| Interferential therapy has been around since 1951, | | | | gallon tank with a one gallon bottle of water and the |
| originating in Germany, as a method to ease the pain | | | | person could not go back to refill the bottle. |
| the chronic pain patient suffered. The patient would | | | | Obviously it can't be done and the time period to try |
| come in to the Doctor's office or hospital for a | | | | would be 1/10th since the bottle would be exhausted |
| treatment from the interferential machine and stop | | | | of all water after one discharge. Battery systems |
| the pain during the treatment and for an extended | | | | also have a "limited capacity" of electrical energy and |
| period of time following the treatment, referred to | | | | interferential exhausts most of that capacity very |
| as carryover pain relief. | | | | rapidly. Typically when anyone tried to manufacture a |
| The reason for the inhouse treatment was the | | | | truly "portable interferential device" and used a 9 volt, |
| equipment was very expensive and it needed a large | | | | triple A, or AA disposable or rechargeable battery |
| supply of electricity to work. The interferential | | | | system, the batteries had no charge left in less than |
| machine actually goes off and on over 8,000 times | | | | 5 minutes. To create more capacity meant the |
| per second as compared to the traditional TENS unit | | | | batteries would require a wheelbarrow to transport |
| ( transcutaneous electronic nerve stimulator) which | | | | them in which means portability is lost. |
| does so only 150 times per second. This demand for | | | | Practically speaking there is no economical way to |
| electrical energy exceeded the ability of electrical | | | | overcome the battery problems, yet maintain |
| engineers working with portable battery systems to | | | | portability, other than by engineering a unit with an |
| develop any form of battery which could meet the | | | | AC adaptor. Once you have an AC adaptor then the |
| excessively high demands of a clinical interferential | | | | entire grid that supplies electricity is now available. |
| machine. Literally throughout the history of | | | | Most people have access to some form of wall |
| interferential therapy the problem in making the units | | | | outlet so a unit can be plugged in to the outlet and |
| available for self treatments has revolved around the | | | | treatment can begin. By using an AC adaptor pain |
| high demand for electrical energy and the ability to | | | | patients no longer have to go to clinics or hospitals |
| have that capacity yet still be a small, portable | | | | for treatments and can self treat with lasting |
| device. | | | | carryover pain relief. |
| A simple analogy is if one were asked to fill a 10 | | | | |