Vein Treatments

Progressive NeuroTherapy

Less Pain. No Drugs. More Fun.

WHAT IS PROGRESSIVE NEUROTHERAPY?
By providing stimulation to block the pain receptors before they reach the brain, Progressive NeuroTherapy provides relief by releasing natural endorphins that help your body outsmart your pain. Progressive NeuroTherapy allows you to try a temporary neurostimulator before committing to permanent, more invasive neurostimulator surgery. In many cases, this temporary treatment does the trick and further surgery is not necessary.

A neurostimulator is a non-invasive, continuous, microchip controlled, wear-as-you-go treatment for acute and chronic pain. This miraculous little device, developed here in the USA, is a simple lightweight device placed discreetly behind the ear, with up to 4 tiny leads attached by your surgeon at precise nerve locations on the ear. It delivers a powerful healing punch to the body so it can naturally flood itself with endorphins, reducing or eliminating pain.

The Progressive NeuroTherapy device allows you to re-engage almost immediately with life, to continue and/or enhance daily activity and routines – all by simply wearing the device customized to your treatment therapy. It works synergistically with physical therapy and does not interact with medications.

Instead of feeling acute or chronic everyday pain you will feel a faint sensation, or tingling sensation, which your brain normally adapts to within the first 30 minutes, though it may take up to a day to get used to.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND PROGRESSIVE NEUROTHERAPY
The neurostimulator device engages the body’s own innate intelligence (neuroplasticity), causing the release of endorphins. This is the body’s natural way to deal with pain. It is common to see improvements in sleep, blood flow, and the desire to actively engage with life, after the first treatments. Through neuroplasticity, the brain can learn to mimic the device’s program pattern, thus continuing the relief of pain without the presence of the device.

Progressive NeuroTherapy is an ideal alternative solution for those contemplating traditional surgery or the use of strong medications, such as narcotics, to alleviate their pain.

FAQ
The following are frequently asked questions from patients and clinicians. This is for informational purposes only and not to be considered as a diagnosis or recommendation for treatment. Each person presents differently. Diagnosis and treatment recommendations are strictly a decision between the patient and treating clinician.

Q. Can I wash my hair while wearing a device ?

A. Yes. While all the devices carried by IHS are water resistant they should not be considered water proof. It has been recommended that holding a dry wash cloth or a small plastic cup over the ear while showering will be enough to protect the device.

Q. Are there any negative side effects from using any of the IHS devices ?

A. Negative side effects are extremely rare but can include slight dizziness, sleepiness, slight euphoria , or a slight drop in blood pressure, which occurs only for a very short time period. There is also a chance of localized skin rash ( less than 1% ) and infection at the site of implantation ( never reported to IHS ). If you develop any of these symptoms report these immediately to your treating clinician.

Q. What happens if any IHS device gets wet ?

A. It will simply stop working. It will not shock you or explode. If you accidentally get the device wet, carefully dry it and call your treating clinician.

Q. Can I exercise while wearing the device ?

A. Sweating enough to make the affixing bandages or the generator come off is a possibility but rarely occurs. DO NOT SWIM while wearing the device and it is not recommend to go into a sauna. If any device is immersed in water the adhesive holding the arrays or the generator may become loose.

Q. How long should the device be left on ?

A. All 3 IHS devices the EAD, MFS, and the P-STIM run for different lengths of time. The EAD and MFS runs for 2 hours on and 2 hours off for 120 hours. The P-Stim runs for 3 hours on and 3 hours off for a total of 96 hours. The device should be left on for the recommend length of time unless discussed by the treating clinician.

Q. How many treatments are required ?

A. Treatment length varies from patient to patient depending upon your condition and many other factors. In some occasions one treatment is enough while in other circumstances multiple treatments are recommended. Treatment time and estimated number of devices should be discussed in advance before treatment is initiated.

Q. How soon can I expect results from device treatment ?

A. This depends upon your condition. Often patients will notice pain reduction almost immediately while others take several applications over several week’s time. If you have a chronic pain condition it is not uncommon to feel significant relief with the first device, not feel as much relief with the second, and notice further relief with the third. It often recommend to treat in a series of 3 devices before further treatment decisions are made.

Q. Do the IHS devices cure pain ?

A. No. The devices are not a cure but a safe and effective management tool for your pain. You may feel dramatic initial pain relief, followed by a return of your pain shortly after removing the device for the first few device applications. THIS IS NORMAL. With each treatment your results will be evaluated for any necessary adjustments. Please always inform the treating clinician to help determine the best possible long term results. It is not abnormal to feel ” worse than ever ” after the first treatment. This feeling can occur because after suffering from long term pain you may have ” forgotten ” what it was like to feel pain reduction and now realize the difference. In most cases the relief experienced by the IHS treatment is residual and cumulative. This means the length of time you will experience a reduction in pain will often increase as treatment progresses.

Q. Can the IHS devices be used by themselves or are they to be used in conjunction with other treatments ?

A. IHS auricular therapy can be used by itself or in conjunction with other therapies. Often other treatments are enhanced by adding IHS auricular therapy and may be considered part of an overall treatment plan. This is a decision made by the treating clinician based upon their clinical judgement and experience.

Q. If I feel better can I stop taking my pain medications ?

A. Stopping or reducing your pain medications is often a reasonable treatment goal for therapy. However medication reduction or termination is a decision which must be made by your treating clinician and you working together as a team.

Q. Should I take the device off if I don’t feel the pulsing ?

A. No. This is one of the most commonly asked questions. Each device is checked several times in the factory before they are shipped. Each device is then re- checked and activated immediately before placement. The device will be working when placed. IT IS NORMAL to not feel the pulsing on the second day because the nerves get used to the pulsing. Just because you don’t feel it doesn’t mean it is not working.

Q. Do the devices work for everyone ?

A. No. The devices invented and distributed by Innovative Health Solutions do not work for everyone all the time. Each person is different and each condition is unique. A proper diagnosis by the clinician and compliance by the patient is essential.

Q. What are the most commonly asked questions from patients ?

A. Can I wash my hair while wearing a device and is it normal if I don’t feel the pulsing especially on the second day ? These two questions account for the majority of patient’s concerns.