Does anyone here have a Spine Stimulator implant? If you do, do you have any negative effects from it? I'm just curious.
I have never even heard of one of those, Can you tell us what it is and how it helps ? Do you have one, or know someone who does , or might be getting one ?
I know someone (but not very well) who has one. He has degenerative disc disease...rods in his back, etc. It has greatly relieved his pain. I guess blocking the pain for a condition that cannot be remediated carries no risk of unwittingly enabling further damage.
My son’s mother wore one. She was a change girl in Vegas when someone fell against her low back and did some damage to her back. After some spinal fusions were done she was also put on cortisone treatments which caused arthritis to occur in her hips which further damaged her lower back. Before her hips were replaced she wore the stimulator to kill the pain. Any time she found herself unable to walk due to the pain she hit the button and zapped herself. We’re talking about something that was relatively new over 35 years ago so it’s probably been improved since then but back then, it was only a fairly temporary fix. After she got tired of zapping herself she gave up on the device and started using DMSO on the area and took prescription strength Naproxyn Sodium for inflammation and did much better than with the device. To me, a Tens device is very similar in that the patches can be worn under one’s clothing and the device itself is no larger than an old transistor radio that we used to carry around in our pocket. Although I do not walk around with it, I have one and use it occasionally for any kind of skeletal tendon or muscle that feels damaged. Matter of fact, on @Patsy Faye’s recommendation, I bought a Tens device that is just a little larger than a writing pen and carry it around in my Gym bag when I train. If I accidentally do something that becomes painful, I hit the area with the pen and when the pain is gone, I am able to keep training but with a little more caution.
Yes, I have one. I've had it a few years now. It's kind of like a tens unit but more powerful. Also, it's not portable like a tens unit. The battery is surgically implanted in the body. It sends electricity throughout your body to help subdue pain. I have a battery in my low spine/buttock area. I have a charger that I attach around my waist and to the battery, that charges the battery in my spine (takes hours). Then, I have a remote control that allows me to alter the electricity rate, flow; intensity, etc., turn it up and down, on and off. That's how it works for several hours of the day. Then, it's time to charge the battery in my spine again. The unit I have is for spine and hip pain. The electricity flows from my spine into my hips, buttocks; legs, and feet. Right down to the toes. Yes, all of that area gets electrocuted for hours every day and night. The theory is, you feel the stimulation and that helps cover the pain. The more physical work I need to do, the more stimulation I need. It seems to help a lot with my spine but my legs are paying for it. The problem is this. The more I use it for spine pain the more it seems to be destroying muscles in my legs. I'm losing weight. It's not intentional. My leg pain is EXTREME, especially in the upper legs. I believe it's called muscle wasting. I'm slowly coming back from a period of multiple surgeries for spine and neck issues. There was a lot of downtime for recuperation between surgeries. I've started walking daily, I've started biking. I'm caring for my home and my yard. Although the mowing is killing me. It seems like no matter what I do I keep losing the muscle mass in my legs and the pain is not getting lighter. This is my interest in asking if anyone else has one (in the spine). I wanted to know if anyone else is having issues with their legs because of it. If so, how are you fighting the muscle loss and the pain? I grit my teeth and work through the pain as much as I possibly can. I'm trying to eat healthier, incorporate a bit more protein. The weight I'm losing that concerns me the most is in my upper leg muscles that I really need!
That sounds scary, @Maggie Rose ! You have to have it for the back pain, but it is causing more pain than it helps with, from what you are saying. It sounds like you will have to have this for the rest of your life, and that makes me wonder how it would affect you if you had heart trouble ? Since I had the pacemaker implanted, I can’t use anything like a TENS machine, or any kind of medical device that has electrify. What about swimming and water exercises ? Because of my heart, it is hard for me to walk a lot like I have done all of my life, but I am fine in the water, and I do exercises for my back, legs and knees in the water, as well as swimming, and I am fine.
Just a thought here. On days when I work my legs but do not work them as hard as I should have, the Tens machine is useful in that I can put the pads on my quads (for instance) and make the muscle finish what I started in the gym. What I am always trying for is to establish a high intensity workout specifically to produce muscle mass. Along with a higher protein diet, would not using a Tens also facilitate as a “muscle exciter” as well? In other words, work the muscles without having to actually do a lot of movements that are painful? I know that without the muscle cells going into hypertrophy there is little muscle mass to be had but with the exercise that the Tens could provide along with the added protein just might keep your muscles from going into an atrophied situation. Dunno.
Yes, I will probably have it for life, I don't know. I've had it for about 4 years now I think. I also don't know how it would affect heart trouble. Thas's something to think about. For my legs, yes, it's causing more pain. When you're being electrocuted nonstop if affects your nerves too. I have lots of nerve pain in my lower legs and feet now. No, I don't have diabetes. It's another negative effect of the stimulator use. The only thing I know is when meds don't cover the pain I was willing to try it. I've lived with and fought spine pain for decades. As I said, it seems to help with the spine. I wish I would have been told about the negatives to other body parts. Unfortunately, legs are needed for proper balance so sometimes a fall comes out of nowhere. Muscles in the legs are needed to push that damn mower. I don't know what it is but walking/pushing the mower is so much harder than walking without it. If I don't have to mow I can walk around a lot better with only the cane. I mow with one hand while using the cane in the other to help push me and balance me. While mowing, I have to take lots of little breaks because of the extreme upper leg pain. At the end of the day, I use the walker to get back into my house. I use a walker on wheels to walk around the neighborhood. I've attached a basket for Bella, of course. I use the walker and/or a cane when working in my yard. Indoors, I only need the cane. I wish winter didn't have to come so I could continue getting stronger on the new bike. I would love to try swimming but I don't have access to a pool around here. It's been recommended to me over the years. Yes, I imagine swimming would be easier for you than walking. I can't even imagine what it would be like to worry about your heart and wearing a pacemaker. I'm glad that you are able to do your swimming. I hope that watch really does hold up to the water. Just getting out and about and getting some exercise and fresh air can make all the difference in a person's life.
I dunno either Bobby. I'm trying that's all I know. I've always been a pretty active person. I mean I kept a good physical shape over the years. I've done the back-breaking landscaping and gardening for years. Held a job and cared for my family along the way. I could make it a while and then another setback with the spine would occur and I'd have to recuperate for a few days, a couple of weeks. I think though that the several surgeries in a short period of years really beat the hell out of me. I know I'm at fault too. The biggest being I didn't care for myself properly. When I hurt, I don't eat. If it hurts too much to stand to cook for myself and then have to do the cleanup, I just went without. That went on for a long time. I spent all of my energy on the things that had to be done to care for the home and yard until I was physically suffering, then eating properly just didn't happen. I physically could not do anything more for the day so coffee was my meal. Now, I'm trying to teach myself to eat regularly even if I'm hurting. Something on the healthier end of the spectrum. I'm learning to enjoy food again. I have a lot to learn about exercise and the proper way to exercise to rescue my leg muscles. I'm gym stupid. Meaning, I don't know exactly what types of exercise I need to not only stop the muscle loss but get it stronger. I don't need exercise for weight loss, just for muscle strengthening. Why is the physical work I'm doing in the yard and the walking and biking not helping to lessen my pain? I dunno? I'll take all the constructive advice you have to share. I appreciate your input, thank you.
Maggie, maybe you should consider an indoor stationary bike. Then you could continue to exercise your legs in any weather. I recently bought a Cubii, which is a "seated elliptical"... I tore a ligament in my knee a couple of months ago and haven't been able to do my daily walking/ exercise, so I thought the Cubii might help. It works well but is heavy and often in the way, creating a trip hazard if I don't pay attention.
How long have you been trying it? Do you have resistance when using that? I mean, I need it to be a challenge in order to push the muscles into getting stronger. I think? I started looking on Amazon a few times for something like that or an indoor bike. I get started reading the dang reviews and then it gets stupid tiring trying to decide on one. But you are right. I have to come up with something to help me continue with exercise in the winter months. I will check this one out later. Thank you!
I've had it about a month. It has adjustable resistance and is silent in operation. (I can't stand squeaking, etc. in an exercise machine.) I use it at a lower resistance and can pedal for 30 minutes easily while I read or watch TV. I also have a standard elliptical machine (standing) and a stationary bike. All of them work well for strengthening the legs, but my goals are more focused around stamina and lowering my resting heart rate. I have PVCs (extra heartbeats) and am more concerned with heart health and getting my heart rate higher during exercise.
Well I can understand that. We all have our own health concerns and issues. You got to find and do what works for you. I had originally been thinking about the stationary bike for indoors because if I'm hurting in the low back or hips I thought that might work better. I have to watch my posture because back pain screws with it. The more twisted up the posture gets, the more pain you have. I have a very old machine I just pulled into my room a few days ago. I'm not sure what it's called. I'll take a pic of it later. It has 2 footpads on it. You get on it and use your legs but your legs are like walking/swinging/jogging in the air. Not like peddles. The resistance isn't there. I've been trying it a bit at a time this past week. I used to be able to reposition my legs to do different exercises on there a long time ago. Now, I'm just doing the basic moves and yes, it's still very painful after a short time. Do you like the stationary bike?
Maybe what you have is a Gazelle, @Maggie Rose , or something similar ? Some of them have resistance settings and some do not. I used to have one, and mine was just the basic one with no resistance; but my friend bought one of the expensive ones, and she had setting for resistance on hers. It was easy for me to use, and I really liked it.