Posts: 27 Member
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    I have one, I've used it some. It seems to help a bit. I've always thought it could be a placebo effect but that doesn't really matter to me.

    Personally, I wouldn't buy a medical device on Amazon, but I would bet it's fine to the vast majority of the time.
  • cupcakesandproteinshakes
    cupcakesandproteinshakes Posts: 1,092 Member
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    I used a tens machine in labour. It was useless! On the other hand my daughter has one for period pain and she thinks it helps a bit
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,343 Member
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    Update for those interested: used the EMS twice for 20 mins on the peroneal high up near knee (directed by the physio), straight after two heavy lifting sessions. It may be a placebo but the knee pain was greatly eased the next day and my legs didn’t feel as tired. I can’t believe it would work that quickly but I’m taking the placebo effect if that is what it is!

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