Any Physiotherapists who can answer me - Is is safe to use a TENS machine on 12 year old?

[Milliways]

No definite diagnosis

Still awaiting appt - but now given diazepam for miscle spasm. Back pain since October getting progressively worse.

My cheap Tens machine says not for children.

A friend has lent us a larger machine - nothing in instruction re children but says use as instructed by Clinician - not on undaignosed problems.

Can it do him harm?

I'm not a medical person but I have a tens machine which works very effectively. In medical terms so far as medication is concerned, a twelve year old is mostly treated as an adult (adult doses). I really cannot see that a Tens machine can cause harm and your son is not tiny.

Hi Milliways, Only just seen your post - i'm a paeds physio and I personally wouldn't recommend using tens in children. more importantly you really need to find out what is going on with his back - what's the news with appointments???

Hi Pushki

We took the decision to wait for a definite diagnosis before plugging him in.

Different GP saw him last week & put him on Diazepam (DS calls it Marzipan [GRIN])

In pure frustration I booked him a Private Appt (had today) with the Consultant he should see on NHS. He was fab and is organising him an urgent NHS MRI scan - hopefully within a week as pain is affecting sleep as well. He will need heavy sedation though as unable to lie still unless asleep at the moment.

Thinks could be Osteochondritis/Schuermann's as Osteopath thinks, but could also be various other things so need scan before too much speculation.

Milliways - glad you are getting somewhere at last ( even if you have had to pay for it )

Thanks!

Only £180 for 20 minutes...........

At least you haven't had to pay for the MRI. dh's cost £800!

Eek! They told me before appt that MRI's are £350 (sedation would be more I presume), but as he has been referred by NHS this Consultant will bump him up the NHS list.

It's so unfair on anyone else waiting - but I am beyond caring now as we have waited too long.

You do what you have to do Milliways. Especially with him being in so much pain. It can start to affect them mentally after a while.

dd is waiting on a cardiac MRI at the moment. Hoping to get away without a GA or sedation.

Is the Marzipan helping?

A little - but only 2mg at night. It's the surviving on paracetamol in the day that's a killer.

we thought Marzipan would knock him out, it doesn't. He said he feels an improvement but it doesn't take it all away.

Can your DH not get an NHS appt either? When our consultant heard I was not insured but had paid for this appt I think he realised how desperate we were and that helped

Insurance covered dh's - thankfully - he's had 2 in the last 3 years.

dd's is an ongoing issue so not an emergency.

Hope it all goes smoothly for her - they are scary machines for the uninitiated (I had a go in one a year or so ago).

Milliways - glad things are now moving - as an NHS physio though I feel annoyed that you weren't able to get this done quicker without going private. Don't feel bad about the MRI being on the NHS - you should have had the consultation on the nhs too in my view! Your poor DS - not being able to sleep well now really horrible. Hope the MRI goes OK and would be good to hear eventually what the diagnosis is and more importantly that he gets some treatment that will start to make him feel better.

Thank You.

Hopefully it will be a speedy update

MRI now booked for Wednesday