Why a VA Pain Specialist Recommends the RS-4i® Plus for At-Home Pain Management
Meet Dr. Hager
Dr. Gil Hager has decades of experience helping Veterans with chronic pain. Now retired from the VA, he agreed to sit down with RS Medical to talk about his success treating patients with the RS-4i Plus and why he’s depended on it as a viable pain management option.
What is the RS-4i Plus?
The RS-4i Plus is a true high-frequency electrotherapy device that combines Interferential Therapy (INF) and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) to deliver powerful pain relief and muscle rehabilitation for individuals suffering from chronic pain.
What is Interferential Therapy (INF)? Interferential therapy 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. 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.
What is Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES)? Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) uses alternating low-frequency signals (<100 Hz) to treat muscle tissue. These low-frequency signals cause skeletal muscle to contract and release in a pattern that acts as a blood and lymphatic fluid pump – i.e., the blood pump mechanism of action. The key benefits of this contract-and-release pattern are that it prevents disuse atrophy, increases circulation and re-educates tissue.
Helping Patients in Extreme Pain
For Dr. Hager’s patients, his office isn’t the first stop on the pain treatment journey.
“By the time they get to me, I would say the majority of them have tried physical therapy modalities, medications, and even TENS without much success,” he said. “They're still coming in with pain levels on the one to ten scale of greater than five. That has a negative effect on their ability to get out and do things in their life.”
While Dr. Hager acknowledged that there are many options for pain relief, he noted that the RS-4i Plus has, in his experience, proven to be an effective at-home pain management solution.
“For general back muscle spasm pain, they all tend to be very responsive to the RS-4i Plus,” he said. “I've found the RS-4i Plus to be a modality that helps people increase their function, their capability to get up and get out and do something.”
Patient Reactions to Finally Finding Relief
Dr. Hager noticed that the RS-4i Plus helped many of his patients be more active – but some of them let him know just how much they loved it.
“Most of the time, patients say, ‘This is great, this is tremendous.’ Then a phrase one of my patients used, which I thought was great, he said, ‘This is 10 times better than TENS.’”
According to Dr. Hager, many of his patients have had positive reactions to treatment with the RS-4i Plus.
“I believe I've only had, in 12 years, only had one patient say he didn't notice a difference. Everyone else, I mean out of dozens, hundreds of patients, has had an extremely noticeable benefit from it.”
Why Prescribe the RS-4i Plus?
We asked Dr. Hager how he would describe the benefits of the RS-4i Plus to a patient.
“I tell them it's non-toxic, number one,” he said. “It's not addictive, number two. That I have found it to be effective in other patients with similar problems to the ones that they have. That it's simple to use, especially with the low back garment and the full back garment.”
And while the RS-4i Plus isn’t the only effective treatment for chronic pain, Dr. Hager noted that it has certainly been beneficial to the Veterans he’s treated over the years.
“They've had tremendous response to it and have been very appreciative of the help they're getting to control their pain complaints from the injuries they suffered in combat and otherwise.”
Designed for Independent At-Home Use
The RS-4i Plus is designed to be a self-managed, at-home pain management treatment. Once the unit has been prescribed by a VA provider, it’s shipped to the patient at home. The patient then receives a personalized virtual fitting and training on the device from an RS Medical representative, enabling them to follow the prescribed treatment plan independently. Because it’s self-administered and simple to use, it greatly improves patient compliance.
By having treatments that Veterans can self-manage – whether during the day or especially in the middle of the night – they can get the necessary pain relief in their actual moments of need.
“Dozens, even hundreds of patients, have had an extremely noticeable benefit from the RS-4i Plus.”
Take the Next Step
Healthcare providers who are interested in a more detailed review of the technology, we invite you to complete the form below. A team member will be in touch to schedule a virtual product demonstration.
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 our patient discussion guide here.
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.