5 Reasons to Use the RS-4i® Plus for Sciatic Pain Treatment
Sciatica is a fairly common chronic back condition, affecting up to 40 percent of the population. While many cases resolve favorably, research suggests that roughly 1 in 4 patients will have persistent problems.
Conventional treatment leans toward non-surgical options first – relying on clinic-based methods such as physical therapy, therapeutic injections and some alternative therapies. Yet healthcare providers are realizing that it’s beneficial for patients to have treatments that can be managed independently, too, especially at times when in-clinic intervention is unavailable.
While OTC medications may provide a partial answer, another ideal choice for sciatica treatment at home is electrotherapy with the RS-4i Plus. Not only is it non-invasive and non-opioid, it’s proven to be an effective tool for many patients – and it could be especially useful for those who find that their sciatic pain lingers.
If it’s not included among the at-home options for your patients who need sciatica nerve pain treatment, here are five reasons why you should be considering it:
1. Wider & Deeper Treatment Area
The RS-4i Plus 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)
To expand this therapeutic sweet spot, the signals from the RS-4i Plus are also premodulated – meaning that the current for each channel is pre-mixed within the device. Using pre-mixed signals allows the area of interference to stretch between each set of electrodes, not just where signals intersect. The result is that premodulated INF provides a significantly wider area of pain relief. (Image B)
While premodulation is what enables the RS-4i Plus to treat a broader area, it’s the device’s high-frequency signal that allows it to go deeper.
A high-frequency signal can more easily overcome skin’s natural resistance and penetrate deep into the tissue – hyper-stimulating A-Beta nerve fibers in an effort to activate Inhibitory Neurons that can mute pain signals and provide fast-acting relief via Gate Control.
2. Extended Pain Control
In addition to muting pain signals, high-frequency INF offers the secondary benefit of triggering the body’s endorphin release. The 20-30 minutes of high-frequency tissue stimulation provided by the RS-4i Plus during a treatment is thought to provoke the brain into this release, which results in pain relief that generally lasts 4-8 hours.
In fact, assessments conducted with over 13,000 patients using the RS-4i Plus show:
Half experience a 50% drop in pain
49% get 4+ hours of pain relief
3. Muscle Therapy
While the RS-4i Plus provides some of the most advanced pain treatment available from a home-use device, that’s not the extent of its capabilities. It also has programs that deliver neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) to facilitate muscle rehabilitation. And here, too, the signals are more sophisticated.
The device’s NMES waveform has two primary characteristics: Small, sharp points that represent short bursts of stimulation, and wider, square sections that indicate longer periods of stimulation. While the short, spiky waves activate highly sensitive fast-twitch muscle fibers, the wider, square sections are ideal for activating the harder-to-engage, slow-twitch fibers. By stimulating a larger number of muscle fibers, the RS-4i Plus can elicit a maximal muscle contraction – resulting in greater therapeutic benefit.
Treating Sciatic Pain with the RS-4i Plus
The RS-4i Plus can be an effective at-home, pain-relieving therapy for sciatica patients. The combination of high-frequency INF and rehabilitative NMES treatment can provide pain relief lasting 4-8 hours.
Common Causes of Sciatic Pain:
- Lumbar herniated disc – up to 90% of sciatica caused by this condition
- Lumbar spondylolysis
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
- Lumbar spine degeneration
The ability to stimulate more of the slow-twitch “big movers,” like the gluteus muscles and quadriceps, is a distinction for the RS-4i Plus and makes this device a top choice for many physicians.
4. Conductive Garments
Not to be overlooked are the wearable conductive garments designed to simplify the process of setting up for back treatments.
Instead of placing electrodes one-by-one on the patient’s back, the patient places special VELCRO® electrodes inside the garment using a convenient numbered grid. Once pads are situated properly, the patient is able to slip the garment on, lean back and start their INF or NMES treatment. Best of all, the pads stay in place and are ready to go for any subsequent treatments. (Just remember to swap them out for fresh pads every 30 days.)
The RS-LBG™ Low Back Garment is an ideal size for sciatic treatment, but a full back garment is available for treating the upper back, too. Garments are comfortable and adjustable, and pads can be removed for laundering or replacement.
5. Interactive Pad Placement Guide
With more than 20 detailed videos – 8 for back treatments alone – the Interactive Pad Placement Guide is a free, web-based tool that demonstrates proper electrode placement for any given diagnosis. It can also teach patients additional placement protocols you direct them to use.
These brief, color-coded guides show exactly where to place pads – and which muscles are being targeted – so your patients get the most benefit from an electrotherapy session.
Not only does this lead to improved patient outcomes, but it also helps increase patient compliance. After all, if patients experience positive benefits from using the device, they are more likely to continue following your treatment plan.
Take the Next Step
If you’re a healthcare provider interested in discovering how the RS-4i Plus may work for your patients with lingering sciatic pain, complete the form below and check the box to receive a virtual product demo. Then judge for yourself how the powerful combination of INF therapy and NMES muscle stimulation can work for your patients.
The RS-4i Plus requires a prescription. Patients who are interested in discussing this high-powered, non-opioid treatment option with their healthcare provider can download a helpful guide to aid the decision. Get yours today.
Related Resources
Blog: Intersperse - A More Impactful Treatment
Blog: Muscle Rehab & the RS-4i Plus
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.