Better Than A Massage?
A few years ago I got into a car accident and started seeing a chiropractor for my back pain. She would give me adjustments and then put pads on my back that were hooked up to an electronic muscle stimulation machine. I went there every week for a while and felt some temporary relief from the treatment, but eventually our sessions came to an end. Unfortunately, my muscle soreness and stiffness continued.
As I’ve stated before, I work as a server/ waiter and I’m constantly standing and moving, and lifting heavy trays and ice buckets. I also toss and turn at night and sleep in weird positions. None of these activities are good for my muscles, especially my back, my neck, and my shoulders, knees, and toes.
Sometimes I treat myself to a massage for relief. I’ve found two pretty good massage places somewhat nearby, but it’s kind of a hassle to go there and only a few days go by before I revert to feeling the way that I did before the massage. The masseuse assures me that I need to come more often than once in a while in order to fix the issues more permanently. Unfortunately, I don’t have the time, patience, or money to follow that advice, and thus I’ve looked for other ways to solve this problem.
The number one method that I’ve used successfully is stretching. Yoga and Qi Gong have been the practices that have provided me with some helpful routines and poses that have worked. I realize that both stretching and strengthening of the muscles is necessary to relieve this pain, stiffness, and tightness.
Then, one day I had the television on in the background while I was cleaning, and I started to pay attention to an infomercial about a portable TENS unit that could provide muscle pain relief. The doctor/ inventor was explaining the benefits of his machine that sends electronic impulses to the muscles through pads that you connect to it. This was basically a portable version of the professional machine that the chiropractor had used on me in the past. I was intrigued and decided to do some research.
According to google, “Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) are both forms of electrotherapy used to treat pain and muscle conditions. Here's a breakdown of their key differences:
TENS:
Primarily used for pain relief by sending electrical impulses to block pain signals in the brain.
EMS:
Primarily used to stimulate muscle contractions, improving muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility.”
Two thoughts immediately popped into my head. First, I thought about how I could continue the treatments that I had gotten at the chiropractor in the convenience of my home and I remembered seeing a documentary about how Bruce Lee used to use a unit like this on his abs so that even when he was resting, he could gain muscle.
IRELIEV offers a TENS-only unit or a combo TENS + EMS unit. This product has been helping me greatly with pain relief associated with stiffness and tightness in my back and shoulders and strengthening of these muscles. I highly recommend this unit because it enables both types of stimulation, TENS and EMS, to be utilized, while some other products only provide one or the other. Also, there are different programs to try for using it on your back or your extremities.
iReliev TENS + EMS Combination Unit Muscle Stimulator for Pain Relief & Arthritis & Muscle Strength - Treats Tired and Sore Muscles in Your Shoulders, Back, Ab's, Legs, Knee's and More. This package includes 4 large electrode pads and 8 small pads. $69.95
The price is not only reasonable, but also affordable, especially for the wired version, which is what I have (as pictured above). That’s slightly less than the cost of a one hour massage with tip, or it might even be way cheaper than your massage if you go to a fancy place. IRELIEV offers both a wired and a wireless version (189.95).
I have purchased replacement small and large pads because, according to the label, they lose their stickiness after about 20 uses, which is slightly aspirational, but I have put minimal effort into preserving them. I use this product multiple times per week.
Recently, I watched a short video on their website on improving the electrode life and performance. They last longer if you clean your skin before applying them, and also if you clean the pads after each use. Depending on how much effort you want to put into it, you could brush them with a moist toothbrush and stick them in the fridge to dry to get the maximum number of uses. Also, they sell products to aid with preserving the pads longer and increasing their performance capabilities. I don’t have any of those, but now I wipe them off with a wet washcloth after each use. Update as of 03/08: Now I have a dedicated toothbrush to clean the electrodes to preserve stickiness.
I have more than a few things around the house that already require AA and AAA batteries, so I bought a charger and chargeable batteries. It works great, saves me money, and creates less electronic waste. I use these batteries in my photography flash gear because they deliver exceptional performance and the power I need.
Panasonic K-KJ55MC84CZ eneloop Power Pack; 8AA, 4AAA, and Advanced Battery 3 Hour Quick Charger
This is a fantastic bundle deal with their quickest charging unit for $40.23.
IRELIEV has a new version that doesn’t require batteries and allows you to charge it instead.
iReliev TENS Unit + EMS Muscle Stimulator—New Rechargeable Model—Includes 4 large electrode pads and 8 small pads. $99.90.
***Consult your doctor or medical health professional before purchasing or using this product to make sure that it’s safe and healthy for you.