Yep, haven't been on the net much lately; this is the time of year where obsession meets desire and . . . I go mountain biking (heh!).
Thanks to my mom for test driving the Icy Hot Smart Therapy TENS unit. TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) machines work by sending stimulating pulses across the surface of the skin and along the nerve strands. These pulses help prevent pain signals from reaching the brain. They also help stimulate your body to produce higher levels of its own natural painkillers. The Icy Hot units work pretty well, and certainly DO provide pain relief; portably and reasonably priced. The batteries need to be replaced fairly often if you use these regularly at all, so you may want to buy some replacement batteries at the get go. You can find them in most pharmacies and grocery stores. On the other hand, these units are a bit big for small(er) areas, like the shoulder, which is where I really wanted some relief. I found this mini on Amazon and have so far been quite pleased. Of course, there are many, many other TENS unit options out there, with programmable cycles, bigger/better power, and remote controls. If you are suffering from joint pain/back pain, for whatever reason, these personal TENS units are worth a look. . .
