Burn from TENS Machine

[fells]

I will be 38 weeks pregnant on Monday and my friend has leant me her TENS machine. She bought it in Mothercare about two years ago. I decided to have a play with it last night just so I know what to do with it when the time comes. I stuck to of the pads on my arm and got it going - very strange sensation - but when I removed one of the pads it had left a very minor burn. This morning it is very faint but definitely there. Is this to be expected?

Also, the pads are 6 months out of date but still quite sticky. I might buy some new ones. Does anyone know whether they are easily available in chemists and will one set of pads fit any machine or do you need specific type for a specific machine?

Dear Fells

I see no-one has replied to you so I thought I'd put in my oar even though this post is a bit old.

In my first labour I used TENS for over 24 hours!! BUT it left me with "burn" marks too. Interestingly I had used an ordinary non-maternity tens by a different manufacturer during pregnancy a lot for back pain, and that had been fine.

So the doctors on the post labour ward concluded that I had been allergic to the pads or the gel on them, and gave me some dermatitus cream, and it cleared up over the following week.

So you might just be allergic to the gel on the pads!

I would recommend you try some different pads if you can get them to fit. I had a Boots non-maternity TENS and I know they sell replacement pads, and they were fine. The maternity tens had a gel you applied to the pads and it was this I was reacting to I think.

Good luck, don't give up yet, I hope you find some other pads that work for you. TENS really did help me in my first, very long labour (but wasn't any use in the second which was a very fast labour!)

Hope this helps,

Collyermum

I was allergic to the pads too - but I have an allegy to that sort of thing anyway