I have been made aware of a non drug pain relief "thing" called QUELL. I have not had time to research it further than looking at their website as I just heard about it in the last hour or so. Now since the complete failure of the various Tens systems I am intensely sceptical of such devices.
It appears to be some kind of electrical device that claims to stimulate the bodies pain management systems. As far as I am concerned thus far these type of things work only as a placebo. Given that, they do work for some. But not me.
Why is this "prepping" ? Well, I have to take a great deal of medication to be able to function at all. Travelling with my meds is next to impossible and my life can be thrown into hell by the pharmacist or GP making a mistake. If I could find anything to free me from the poison chalice of pain medication...well, I would be interested.
So, has anyone any personal experience of this Quell? I will paste a link so people can see for themselves but I in NO way recommending it or advertising- the link is merely to enable conversation. I will remove it if mods require.
https://www.quellrelief.com
QUELL, New Non-Drug Pain Relief- Snake Oil??
QUELL, New Non-Drug Pain Relief- Snake Oil??
*** NOW 30% LESS SHOCKING!!!***
Re: QUELL, New Non-Drug Pain Relief- Snake Oil??
Pain is very complicated mix of physical psychological and social effects. You say you gave chronic pain so you have my sympathy. Lousy place to be. Chronic and acute pain are very different. There are whole NHS clinics specialising in this area.
There is a theory called the "gate control theory of pain". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gate_control_theory most of these gadgets including TENS ( Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) are based around this theory. As the link shows whilst the theory is not perfect it is holding up well.
Actually we all use this approach without realising it. At school playing cricket or hockey or whatever if you took a painful hit for the ball what did you do? You "rub it better". The theory says you are providing a separate non painful nerve signal that is "more interesting " to the brain so the signals travelling on the pain fibres in the nerves are suppressed. If you think about is rubbing does seem to help. all electrical stimulation systems are tapping into the same idea.
Do these gadgets work? Yes but not for everyone, not all of the time and not for all pains.
Keep in mind if you double blind test a single dose of morphine ( I think it was for broken leg) about 30% get would pain relief from placebo ( water) about 65% got relief from the single dose of morphine but about one third remained in pain. Soldiers wounded in battle often have such severe pain that morphine is not enough. That's when ketamine the famous "horse tranquilliser" comes into use (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketamine#Medical_use ).
Good luck.
PS If you haven't been to a pain management programme it might be worth getting referred. They may not get rid of the pain but the good ones will work on helping you cope better with less meds. Round my area chap went to the programme and came back saying he was in just as much pain. However, he could now do whatever he wanted despite the pain and was only taking paracetamol ( his drugs pre course were unbelievable).
Regards
Appin
There is a theory called the "gate control theory of pain". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gate_control_theory most of these gadgets including TENS ( Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) are based around this theory. As the link shows whilst the theory is not perfect it is holding up well.
Actually we all use this approach without realising it. At school playing cricket or hockey or whatever if you took a painful hit for the ball what did you do? You "rub it better". The theory says you are providing a separate non painful nerve signal that is "more interesting " to the brain so the signals travelling on the pain fibres in the nerves are suppressed. If you think about is rubbing does seem to help. all electrical stimulation systems are tapping into the same idea.
Do these gadgets work? Yes but not for everyone, not all of the time and not for all pains.
Keep in mind if you double blind test a single dose of morphine ( I think it was for broken leg) about 30% get would pain relief from placebo ( water) about 65% got relief from the single dose of morphine but about one third remained in pain. Soldiers wounded in battle often have such severe pain that morphine is not enough. That's when ketamine the famous "horse tranquilliser" comes into use (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketamine#Medical_use ).
Good luck.
PS If you haven't been to a pain management programme it might be worth getting referred. They may not get rid of the pain but the good ones will work on helping you cope better with less meds. Round my area chap went to the programme and came back saying he was in just as much pain. However, he could now do whatever he wanted despite the pain and was only taking paracetamol ( his drugs pre course were unbelievable).
Regards
Appin
Re: QUELL, New Non-Drug Pain Relief- Snake Oil??
I don't know, shocker, sorry 
that sounds awful for you.
The only thing I know about chronic pain is when I went to CBT therapists a few years ago, one after the other, both of whom were absolutely crap and I put in a complaint against one which was upheld ... I digress. One thing of huge benefit I did learn was about the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Kabat-Zinn He's the guy who actually started off the whole mindfulness thing. Before you hit me ... he ran a group dealing with chronic pain, including an amputee with phantom limb pain, and PTSD sufferers too, nothing touchy feely about it. It helped, when people followed the "homework" of doing the mindfulness work he prescribed, at home as well as at the group. There are a lot of (free) youtube videos of him and about him.
I've been looking at pain drugs myself recently, as a relative gets no relief from morphine, but *does* get relief from ibuprofen. Pain is incredibly complex, but it really pulls us down, there's no doubt about that. And often we don't realise till its gone.
that sounds awful for you.The only thing I know about chronic pain is when I went to CBT therapists a few years ago, one after the other, both of whom were absolutely crap and I put in a complaint against one which was upheld ... I digress. One thing of huge benefit I did learn was about the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Kabat-Zinn He's the guy who actually started off the whole mindfulness thing. Before you hit me ... he ran a group dealing with chronic pain, including an amputee with phantom limb pain, and PTSD sufferers too, nothing touchy feely about it. It helped, when people followed the "homework" of doing the mindfulness work he prescribed, at home as well as at the group. There are a lot of (free) youtube videos of him and about him.
I've been looking at pain drugs myself recently, as a relative gets no relief from morphine, but *does* get relief from ibuprofen. Pain is incredibly complex, but it really pulls us down, there's no doubt about that. And often we don't realise till its gone.