TENS Unit for Pregnancy Aches and Pains {Santamedical Review}
Alright, so this review has very little to do with homeschooling, but every once in a while a product comes along for a review, and this Mama just has to jump on it for herself. Enter the Santamedical TENS handheld electronic massager. This thing is my new favorite thing, and if you have sore muscles, it’s probably something you would enjoy as well!
To use, you just hook yourself up to the four sticky electrodes where your muscles are sore, and then turn it on. There are various settings for intensity as well as pulse patterns, so you can play with it to see what feels best. I can get the pads placed pretty well on my own, but it’s nice to have a second set of hands if you are going to use one of these units on your back. The pads are reusable, and so far, they have retained their sticky-ness for me. You do have to replace them every once in a while when the gel adhesive wears down or stops sticking well.
The TENS unit is programmed to only run for 15 minutes at a time before turning itself off. While it’s running, it sends little jolts of electricity to stimulate your muscles. Always start with a low setting, because when you have the right number, it feels like a comfortable massage, but if you turn it up too high, it can hurt, so be careful!
The device itself is very light weight, and about the size of a remote control, so you can re-position yourself, or even get up and move around if you wanted to while it’s running.
This device is FDA approved, and if you’re pregnant, I do recommend asking your doctor before use (I did!). For a pregnant woman, you can use it just about anywhere except your abdomen (and, they don’t recommend anyone place it on their neck). I’ve been using mine almost every night since it arrived, and it’s made a huge difference.
The first night I used it, I was amazed at the difference it made in my lower back pain, and I was able to sleep so much better after getting some relief from my sore muscles! I’ve been reading up on it, and apparently, you can also use this in early labor to help ease some of the pain of contractions. I don’t think it would be strong enough to help a huge amount during heavy labor, but at the beginning, I plan on giving it a try for pain relief.
During pregnancy especially, it’s nice to have a non-pharmaceutical way to deal with the pain and discomfort that comes with carrying a baby. I am thrilled to have found this, and plan on using it for a long time to come!
You can grab on on Amazon for a decent price here: Tens Handheld Electronic Pulse Massager Unit – Excellent Muscle Stimulator for Electrotherapy Pain Management
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
I had approval for use during pregnancy (7mos +) for intervals not to exceed 45 minutes. It is very helpful. (I wouldn’t use without Doctor approval) I plan to use it for labor as well.