TENS

Those of you familiar with me will know I've had chronic pain in my lower back, right leg and foot for a few years now.

I have visited a number of specialists who have poked, prodded, stretched and abused me, tried a number of old and new-age remedies guaranteed to have amazing results, and even experimented with a a few suggestions I found the net.

After years of failed attempts at correcting the situation, I'd pretty much given up hope of living pain-free.

The job that I started about 4 months ago includes some great benefits that include a dedicated medical facility. After some urging by friends, I decided to give it one last try.

After an initial consultation with a doctor, I was dispatched to get some gene-addling X-rays and a visit to another Physiotherapist. Having gone through the entire diagnosis process a few times before and hearing the medical Eureka! of sciatic nerve distress, I wasn't convinced there would be any degree of success.

But this time, there was something new.

On my very first session, I was introduced to TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation). For the uninitiated, this little joy-machine consists of electrical pads that are taped to your body, sending electrical pulses through your body in order to 'stimulate' the nerve in question.

The point seems to be: shock that bastard sciatic nerve to hell, so later when the pads are off, it'll have nothing to complain about.

Really, it's just reverse psychology. Reverse nervology?