Senior Citizens with Knee Osteoarthritis May Find
Pain Relief from Battery-Operated Device
Low-intensity pulsating electromagnetic frequency
relieved pain in first day for 40% in study
Operating and
applying Ivivi products is a clear and simple process, according
to the company Website. Center the applicator ring around the
affected area and push the button on the power supply.
Treatments should last between 15 and 30 minutes and are
generally given twice or three times a day, as indicated by your
health care professional. The technology works directly through
clothing, dressings and even casts.
Click for more.
March 8, 2010 New pain relief may be on the way
for millions of senior citizens suffering with osteoarthritis of the
knee. Researchers say electromagnetic pulses significantly decrease pain
and inflammation associated with this leading cause of disability and
loss of independence.
In the double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled
study, 34 patients used a portable battery-operated device that emits a
low-intensity pulsating electromagnetic frequency and experienced more
than 40 percent pain relief on their first day, according to Henry Ford
Hospital researchers..
"Our results show pulsed electromagnetic fields
caused a significant decrease in pain" says Fred Nelson, M.D., associate
program director for research and director of the Osteoarthritis Center,
Department of Orthopaedics, Henry Ford Hospital.
Dr. Nelson will present the results this week at
the Orthopaedic Research Society's annual meeting in New Orleans.
Dr. Nelson explains that in the laboratory,
electromagnetic signals have been shown to decrease calcium in cartilage
cells. This sets off a series of chemical events that can lead to
reduced inflammation. Previously, the electromagnetic fields have been
used to control pain related to cosmetic surgery.
"We are really fine-tuning what we are doing to the
cell environment with a very specific pulse sequence and frequency,"
says Dr. Nelson.
Patients strapped the small, ring-shaped plastic
device around their knees for 15 minutes, twice daily for six weeks. The
device was lightweight and patients could position the device directly
over clothing.
All participants were given a device with a coil that
appeared to work but some were assigned active coils and others were
given non-active coils. The electromagnetic device was developed by Ivivi Health Sciences of Montvale, New Jersey.
Osteoarthritis of the knee is a slow, progressively
degenerative disease in which the joint cartilage gradually wears away
due to trauma, aging or infection. As the cartilage thins, the
surrounding bone thickens and often bones rub against one another,
causing additional wear. Normal activity becomes painful and difficult.
Current treatments include drug therapies like
anti-inflammatory medication or pain relievers; physical therapy;
support devices; health and behavioral modifications such as weight
loss; surgery and joint replacement.
Dr. Nelson explains that medications often have
variable success and can produce considerable side effects such as
changes in kidney and liver function, a reduction in the ability of
blood to clot as well as abdominal pain, nausea and indigestion.
"The exciting thing about this new approach is that
it has been found to have no side effects, it is relatively low-cost in
the long-run and the onset of pain relief is immediate," says Dr.
Nelson. "We look at electromagnetic pulses as a potential way to improve
quality of life and independence for those who suffer from
osteoarthritis of the knee."
Dr. Nelson says researchers will continue to look
at the consistency of the relief, how long the pain relief lasts and if
electromagnetic pulses might affect other joints.
Funding for the study was from Ivivi Health
Sciences, a newly formed privately held company that is a leading
innovator in the non-invasive treatment of post-operative pain and
swelling.
In February the company announced it had purchased the key
assets from its public predecessor, Ivivi Technologies Inc. Ivivis
technology has been FDA approved for the treatment of post-operative
pain, and Medicare and Medicaid reimburse the use of these therapies for
the treatment of wounds. For more information visit
www.ivivihealthsciences.com.
Keep up with the latest news for senior citizens, baby
boomers
