TENS VS LIDOCAINE VS ACTIPATCH
ActiPatch
Admin · December 17 at 12:35 PM
an explanation from Sree Koneru, Ph.D.
ActiPatch, TENS and Lidocaine can belong to three sets of categories:
1) The intended outcome: All three of these products intended to provide therapeutic effects by modulating the activity of peripheral and/or central nerves.
2) The class of technology being utilized: While both TENS and the ActiPatch belong to the class of electroceutical (electrical neuromodulation) technologies, their mechanism of action and technical characteristics are quite different. Though the terminology, PEMF has been associated with our device, ActiPatch is not a PEMF product, but rather a pulsed shortwave therapy product (PSWT). PEMF products typically operate at frequencies < 100 Hz, for example bone growth stimulators, while the ActiPatch's PSWT technology operates at 27 MHz and is pulsed at 1 kHz.
3) The mechanism of action: TENS and Lidocaine patches belong to the category of masking technologies, i.e., they block pain signals from reaching the brain. A common treatment strategy for chronic pain is to mask sensation from pain fibers (noxious fibers) by stimulating large afferent nerve fibers. TENS is the most common electrical method of accomplishing this, but there are limitations that prevent it from being used for continuous pain relief. TENS relies on pulsed electrical current flow across the skin using attachable electrodes and gel to improve electrical conductivity, but complications such as skin irritation from the gel, and skin burning from electrical heating makes prolonged TENS use inconvenient and problematic. Since skin contact is essential for TENS to function, it cannot be used over bandaged anatomical locations. Topical application of Lidocaine, i.e., via patches, has the same physical limitations as TENS but can also present with pharmacological limitations through adverse side effects.
The last decade has seen a paradigm shift in an understanding of chronic pain. Changes in pain processing in the central nervous system are now widely accepted to be a major reason for chronic pain. When acute pain repeatedly bombards the nervous system, it translates to chronic pain by exaggerating the responsiveness of the central nervous system. This process occurs in the spine, and is hence referred to as “central sensitization”. From a clinical perspective, it has become increasingly clear that it contributes to the pathophysiology of a number of chronic pain and medically unexplained clinical conditions .Some examples include chronic low back pain, chronic neck pain, whiplash injuries, migraines, osteoarthritis, primary dysmenorrhea, fibromyalgia, restless legs syndrome, etc.
Literature indicates that the key to mitigating central sensitization also lies in providing long-term, repetitive inputs to the nervous system. Since chronic pain occurs over a long period time, mitigating the condition likely requires using an intervention for an extended period of time. The ActiPatch's pulsed signal and wearable nature means that it can be worn continuously either directly on the skin or over clothing, for extended periods of time. The sensation-free signal and lightweight nature of the device means that long-term use is extremely comfortable. The ActiPatch's signal modulates the activity of sensory nerves and over time, mitigates the process of central sensitization by raising the pain threshold back to normal levels. Importantly, this means that the ActiPatch does not simply mask the symptoms, but treats the underlying condition. The electromagnetic nature of the technology means that BioElectronics' products can be tuned to target nerve bundles deeper in the body to treat other conditions, like the sacral plexus for overactive bladder, uterovaginal plexus for primary dysmenorrhea, cranial nerves for migraines etc. unlike TENS or Lidocaine patches, which can only influence the activity of superficial nerve fibers[/b]
ActiPatch
Admin · December 17 at 12:35 PM
an explanation from Sree Koneru, Ph.D.
ActiPatch, TENS and Lidocaine can belong to three sets of categories:
1) The intended outcome: All three of these products intended to provide therapeutic effects by modulating the activity of peripheral and/or central nerves.
2) The class of technology being utilized: While both TENS and the ActiPatch belong to the class of electroceutical (electrical neuromodulation) technologies, their mechanism of action and technical characteristics are quite different. Though the terminology, PEMF has been associated with our device, ActiPatch is not a PEMF product, but rather a pulsed shortwave therapy product (PSWT). PEMF products typically operate at frequencies < 100 Hz, for example bone growth stimulators, while the ActiPatch's PSWT technology operates at 27 MHz and is pulsed at 1 kHz.
3) The mechanism of action: TENS and Lidocaine patches belong to the category of masking technologies, i.e., they block pain signals from reaching the brain. A common treatment strategy for chronic pain is to mask sensation from pain fibers (noxious fibers) by stimulating large afferent nerve fibers. TENS is the most common electrical method of accomplishing this, but there are limitations that prevent it from being used for continuous pain relief. TENS relies on pulsed electrical current flow across the skin using attachable electrodes and gel to improve electrical conductivity, but complications such as skin irritation from the gel, and skin burning from electrical heating makes prolonged TENS use inconvenient and problematic. Since skin contact is essential for TENS to function, it cannot be used over bandaged anatomical locations. Topical application of Lidocaine, i.e., via patches, has the same physical limitations as TENS but can also present with pharmacological limitations through adverse side effects.
The last decade has seen a paradigm shift in an understanding of chronic pain. Changes in pain processing in the central nervous system are now widely accepted to be a major reason for chronic pain. When acute pain repeatedly bombards the nervous system, it translates to chronic pain by exaggerating the responsiveness of the central nervous system. This process occurs in the spine, and is hence referred to as “central sensitization”. From a clinical perspective, it has become increasingly clear that it contributes to the pathophysiology of a number of chronic pain and medically unexplained clinical conditions .Some examples include chronic low back pain, chronic neck pain, whiplash injuries, migraines, osteoarthritis, primary dysmenorrhea, fibromyalgia, restless legs syndrome, etc.
Literature indicates that the key to mitigating central sensitization also lies in providing long-term, repetitive inputs to the nervous system. Since chronic pain occurs over a long period time, mitigating the condition likely requires using an intervention for an extended period of time. The ActiPatch's pulsed signal and wearable nature means that it can be worn continuously either directly on the skin or over clothing, for extended periods of time. The sensation-free signal and lightweight nature of the device means that long-term use is extremely comfortable. The ActiPatch's signal modulates the activity of sensory nerves and over time, mitigates the process of central sensitization by raising the pain threshold back to normal levels. Importantly, this means that the ActiPatch does not simply mask the symptoms, but treats the underlying condition. The electromagnetic nature of the technology means that BioElectronics' products can be tuned to target nerve bundles deeper in the body to treat other conditions, like the sacral plexus for overactive bladder, uterovaginal plexus for primary dysmenorrhea, cranial nerves for migraines etc. unlike TENS or Lidocaine patches, which can only influence the activity of superficial nerve fibers[/b]
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