Replies: TENS control of Phantom pain.
Jim Thelen
Description
Collection
Title:
Replies: TENS control of Phantom pain.
Creator:
Jim Thelen
Date:
7/30/2010
Text:
Original question followed by summary of responses:
Looking for evidence of phantom limb pain control via transcutaneous
nerve stimulation (TENS) either anecdotal or a formal study. Any
information would be helpful. I will post replies.
_______________________
i USED IT BACK IN THE 80S AFTER BILAT. TRAMATIC AMPUTATIONS AND IT JUST
CONFUSES THE NERVE.use new nerve medfor fantem pain it works, but I cant
think of the name. ITs Friday Bill
_______________________
The TENS unit generates heat. Try heat message etc...What has been your
protocol to determain if it is Phantom Pain?.Work with the team (RN, PT,
OT, Psycholologist and Psychiatrist) May involve a combination of
therapies, medical treatment, life style change, alternative treatments
and biopsychosocial. Contact American Pain Society (ampainsoc.org)
Mayoclinic.com/health/phantom-pain/D500444 and/or International
Association for the study of pain.
The cause is unknown but depression is a predictor. Multiple therapies,
no predictive factor to determain. Medication is usual course of action.
Neuropathic pain includes antidepressants, or anticonvulsants. Most are
treated with Acetaminophen, NSAIDs or Opiods.
________________________
I don't know of any official study on this, but I have some personal
experience with this.
I am a BK amputee, after an accident in 1998. Fortunately I never had
any really bad phantom pain issues to deal with, but occasionally it
would flare up. In 2000, I was in school in LA for prosthetics,
and next door to where I lived was a chinese therapy/medical office,
where they did treatment for back pain, neck pain, etc... I went an
visited them a few times to kind of experiment with various ways of
treating the tingling sensation (which goes on 100% of the time), just
to see what worked.
They hooked up a TENS unit on my calf muscle, and also at another time,
on my thigh. That only made the muscle flex and contract, and
was adjusted to various levels to see how that was tolerated. At high
levels, the contractions ended up causing a muscle cramp, which was very
painful. My calf cramped up, making the arch of my non-existent foot
cramp and ache. So, taht was no good.
We also did another trial, which was using accupunture, and then
attaching the electrical stimulation to it the needles, which was really
interesting. When the electricity trickled into the needles it was
really wierd. They had 2 needles place on the medial and lateral side
of the tibia, about 2 proximal to the end of my leg, and then 2 more
placed about 1 below my patella (medial and lateral also)..then one
right under the patella, one above the patella, and then 2 more about 3
proximal to the patella (med and lat). They were wired in sequence, but
when the electricity trickled into them, it was as if it was going
between all my toes, and up the bottom of my foot, and all over my
foot. Then it cycled for about 30 minutes, giving that same
sensation...the most interesting was the trickle between my toes. It
felt very real, as if my foot had a 9 volt battery zapping it or something.
It didn't really change the phantom sensations at all, when I left the
office, they were the same as before. But during the treatments, that
sensation was really interesting and enjoyable in a sick sort of way I
guess.
But, to your question, the TENS did nothing at all positive for me. It
would be interesting to hear what others have to say on this, who might
have tried it. And, also it would really also depend on the placement
of the contact pads, or electrodes. Depending on where they are placed,
they attack or target different muscles and nerves.
________________________
Thanks to those who responded.
--
Jim Thelen, LPO
Trinidad Medical Consultants
<Email Address Redacted>
214-340-6200
********************
To unsubscribe, send a message to: <Email Address Redacted> with
the words UNSUB OANDP-L in the body of the
message.
If you have a problem unsubscribing,or have other
questions, send e-mail to the moderator
Paul E. Prusakowski,CPO at <Email Address Redacted>
OANDP-L is a forum for the discussion of topics
related to Orthotics and Prosthetics.
Public commercial postings are forbidden. Responses to inquiries
should not be sent to the entire oandp-l list. Professional credentials
or affiliations should be used in all communications.
Looking for evidence of phantom limb pain control via transcutaneous
nerve stimulation (TENS) either anecdotal or a formal study. Any
information would be helpful. I will post replies.
_______________________
i USED IT BACK IN THE 80S AFTER BILAT. TRAMATIC AMPUTATIONS AND IT JUST
CONFUSES THE NERVE.use new nerve medfor fantem pain it works, but I cant
think of the name. ITs Friday Bill
_______________________
The TENS unit generates heat. Try heat message etc...What has been your
protocol to determain if it is Phantom Pain?.Work with the team (RN, PT,
OT, Psycholologist and Psychiatrist) May involve a combination of
therapies, medical treatment, life style change, alternative treatments
and biopsychosocial. Contact American Pain Society (ampainsoc.org)
Mayoclinic.com/health/phantom-pain/D500444 and/or International
Association for the study of pain.
The cause is unknown but depression is a predictor. Multiple therapies,
no predictive factor to determain. Medication is usual course of action.
Neuropathic pain includes antidepressants, or anticonvulsants. Most are
treated with Acetaminophen, NSAIDs or Opiods.
________________________
I don't know of any official study on this, but I have some personal
experience with this.
I am a BK amputee, after an accident in 1998. Fortunately I never had
any really bad phantom pain issues to deal with, but occasionally it
would flare up. In 2000, I was in school in LA for prosthetics,
and next door to where I lived was a chinese therapy/medical office,
where they did treatment for back pain, neck pain, etc... I went an
visited them a few times to kind of experiment with various ways of
treating the tingling sensation (which goes on 100% of the time), just
to see what worked.
They hooked up a TENS unit on my calf muscle, and also at another time,
on my thigh. That only made the muscle flex and contract, and
was adjusted to various levels to see how that was tolerated. At high
levels, the contractions ended up causing a muscle cramp, which was very
painful. My calf cramped up, making the arch of my non-existent foot
cramp and ache. So, taht was no good.
We also did another trial, which was using accupunture, and then
attaching the electrical stimulation to it the needles, which was really
interesting. When the electricity trickled into the needles it was
really wierd. They had 2 needles place on the medial and lateral side
of the tibia, about 2 proximal to the end of my leg, and then 2 more
placed about 1 below my patella (medial and lateral also)..then one
right under the patella, one above the patella, and then 2 more about 3
proximal to the patella (med and lat). They were wired in sequence, but
when the electricity trickled into them, it was as if it was going
between all my toes, and up the bottom of my foot, and all over my
foot. Then it cycled for about 30 minutes, giving that same
sensation...the most interesting was the trickle between my toes. It
felt very real, as if my foot had a 9 volt battery zapping it or something.
It didn't really change the phantom sensations at all, when I left the
office, they were the same as before. But during the treatments, that
sensation was really interesting and enjoyable in a sick sort of way I
guess.
But, to your question, the TENS did nothing at all positive for me. It
would be interesting to hear what others have to say on this, who might
have tried it. And, also it would really also depend on the placement
of the contact pads, or electrodes. Depending on where they are placed,
they attack or target different muscles and nerves.
________________________
Thanks to those who responded.
--
Jim Thelen, LPO
Trinidad Medical Consultants
<Email Address Redacted>
214-340-6200
********************
To unsubscribe, send a message to: <Email Address Redacted> with
the words UNSUB OANDP-L in the body of the
message.
If you have a problem unsubscribing,or have other
questions, send e-mail to the moderator
Paul E. Prusakowski,CPO at <Email Address Redacted>
OANDP-L is a forum for the discussion of topics
related to Orthotics and Prosthetics.
Public commercial postings are forbidden. Responses to inquiries
should not be sent to the entire oandp-l list. Professional credentials
or affiliations should be used in all communications.
Citation
Jim Thelen, “Replies: TENS control of Phantom pain.,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 24, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/231559.
