Frequently Asked Questions
ActiPatchTM is an award winning, clinically proven, drug free medical device that uses Electromagnetic Pulse Therapy to target pain relief and may assist in healing of soft tissue. Used by clinicians for over 30 years, Electromagnetic Pulse Therapy has been proven effective in treating both chronic and acute pain. Advances in technology now mean this therapy is available in a small, convenient and economical device for personal use. ActiPatchTM provides advanced long-lasting chronic pain relief for a range of conditions including: back pain, knee pain, muscle & joint pain, sciatica, strains, sprains, post-operative pain, tennis elbow, tendonitis and more. ActiPatchTM is drug free so can be used while taking any other medication. Unlike a TENS machine, you will not feel heat or vibration. In fact, ActiPatchTM is completely sensation free, so the only thing you should feel is better.
ActiPatchTM uses Electromagnetic Pulse Therapy to stimulate nerve activity and dampen the brain’s perception of pain. ActiPatchTM targets pain and may assist in the healing of soft tissue. ActiPatchTM is drug free. You will not feel heat, vibration or any type of sensation when using the device. Chronic pain results from central sensitization, which causes the nervous system to develop a persistent state of high reactivity. This serves to amplify and maintain the pain even after the initial injury has healed. Therefore, chronic pain is often poorly correlated to the degree of peripheral tissue injury. ActiPatchTM uses electromagnetic signal pulses at 1,000 times per second to stimulate neuromodulation of the afferent nerves to dampen the brains perception of pain. The ActiPatchTM pulsed signal rate prevents adaption to allow long-term use. ActiPatchTM long-lasting pain relief therapy improves sleep, physical activity and overall quality of life.
ActiPatchTM is sensation, odour and drug free. ActiPatchTM has no ingredients, is non-medicated and can be combined with other medications. This technology has been used for decades in hospitals to help patients recover faster from common pain ailments. Over 1 million products have sold worldwide with no adverse effects. ActiPatchTM is safe for use with implanted metalwork as the Radiofrequency field strength is too low for any significant heating. There is no concern for pacemakers as they have built in RF protection. Though as a precaution, we don’t recommend using directly over the pacemaker. The ActiPatchTM has not been clinically evaluated for pregnancy; therefore, we cannot recommend its use.
STEP 1 Remove the device from the plastic bag. To activate the device, peel the white plastic tab back from the module. This will expose the silver coloured on/off button. STEP 2 Push the silver on/off button and hold it down for about 2 seconds. You should hear a click. Once the device is activated, there will be a green LED light on the opposite side of the device. STEP 3 For back and knee models, place the device in the wrap provided. Secure the wrap with the velcro straps, but do not over tighten as this may restrict circulation. Alternatively apply to the body/or clothing using the medical adhesive tape supplied. STEP 4 Position the wire loop directly over the area of pain, as the therapeutic area is within the wire loop. The device on/off button can face to the skin or outwards. STEP 5 To deactivate the device, press the silver on/off button and hold it down for about 2 seconds. Once the device is deactivated, the green LED light will turn off. When the LED light stops coming on, the device is no longer operational and can be disposed of. The battery is not replaceable. STEP 6 Remove the device when showering and swimming. The device is water resistant but NOT waterproof. The ActiPatchTM and TENS technology provide different clinical applications. TENS devices use Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation to block the pain signal to provide rapid pain relief. These devices should only be worn a few time per day, therefore the pain relief is not continuous and has no healing effect. TENS units produce a stimulations that feels like a gentle tingling, light vibrating or gentle muscle contraction. ActiPatchTM uses Electromagnetic Pulse Therapy to stimulate nerve activity and dampen the brain’s perception of pain, reduce inflammation and accelerate healing. ActiPatchTM can be worn up to 24hrs per day for continuous, long lasting, and effective pain relief. You will not feel heat, vibration or any type of sensation when using the device. The major difference between the two is that a TENS unit is a short term solution that “turns off” the pain signal but cannot perform the function of repairing damaged tissue like ActiPatchTM. Yes, these include: ActiPatchTM Back, ActiPatchTM Knee, and ActiPatchTM Muscle & Joint products that last for 720 hours, and can be turned on and off as needed. There is also a 7 Day Trial Pack available. The ActiPatchTM Back Pain product includes a reusable back wrap and works great for lower back pain, backaches, sciatica, strains, sprains and general back pain. The ActiPatchTM Knee Pain product includes a reusable knee wrap and works great for tendinitis, runner’s or jumper’s knee, strains, sprains and general knee pain. The ActiPatchTM Muscle & Joint Pain product includes medical adhesives and works great for muscle & joint soreness, strains & sprains, neck & shoulder pain, hip pain, carpal tunnel, sprained ankle, postoperative recovery and so much more. The ActiPatchTM 7 Day Trial Pack includes medical adhesives and one 7 day device. The device can be worn anywhere on the body. Apply to the body using the medical adhesives or wraps included in the pack. ActiPatchTM is also effective when worn over light clothing. You can use any type of wraps, adhesives, bandages or clothing to help hold the ActiPatchTM in place. The LED light on the device can face either towards or away from the skin. The therapeutic area is within the loop of the ActiPatchTM device. The loop area should be placed directly over the source of the pain. The device can be worn anywhere on the body. You can wear more than one ActiPatchTM device at a time as long as the devices are not overlapping. For maximum pain relief, wear continuously in one area until pain diminishes. You can wear more than one ActiPatchTM medical device at a time just as long as the devices are not overlapping. These devices are effective in treating most musculoskeletal pain. You can use any medical grade adhesive or wrap to adhere the device to the area in pain. The ActiPatchTM should be placed on the skin or as close to the skin as possible. The therapy will also be effective through light clothing. If the medical adhesive strips are too harsh for your skin, apply the device over spandex type or tight fitted clothing. Use medical tape or the wrap to adhere the device to the clothing over the source of the pain. The only thing you should fell is….BETTER! The ActiPatchTM device is sensation, odour and drug free. You will not feel heat, vibration or any type of sensation when using the device. Depending on the severity of the injury, patient pain levels can vary. Pain levels will continue to decrease as long as the ActiPatchTM device is being used continuously or between 8-24 hours per day. Pain relief may take up to 7 days. Daily treatment may be continuous, or intermittent. Overnight therapy is an effective option for many ActiPatchTM users. From an ActiPatchTM consumer survey, participants showed increased pain relief and effectiveness from wearing the device for a longer period of time. ActiPatchTM is safe for use with implanted metalwork as the Radiofrequency field strength is too low for any significant heating. There is no concern for pacemakers as they have built in RF protection. Though as a precaution, we don’t recommend using directly over the pacemaker. No. Remove the device when showering, swimming or bathing. The device is water resistant but NOT waterproof. Our products have not been clinically evaluated for pregnancy; therefore, we cannot recommend its use. No the battery is not replaceable. The ActiPatchTM is a disposable medical device and should be discarded when the battery life has ended, which is indicated by the LED light no longer coming on. Engineers determined that the device is no longer able to give an optimal treatment after 720 hours of use because continued bodily movement causes wear on the internal components. For this reason, the device needs to be discarded after the 720 hour run time. The ActiPatchTM can be disposed of in ordinary rubbish.