Natural Birth
rae_dylanzmom
member
Back labor/TENs question
rae_dylanzmom
member
Since we're talking about TENS machines... I'm curious:
If my menstrual periods often involve back pain and I had a lot of back pain in my early pregnancy; do you think I am more likely to have back labor?
Well really, I guess I'm wondering how much thought to put into learning about TENS!
TIA!
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Re: Back labor/TENs question
Im curious about this TENs machine also.. I have actually never heard of it...I had all back labor with my first labor.. I never felt anything in my front only the back.. If it wasnt for my husband rubbing my back for 10 hours straight i dont know what i would have done..
I'm going to read up on this!
I never have back pain during my period, but I had back labor. I don't really think the two are related.
With the TENS machine, electrodes are taped onto your back. The electrodes usually look like white pads and the back of the pad comes off so they stick. The pads are connected to wires and the wires lead to a battery powered stimulator which gives off a current when it is turned on. You can adjust the amount of the current as each contraction comes and goes. Personally, I just kept it on a high setting the entire time. It is a bit of a weird sensation to feel this thing pulsating, but it does work.
Supposedly, the TENS works by stimulating your body to produce more endorphins, which are the body's natural painkillers. It also reduces the number of pain signals that are sent to the brain by the spinal cord.
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Pre-baby, I always had back pain and not cramps with my period. My daughter was posterior until the end when she turned, and I had back labor the full 27 hours. My son was anterior by had a nuchal hand, and I had back labor but definitely felt labor in my belly too. I think for most people it's not connected, but if you have a weak back or are prone to back pain, I think it's possible you could feel more of labor in your back.
I wouldn't spend much time worrying about it, though. The TENS is supposed to help, but even though we own one (H had it for physical therapy post-shoulder surgery) I didn't use it. The feeling of anything on my back other than hands pushing bugged me.
You don't need any special certification to use a TENs unit. In most modernized countries (Canada, Europe) you can buy them over the counter. Here in the good ole US we have such a lawsuit happy culture that the companies who sell them will usually only sell them to licensed practitioners - but that is by the companies own choice to avoid liability if a person uses it wrong (like drops it in the bath tub, or turns the current up too high and does nerve damage, or the pads wear down from too much use and catch fire or burn you). All of these things are unlikely situations that could happen with the use of any electric technology, like a hair dryer, but if the company only sells to a health professional, that professional takes on the liability. But most of them have their office assistants or interns sticking them on you after your treatment (this has always been my experience in chiropractic or PT offices that use them). The only exception to this would be for an acupuncturist, because we actually hook the tens up to the needles, not a pad, and assistants are not allowed to touch or do anything that involved the needle because it is considered an invasive (surgical) procedure.
They are super easy to use and require a minimal amount of common sense - stick the pads on your sacrum, turn up the current until you feel the pulsation but not so much that it is causing muscle spasms.
A lot of health professionals will rent them to clients who need them or will use them often. They may even be willing to sell you a unit. The nerve signal confuses the brain and the stimulation of the muscles, as long as the current isn't too high, actually helps them to release. The sacrum itself has several acupuncture points that strengthen contractions, reduce back pain/labor and are over all phenomenal for use in labor, but honestly I don't think the pads of the TENs unit are specific enough to stimulate those points. You're sending a weakened message - if you want to stimulate those points, needles or even acupressure specifically in the foramen will do a better job.
While I can use a TENs unit, I don't plan to for labor. I feel that sending the body more electrical signals can cause more problems than good -- its just too overstimulating. I will likely have an acupuncturist do some cupping on the same area.
As per menstraul cramps and back pain - yes TENs will work b/c of the reasons I said above -- so will a heating pad. But I don't believe there is any correlation between back menstraul pain and back labor. The first is usually due to the uterus being tipped towards the back, but it rights itself during pregnancy and expands into the abdomen. Back labor is cause because the baby is sitting on the posterior nerve bundle, which has little to with the former positioning of you non-pregnant uterus.
Yes that's true. I actually have my own unit that i've used for years for back and hip pain.
However, I've never been pregnant or in labor before, and the fact that my doulas have had special training on using it on women in labor makes me feel much more comfortable.
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