Pathological fractures are a mainstay of many multiple myeloma sufferers.

His rib has been reinjured, multiple times since last year, and now his upper back and neck are traumatized.  He is reluctant to submit to hospitalization to get the kind of relief only they can provide through intravenous or hypodermic administration, so has increased his pain medication and resorted to wearing a neck brace, along with the back brace which has become part of his daily attire since this past summer.

Saving grace and ultimate decision to wait a while before heading back to emergency care: he can still feel his legs and eliminate waste.  If that were not the case, ambulance trip required immediately because failure to have feeling would mean more damage to the already tumor-invaded spinal column.

Apparently fractures can take a month to heal if you are otherwise healthy  – with a compromised immune system, three to six months is normal.  Chuck injured his upper back and neck last week; has been in excruciating pain and could quickly use up the new pain medication prescription received just before Christmas… thank God for the TENS unit.

Chuck’s primo and much appreciated VA Primary Doctor got us the TENS device last year and we’ve experimented with it to know when to use it as supplementary pain relief and where to apply its electrodes to the skin for the best relief.

TENS units are available only by prescription in the United States and if chronic pain is an issue, they are approved for many applications, including cancer, arthritis and back pain.  But not all physicians know much about them nor recommend them.  What a shame.  Drug consumption might actually go down if suffering people knew how to use a TENS unit for relief.

The original TENS technology is attributed to the very controversial and much maligned Royal Raymond Rife himself and is still, unfortunately, the only FDA approved Rife technology.  It is an electronic pain-relief device and must be acquired via doctor Rx… do a search on the internet – type in “transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation” or TENS unit – to find a model to purchase after you get the Rx because many medical supply houses don’t carry them, nor do they know what they are.  The models on the internet vary in price from $60.00 to $1800.00 and all require Rx to purchase.  Difficult to decide which model to choose so it is probably best we didn’t get a choice going with VA provision… simply grateful they were willing to provide it. 

Disclaimer necessary here: never use any device, including TENS over a broken or fractured bone; never use a TENS on your neck or head; never use a TENS without the direct knowledge and approval of your doctor nor without his RX for your specific condition.

TENS unit

Disclaimer: All information posted on this web site is the opinion of the author and is provided for educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as medical advice. Only a licensed medical doctor can legally offer medical advice in the United States. Consult the healer of your choice for medical care and advice.