Choosing Between a Tens, Interferential or Muscle Stim Machine

This post best viewed starting from bottom to top as an email chain answering questions.   Name changed for privacy.

Hi Kin,

Carryover is not related to a numbing sensation per se, or at least to my knowledge it is not. You can create what is called “paresthesia” with high frequency estim. Much of how our body responds to electrical stimulus is not known. When you put positive and negative charges in the body you create a cascade effect of numerous electrical changes which are defined as literally changing the chemical structure of cells, nerves, inter and intra cellular spaces. With interferential one can cause more changes, very rapidly in the body. With pain the changes tend to be beneficial and one has immediate pain relief results. That relief is very much predicated upon the chemical changes one did during the period of stimulation. That relief remains as long as there is similar chemistry in the area or the change has affected how the brain reacted to the changes. The brain can change chemistry within our body and does constantly. Interferential on an “as needed” basis appears to be teaching the brain to either send in different chemical responses or not allow certain previous chemical reactions to occur. It’s not always what is done, but often what is not done.

Tens basically does not “heal” anything although it can be used to heal bones that are not growing together or soft tissue injuries such as bed sores, sports medicine injuries etc. IF ( interferential) has the ability, if used as a preventive, to actually cause permanent changes and falls in the category of a “healing current”.

1. It is untrue that muscle stim can not be applied to the neck. “muscle stim” is not what either tens or interferential is really designed to do. We can pump a muscle, cause a contraction, but most muscle stim units are used for rehab. following injury and have a whole set of parameters not found in most estim units. The term is very much abused and misleading, but that is the norm. Don’t accept the term unless someone can expressly tell you the difference. We have a video about muscle stim on our web site you should watch. Type in the search the term and follow the results you get.

2. Pads applied in different areas, depending on condition at time of using the unit.

3. Your aunt probably needs to change her diet and if unwilling to do so then forget about it. E stim is used to increase blood flow, pump muscles to increase blood flow and is generally very good at doing it as long as there are no occlusions to the blood going into an area such as plaque, constricted vessels etc.

We need a prescription to dispense in the U.S. the Infrex or actually a tens unit. Infrex has a tens mode in it though.

bobj

From: kin
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2012 1:01 AM
To: Bob Johnson
Subject: Re: TENS or INFREX

Hi Bob,

I really appreciate your responses.

I had read about carryover. Guess I didn’t understand if carryover results due to a “numbed” nerve (or whatever is affecting the nerve so the pain is reduced?), or because of increased blood flow to the muscle(s) – which is more of a healing condition. That was why I asked which device works best to “heal” the condition — as opposed to “numbing” it. It sounds like you are saying that both would work but that the in Infrex would have more healing effect because of the greater pulse rate per second.

Most important questions yet:
1. I was told that muscle stim can’t be applied to the upper neck muscles, is that true?
2. Where would pads be applied if I get a Tens or an Infrex for my condition?

3. I have a friend who was told she may have to get her lower leg amputated (due to poor circulation). Would an Infrex device save her left leg- even if she doesn’t change her diet?

If your answer is yes, then do I need to ask her to find a doctor in  CA. that can prescribe her one (so insurance will pay)? If so, do you know of any Physicians in Ca. I could send her to?

Thanks again,
Kin

— On Mon, 1/16/12, Bob Johnsonwrote:

From: Bob Johnson
Subject: 2nd comment on RE: TENS or INFREX
To: “kin
Date: Monday, January 16, 2012, 7:54 AM
Hi Kin,

At office now so can give you better answer than from my Blackberry.

To clarify previous answer. Tens may help you but a tens unit goes off and on ( frequency/rate/Pulses Per second) at most 150 times per second versus interferential doing same thing 8,001 – 8,150 times per second. The higher frequency allows more electricity to penetrate to muscles, nerves etc. and actually simulate “deeper”. Difference for patient is longer lasting relief when not using the unit. Type in “carryover” on our web site to get more information on this.

Also the comment “my brain doesn’t work as well” regarding the muscle tension, is not surprising. Reason is with “tightness” in muscles in neck/shoulders there is generally a degree of blood vessel constriction which slows the blood flow to the brain, as well as restricting blood from brain which means the blood, after delivering nutrients, O2 etc. is remaining for longer time period in unusable condition. This physiological process often leads to less mental alertness.

By relaxing the muscles the blood flow is improved as well as the alertness.

Hope this helps explain.

bobj

From: kin
Sent: Saturday, January 14, 2012 6:23 PM
To: Bob Johnson
Subject: TENS or INFREX

Dear MedFaxx,

I have chronic pain in my upper neck muscles (around the C1 and C2 area). I notice when the upper neck muscles are really tight, my brain doesn’t work as well. Which device would be best suited for this condition (TENS or INFREX)? My hope is not so much to “dull” the pain, but to resolve the muscle issue and the restricted blood flow that accompanies it (good posture and chiro adjustments over the last 10 years haven’t been enough to help condition).

Thank you,
Kim