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

I am more than happy to have it at my house. It is well worth the space it takes up in my house. Now he just comes over once a week to get a good spine stretch.

As soon as I started doing the inversions on  a regular basis, my back felt better quickly. Check out this inversion therapy video >>>

When the inversion table first showed up at my house, I was doing it maybe once or twice a week. That didn’t make much difference  When I increased the frequency to almost everyday, improvement happened rapidly.  I also was able to increase the amount of time I hung upside down, once I got used to it. At first it was a little awkward and scary, but I got over that after the first few attempts.

The negative pull of gravity on the spine is what makes the difference. This type of spinal decompression therapy has been in existence for a couple thousand years now. In the old days, they would strap someone to a ladder, and a couple of strong men would turn it upside down.

Even a tiny amount of increased separation between the vertebral discs can make a difference.

As always, you would want to check with your doctor, chiropractor or physical therapist before trying this. Inversion therapy is not right for everybody.

Basic Chiropractic

Most people are surprised to find out that chiropractors can help other conditions like acid reflux, thyroid issues, fatigue, constipation organ problems  and more.

This video will give some nice introductory informationon chiropractic, and some of the things it can do for you. The video features Dr Jeff Echols D.C.

A good chiropractor will take a complete health history on your first visit.

What Chiropractic Does, United Chiropractic Austin

Chiropractic actually works with your nervous system. That is why it can benefit so many areas of the body, besides the spine. The nervous system  controls every cell, organ, and tissue of your body. The nerves run through the spinal column and out to the various parts of the body.

More Chiropractic Videos:

Dr. Shawn Phelan

What Causes Sciatica Pain, Disc Herniations. and Bulges

What is the casue of your pain?

Find the proper treatment.

Dr Chris Outten D.C.

Outten Chiropractic – Dr Christopher Outten

Chiropractic Therapies.

Tools for total health.

My own neck has been sore lately, so I checked out Youtube for some videos that might be helpful.

This video gives some great simple stretches for the neck. I’ve done this little routine for a couple days now and it’s making a difference.

As always, I would highly recommend checking with your doctor before trying any of these exercises. That’s my disclaimer.

Just a couple minutes of this stretching can definitely loosen up some tight neck muscles.

The very first movement is great for the shoulders. Shoulder stiffness is often tied into neck pain.

The next movement is just moving the head from left to right while focusing on the breathing.

Never move past the point of pain, the idea is to relax and loosen, not create more pain.

Infrex Plus - Pain Relief Machine

I was talking to my friend just the other day and he recommended I try some neck stretches.

Here is what he said:

“If it’s hard for you to do the stretches, try hooking up an Interferential unit, with the electrodes on your neck. The interferential treatment will help to loosen up the muscles and make it easier to stretch, with less discomfort.”

So I tried it out and guess what, it works great. If you want to try this for yourself, you’ll need a doctor’s prescription. The good folks at Medfaxx can help you with that. They will even give you a free trial of the unit. Definitely worth a try, if you are suffering with pain of any type. To get started on your free trial, just fill out the from on the right hand side of this site.

——- —— ——

Learn more about your back pain -

Self Treatment for Back Pain

Discover the Back Pain Secrets that 95% of Doctor’s and Therapist’s Don’t Know.

Could poor posture be contributing to your back pain? Most experts would say yes. Learning how to stand properly is not something that is taught as a standard course in most schools. If your parents didn’t know, then how could they teach you?

Watch on YouTube – Correct Posture – Standing Pose Prep.

This little yoga video will give you a few clues to get the ball rolling. Getting to a yoga class might be one way to have someone knowledgable look at your posture and offer some help. Of course you would want to look for a teacher who know what they are talking about and is well qualified. While there are many different styles of yoga, Iyengar yoga has a strong focus on proper alignment.

Of course there are other options for improving posture as well. A good chiropractor could be another valuable resource.

Depression often goes along with this scenario. A feeling of being stuck. People feel frustrated and isolated by their circumstances.

The Infrex Plus May Help

Imagine the freedom a portable pain relief device could bring. Something that works off batteries or AC power. The Infrex Plus is such a unit.

Simply place the electrodes on the skin over the painful area.  The Infrex Plus  delivers electrical impulses to the nerve fibers, underneath the skin surface. Pain signals going to the brain are blocked, via the spinal cord and peripheral nervous system.

The Infrex Plus itself can be placed in a belt pouch that you can wear wherever you go.

What Makes it Better Than TENS

Sure you could do the same thing with a TENS unit. The advantage offered by the Infrex Plus is this -  Interferential mode and TENS together in one unit.

Interferential therapy offers deeper penetration into the tissue. At the same time the electrical sensation from the unit is more comfortable than TENS. This usually also results in better circulation to the affected area. People are more likely to use the unit, because it is a more pleasing sensation. Folks who never got benefit from a TENS unit may be pleasantly surprised with the Infrex Plus.

Carryover relief is quite common with Interferential treatment. That means after you turn the unit off, the pain relief can continue for some time. This usually doesn’t happen with a TENS unit.

Will it Work For Me?

This is a great question. What’s good for the goose is not always good for the gander. The best way to find out is to just try it.

That’s why we offer a free trial. No gimmicks, no catch, we don’t even ask for payment up front. All you need is a doctor’s prescription. We can help you obtain one if you like.

To get started,  just fill out the form on the right side of this web site. Someone from our friendly staff will get one of these in your hands, so you can get going on a better more fullfilling life. Insurance often pays for the unit, so there may be no or little out of pocket cost for you. Don’t just sit there suffering, fill out the form now.