Physician’s Perspective: Why a VA Pain Specialist Recommends the RS-4i® Plus
“Dozens, even hundreds of patients, have had an extremely noticeable benefit from the RS-4i Plus.”
Electrotherapy can seem complicated, even for medical professionals who aren’t up-to-speed on all the technologies and treatment options available. That’s why we wanted to get a physician’s perspective on the RS-4i Plus.
Dr. Gil Hager has decades of experience helping Veterans with chronic pain. Recently 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 treatment option.
Treating Tough 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 treating pain, he noted that the RS-4i Plus has, in his experience, proven to be an effective one.
“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
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 the RS-4i Plus?
We also wanted to know how Dr. Hager would describe the benefits of the RS-4i Plus to a patient. In a nutshell: What does he think about it?
“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 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
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 and/or to attend a webinar. 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.