Laurie's Blogs.

Hello,

I have been using E-stim for a while now mainly for disuse atrophy and pain management to a degree, but I was wondering if you have a little more info on how to use the E-stim more as a TENS unit. I watched the modalities videos, which were very helpful, but I guess I just want to verify I am doing this correctly.

Have you found an E-stim used at some TENS settings to be an effective way of pain management? (obviously, with the use of other modalities as well)

What settings have you found to be most effective?

For the stifle and hip specifically, where do you find placing the leads is the most effective for pain control?

Thank you in advance for your time and valuable insight.

-E.W.

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Hey there E.W.,

I'm so sorry for my tardy reply.  I have been just slammed since coming back from vacation... and I am sooooo far behind.

Okay... to use your E-stim as a TENS.  Take your unit down to 2 - 5 pulses per second (tapping)... you can have no off time or just a minimal off time.  OR your e-stim unit may allow you to program it higher than 60 pulses per second (i.e. 80 - 120Hz)... which will be a buzzing sensation.  Both of these would qualify as TENS.  

The buzzing is for acute pain, but short term relief.  The tapping is better for chronic pain & lasting pain relief... so you could use either or both settings within a session.

The e-stim will not change from what you set it at (TENS will modulate the frequency and/or intensity)... so with an e-stim unit the brain may accommodate to the sensation… meaning you may need to test and turn it up more often (according to the dogs tolerance… which you will need to guess at based on behaviour when turning it up.)

It can be effective... but I only believe in it as an adjunctive pain management measure.

For the stifle... 'circle the dragon'... above and below the joint line, on the sides (slightly forwards) and I like to cross the electrodes... i.e. diagonal placement.

I like to sometimes get at spleen 9 and stomach 36 acupoints (since there are nerves near those point... and I think you get better 'bang for your buck' that way)

For the hip... Go in front & behind the greater trochanter and one above... your remaining electrode could go anywhere... I'd like to try groin... but it's a bit more sensitive in there - so the dog might not tolerate it.  Maybe try to hit the cranial border of the iliac crest... to 'touch' on iliacus / psoas major.  Play with it.

If I were doing both hips simultaneously, I'd hit the point in front of the greater trochanter and a point above it (targeting deep gluteal & piriformis / sciatic nerve).

I hope this helps... makes for a good Q & A blog post actually!

Sorry again for my tardy reply.

Cheers,

Laurie