I picked up a TENS unit to see if it'd help with my lower back pain and holy yowza. This thing is *great*.
I did a bunch of poking around on PubMed and stuff before I picked it up, to get some idea of how effective they are & for what kinds of pain. So far the unit has consistently dropped my pain level from about a constant 4-5/10 to a 1-2 level dull ache. I can actually *function*.
I have a disc protrusion at L5-S1 that's generally inflamed & sometimes presses on nerves nearby. My entire back aches constantly from the muscles tightening up to protect the area. I've had a hard time accessing PT & massage (tho' just got a new referral, so keep your fingers crossed) & don't exercise much bc I'm exhausted all the time, so this is a big deal.
Seems to help if I turn the unit on at the highest level I can tolerate w/o it stinging a bit, & leaving it on for about 30 minutes at a stretch, varying the mode. That seems to relieve pain for up to a few hours w/o the need for medication.
Dunno if it'd work for everybody in pain, probably not, & probably ppl who do use it get varying results. It's sure helping me tho'. Two thumbs up.