A proven therapy for relief from back, muscle and joint pain is TENS therapy. TENS therapy involves placing conductive adhesive patches at pain points, and connecting them via wires to a power pack, which can be adjusted to send electrical signals through the skin to intercept the pain signals before they reach the brain. A new version of the therapy, iTENS is designed to offer pain relief, without the usual tangled wires of normal TENS units.
Overview
When contacted by the iTENS people, it was almost like a gift from heaven. While I don’t experience daily back or muscle pain, my wife, Julie – who owns her own house cleaning business – experiences chronic back pain weekly, if not daily. When I told her about the opportunity to try out an iTENS unit, she immediately said yes. She owns a normal, wired TENS unit, and while it gave her relief, she found it a bit of a hassle to use while working, due to the wires sometimes getting tangled, and the control unit sometimes sliding off her belt.
The iTENS unit is a portable unit that consists of a rechargeable circular unit that can be used with a reusable gel pad. The iTENS unit attaches to the gel pad, which is then placed onto the afflicted area, and then controlled via a Bluetooth connection to your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Android device.
The set that was sent to me included a set of large wings, which are suitable for use on the back, shoulders, and other large treatment areas. Also available are small wings, which are perfect for pain in a wrist, knee, elbow, and other small areas; as well as a long strip, which is intended for use with sciatic nerve pain, and for issues with tendons and other long areas that need to be treated.
What’s in the Box:
- 1 complete iTENS Wireless TENS Unit installed into Wings
- 1 pair of reusable gel pads
- 1 resealable poly bag for storing the iTENS device and pads
- 1 charging dock with USB charging cord for use with lithium-ion powered device
- 1 Quick Start Guide (Complete Users Manual is available in-App)
- 1 year warranty on the iTENS electronic device
- 6 month warranty on flexible Wings
- 30 day satisfaction guarantee – see FAQs for details
iTENS suggest charging the unit, although Julie tried it immediately after taking it out of the box, and it certainly had enough of a charge to offer her instant relief. She was able to quickly download the app, and connect the iTENS unit to her iPhone via Bluetooth in just a few moments.
She reported feeling relief just a quickly as she had with her wired TENS unit, and said the unit seemed just as powerful as her wired setup. Julie especially appreciated the ability to control the unit from her iPhone, and loved the “Look Ma! No wires!” aspect of the whole setup.
The next day, after full overnight charge, Julie took the iTENS with her to clean a client’s home, one who has an especially large home. She usually experiences back pain during the cleaning of this house, so she figured the day would be a good test of the unit. When needed, she was able to apply the iTens unit to her back where it was most needed, which was much easier, due to the all in one design of the unit, compared to the individual pads of her usual wired unit. She gained immediate relief, and wore the iTENS at various times during the day, using it when needed.
The only issues Julie reported were during times of heavy work, when she began perspiring, the unit would come loose a bit, and she wouldn’t feel the current. However, as the unit would likely be used after work or exercise, and not during, as she used it, this isn’t necessarily a drawback, but I did want to mention it in the interest of fully informing our readers.
The iTENS app offers a number of treatment settings, and allows the intensity and length of the treatment to be controlled from your iPhone. The app can control more than one unit at a time, offering multiple points of pain relief at once. The app also allows users to track their pain relief results. All in all, the app does a good job, and is easy to use.
Verdict
If you currently use a wired TENS unit, or have been considering the purchase of such a unit, the iTENS unit is definitely something to consider. at $99.99 MSRP, the iTENS is a highly recommended method of treating and controlling chronic aches and pains. Especially if you’re active, and might have issues with the wires on a normal TENS unit.
Rating: 4.5/5.0
Price: The iTENS starter kits are available for $99.99 at the iTENS website, as well as Amazon.
Pros:
- Fast relief from back and joint pain.
- Long lasting relief from a single charge.
- Connecting by Bluetooth and setting up in the app is quick and easy.
- No wires!
Cons:
- Wearing while working or exercising can cause perspiring, which affects efficiency of the iTENS unit. This likely won’t affect many users, who would use the unit AFTER such exertion.
Disclaimer: I received the iTENS at no cost for performing the review. I have not received compensation for the review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Photos are courtesy of iTENS, because I didn’t wan too show the internet my wife’s bare back.
