| Many chronic pain patients experience pain in more | | | | When any device limits the ability to treat two |
| than one area. The use of transcutaneous electrical | | | | separate distinct areas then the patient is often |
| nerve stimulators whether a traditional tens unit | | | | stuck with only partial relief, or no relief at all. If there |
| (tens), portable interferential unit ( IF) or combination | | | | is only one amplitude adjustment, but it actually |
| unit ( Infrex), needs to provide the ability to treat on | | | | controls the output of both areas, then one area will |
| differing amplitudes ( power, intensity) at the two | | | | not get the stimulus necessary to overcome the pain |
| painful areas, independent of each other. | | | | impulses. What is comfortable and tolerable for one |
| It's not rare to have a patient who suffers from | | | | area is hardly felt in the next painful area. |
| chronic low back pain (clbp) and sciatica at the same | | | | In basically all tens type treatments the basic process |
| time. The basic premise for effective treatment is to | | | | of overriding the pain impulses must occur in |
| stop or lessen the pain impulse signal to the brain by | | | | specifically the areas where pain is felt. To be |
| using one of the devices. One area almost always is | | | | successful a well engineered unit will provide the |
| more painful for the patient than the other pain area. | | | | amplitude control, as well as the ability to isolate |
| Because the sensory input of pain is higher in one | | | | treatments to more than one area. When this is done |
| area it becomes necessary to override that area with | | | | success is much easier for the patient, clinician and |
| a higher intensity since the input to the patient's brain | | | | physician to successfully treat the chronic pain patient |
| is stronger. | | | | at home without drugs. |