As 78 percent of Americans seek drug-free pain management options, TENS has been clinically proven to help relieve mild to moderate musculoskeletal pain.
LAKE FOREST, Ill., Sept. 18, 2018– September is Pain Awareness Month and OMRON Healthcare is encouraging those seeking effective drug-free pain relief to explore TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), a trusted pain therapy regularly administered by physical therapists and chiropractors that is now available for home use.
OMRON Healthcare shares educational message on the benefits of drug-free TENS therapy for pain sufferers during Pain Awareness Month. OMRONs latest device, Avail, is its first wireless at-home pain management and it is FDA-cleared for relief of chronic and acute pain.
TENS therapy works by sending stimulating pulses across the surface of the skin and along nerve strands. These pulses help to block pain signals from reaching the brain to effectively alleviate chronic pain symptoms. TENS has been clinically proven3 to help relieve mild to moderate musculoskeletal pain, providing drug-free pain relief for sore or aching muscles of the lower back, shoulder, arm, leg and more.
“TENS therapy has three main attributes that make it effective. It blocks the pain message signals to the brain4, it stimulates the release of endorphins5 – our bodies’ natural painkillers – and it improves blood circulation6,” said Ranndy Kellogg, president and CEO of OMRON Healthcare, Inc. “Previously, TENS was only available in professional medical settings. Now, this technology is available for use at home.”
The National Institutes of Health (NIH)7 estimates that more than 126 million Americans suffer from pain with over 25 million suffering from chronic pain, which is the most common cause of long-term disability in the United States.8 Opioids and prescription painkillers are often associated with treatments for chronic pain, but legislation is working to diminish opioid use in the U.S. in an effort to reduce drug-related deaths. According to the CDC9, 2017 was a record high for drug-related deaths in the U.S, amounting to more than 72,000 people – a majority of those occurring from opioid overdose.
With the ongoing national conversation surrounding the opioid crisis, research10 shows that nearly 78 percent of Americans are interested in finding alternative ways to manage their pain without the use of prescription medications.
“OMRON was the first brand to offer a TENS device for use at home and we’ve invested in creating a full range of TENS products to help pain sufferers alleviate their symptoms. Our TENS devices use the same trusted technology you’d find in a doctor’s office, so you can get relief wherever you are,” said Kellogg.
OMRON recently launched its first wireless at-home drug-free pain management device, Avail, an FDA-cleared TENS device designed to provide symptomatic relief and management of chronic and acute pain. Avail is completely wireless and uses two contoured pads that allow users to treat multiple pain sites simultaneously. It also features Bluetooth® connectivity for wireless control of settings via the OMRON TENS app, for on-the-go personal pain relief.
Avail and other OMRON TENS products are available for purchase at OmronHealthcare.com. Throughout Pain Awareness Month, OMRON will be offering a special 30 percent discount on all TENS devices and accessories.
About OMRON Healthcare, Inc.
OMRON Healthcare, Inc. is a leading manufacturer and distributor of personal heart health and wellness products. OMRON’s market-leading products include home blood pressure monitors and electrotherapy devices. Since OMRON invented its first blood pressure monitors more than 40 years ago, the company has been passionate about empowering people to take charge of their health at home through precise technology. Helping people improve their ability to live a healthier life is the heart and soul of OMRON’s purpose. For more information, visit OmronHealthcare.com.
###
1. Gallup Polls Report: Americans Prefer Drug-Free Pain Management Over Opioids
2. Johnson M, Martinson M. Efficacy of electrical nerve stimulation for chronic musculoskeletal pain: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Pain 2007; 130 157-165.
3. Johnson M, Martinson M. Efficacy of electrical nerve stimulation for chronic musculoskeletal pain: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Pain 2007; 130 157-165.
4. Melzack R, Wall PD. Pain mechanisms: a new theory. Science 1965; 150:971-979 and Sluka KA et al. Trancutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation: Basic Science Mechanisms and Clinical Effectiveness, J Pain 2003; 4:109-121.
5. Sluka KA et al. Spinal blockade of opioid receptors prevents the analgesia produced by TENS in arthritic rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1999; 289:840-846.
6. Hallen K. et al. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation induces vasodilation in healthy controls but not in refractory angina patients, J Pain and Symptom Manage 2010; 40:95-101.
7. National Institutes of Health: NIH Analysis Shows Americans Are In Pain
8. National Institutes of Health: Estimates of Pain Prevalence and Severity in Adults
9. The Guardian: US drug overdose deaths rose to record 72,000 last year, data reveals
10. Gallup Polls Report: Americans Prefer Drug-Free Pain Management Over Opioids
SOURCE OMRON Healthcare, Inc.
