Interferential Therapy for Diabetic Neuropathy & Foot Pain
For podiatrists working in the VA health system, diabetic neuropathy is among the most urgent and difficult diagnoses to treat. Diabetes affects nearly 25 percent of the VA’s patient population. It impacts nearly all areas of a person’s health and, particularly troubling, it’s also the leading cause of amputation.
VA healthcare providers unfamiliar with the RS-4i® Plus Sequential Stimulator may be interested to learn how this device can aid in treatment for patients suffering from diabetic neuropathy, as well as other painful foot and lower leg conditions.
A Closer Look at the Technology
The RS-4i Plus is a prescription-strength electrotherapy treatment that, while often categorized as a TENS unit, has little in common with over-the-counter TENS devices.
This device offers Interferential therapy (INF), which uses two slightly different high-frequency signals (>5000 Hz) that intersect within the body to create an area of interference – a “sweet spot” in the treatment area where the therapeutic benefit is most pronounced. (Image A)
The nature of high-frequency assures that these signals are able to overcome the skin’s natural resistance and reach nerves deep in the tissue, providing fast-acting pain relief via the Gate Control Theory. As an added advantage, they also offer long-lasting pain relief via the release of endogenous opiates.
The signals from the RS-4i Plus are also premodulated, meaning that the current for each channel is pre-mixed within the device, as opposed to inside the body. Because signals are pre-mixed, the area of interference stretches between each set of electrodes, not just where signals intersect. The result is that premodulated INF provides a significantly broader area of pain relief. (Image B)
Lesser TENS units don’t operate at frequencies this high, let alone offer sophisticated Interferential signals; but the technology doesn’t stop there.
Patients with severe foot pain often struggle to be active. So, to help make patients more ambulatory, the RS-4i Plus provides neuromuscular electrical stimulation, or NMES, to facilitate muscle rehabilitation. For diabetic neuropathy patients, for example, NMES can be used on muscles of the lower leg to stimulate blood flow – causing muscles like the gastrocnemius muscle to fire, supplying a flow of oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to the foot, while expelling metabolic waste.
This high-powered combination of reduced pain and improved blood flow can help these patients begin to break the cycle of debilitation, which is a desired outcome for everyone.
Benefits for Additional Foot & Ankle Conditions
While helping alleviate the effects of diabetic neuropathy is key, this isn’t the only foot-related condition that can benefit from the RS-4i Plus. It’s also useful for treating the pain caused by plantar fasciitis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout and other afflictions of the foot and lower leg.
Additionally, any of these conditions can benefit from the increased blood flow provided by NMES to help prevent muscle spasms, curb atrophy and improve ambulatory ability. And with patients self-reporting four or more hours of pain relief after a 30-minute treatment, it’s a therapeutic option worth considering.
Designed for Independent At-Home Use
Like all healthcare programs looking to provide quality care in this evolving era of telehealth and social distancing, the VA’s ability to include independently managed treatments is another key to on-going relief and/or recovery for many Veterans.
The RS-4i Plus is designed for at-home use, and all aspects of patient training can be managed remotely. Once the unit has been prescribed by a VA provider via e-consult, it’s shipped to the patient at home. The patient then receives a personalized virtual fitting and training on the device, which enables them to follow the prescribed treatment plan independently. Because it’s self-administered and simple to use, it goes a long way toward improved patient compliance.
By having treatments that Veterans can self-manage – whether that’s during the day or especially in the middle of the night – they can get the necessary treatment in their actual moments of need.
Take the Next Step
If you’re a healthcare provider interested in discovering how the RS-4i Plus may work for your patients, complete the form below and check the box to receive a virtual product demo. Then judge for yourself how the powerful combination of Interferential therapy and NMES muscle stimulation can work for your patients.
Related Resources
Blog: Non-Drug Therapies May Improve Outcomes for Soldiers with Chronic Pain
Blog: How to Compare TENS Units by Price
This blog provides general information and discussion about medicine, health and related subjects. The words and other content provided in this blog, and in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, he or she should consult with an appropriately-licensed physician or other healthcare professional.