Use of Heating Pads & TENS

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Annie44
Annie44 Member Posts: 2
edited June 2014 in Caring for Someone with Breast cancer
Use of Heating Pads & TENS
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  • Annie44
    Annie44 Member Posts: 2
    edited December 2007

    My dear friend is recuperating from a double mastectomy and has been told by her doctor that, since she has now had cancer,  she must NEVER AGAIN use a heating pad or her TENS machine.  She has other health problems and has used a TENS machine and heating pad for relief of pain and is very, very upset with this news. Has anyone heard of this restriction.  We cannot find anything about it on the net.  Thanks for any info.  Annie44

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  • iodine
    iodine Member Posts: 4,289
    edited December 2007

    I have absolutely no idea why she would be told such a thing!  I have Never heard this in the 5 years i've been on the boards.

    I would think she shouldn't use a heating pad on the chest since the nerves are not there and she could burn herself.

    The TENS?  Where does she use it? 

    I would ask for a full explaination from this doc and if I didn't agree, I'd do as I pleased.  But that's just me.(and I think a lot of us!)

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  • sccruiser
    sccruiser Member Posts: 1,119
    edited December 2007

    I don't know where the doc got this info.



    I am a bc survivor who developed lymphedema 3 months after surgery. The lymphedema therapist (certified) recommended I use a TENS unit to help interrupt the pain signal from the nerve to spinal cord to brain. It worked wonderfully.



    The TENS unit looks like a small pager. It clips onto a belt or waist band. Attached to the unit are 2-4 electrode sticky devices. These attach on the back, either 1 on each side of spine, or 2 on each side of spine. There are different combos for different types of nerve pains. The unit is turned on very low, and a small electrical current is sent out from the unit to the electrodes. You only feel a kind of tapping very lightly. If you feel the electrical current you turn it down to where you can't feel it.



    I wore one after my lump & SNB because of neuropathic pain in my breast and underarm. It worked great for a while, until breast developed lymphedema.



    Our clinic often asks surgeons to prescribe them for LE patients with neuropathic pain. It allows the patient to take less pain meds. Kind of a pain (no pun intended) when using the restroom--have to make sure it doesn't fall in toilet!



    I used mine and took neurontin--another med pain management docs and surgeons are prescribing to block neuropathic pain. This drug is a seizure med, but works great for nerve pain. And it isn't processed through the liver.



    I'd get a second opinion. You should be able to use the TENS unit.



    grace

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  • purplemb
    purplemb Member Posts: 1,542
    edited December 2007

    Annie, some of us have nerve damage from the mast and can't tell when we are BURNING our skin.. so NO heating pads are the norm here ... Lizw can tell you about that....

    MB

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  • Isabella4
    Isabella4 Member Posts: 2,166
    edited December 2007

    Hi Annie.

    I sleep on an electric underblanket, and on my stomach, always slept this way, (had double mastectomy, no recon.) I have had an underblanket for about 30 years, (not the same one!) it is just soooo warm and cozy, infact it gets too hot sometimes, I just strip off a layer of nightclothes! I run it all the way thru summer, it can be 70 degrees outside, and I won't switch off. I go rushing off to the shop to replace if it packs up, can't sleep without it, heat is my soother !!

    Isabella.

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