What
is Sympathetic Therapy? How Does This Therapy
Work?
Sympathetic Therapy is
an effective treatment for the symptomatic
relief of chronic, intractable pain. It
is non-invasive, non-addictive, and much
more cost-effective than many other treatments
commonly prescribed for the chronic pain
patient.
Many chronic pain conditions are "sympathetically
biased" and have no identifiable underlying
etiology. Certain pain may be
associated with the sympathetic nervous
system itself as opposed to an original
trauma or injury that has long since healed.
Sympathetic Therapy is a patented method
of administering electrical current via
peripheral nerves that are accessed through
the lower legs and feet as well as the arms
and hands creating a unique form of stimulation
of the sympathetic nervous system.
The unique Sympathetic Therapy protocol
uses four intersecting stimulation channels
of various frequencies (8 electrodes per
treatment) with specific electrode placement
on the feet, legs, arms and hands. Each
treatment lasts approximately one hour. Multiple
beat frequencies are generated between 0-1000
Hz.
Electrodes are applied bilaterally, thus
following the peripheral nerve pathways
from one side of the body to the other crossing
the spine. The therapy targets
the autonomic nervous system and, therefore,
treats "systemically" as opposed to treating
localized areas.
This therapy is delivered using the Dynatron
STS device and alternatively by a companion
home device, the Dynatron STS Rx. A
software program is included with the clinical
STS unit to assist the clinician with electrode
placement and to record patient progress. Physicians
have had excellent results utilizing Sympathetic
Therapy treatments to provide symptomatic
relief of chronic intractable pain.
Is
Sympathetic Therapy an Investigational /
Experimental Procedure?
Sympathetic Therapy is
not investigational nor experimental. It
is cleared by the FDA for providing symptomatic
relief of chronic intractable pain and /or
management of post-traumatic or post-surgical
pain. Years of clinical use and
two recent clinical studies show that patients
are getting results from this therapy, including
many patients who have responded to no other
pain intervention. However, knowledge
about Sympathetic Therapy, particularly
in the insurance industry, is somewhat limited,
and may result in the perception that this
"new" therapy is "investigational" when
it is not.
How
is Sympathetic Therapy different from TENS?
Although Sympathetic Therapy
utilizes electrical current, it is not to
be confused with common electrical stimulation
modalities such as TENS.
The most important distinction is in its
application. Sympathetic Therapy
treats systemically as opposed to locally. Whereas
traditional electrical stimulation treats
transcutaneously at or near the primary
pain site, Sympathetic Therapy is performed
by attaching electrodes bi-laterally to
the upper and lower extremities and using
the peripheral nerves to gain access to
the autonomic nervous system.
Sympathetic Therapy is a patented procedure
that entails a careful combination of unique
carrier and beat frequencies and very specific
electrode placements. The Dynatron
STS and STS Rx are the only devices on the
market that offer the unique components
which make Sympathetic Therapy so effective.
When
should Sympathetic Therapy be prescribed
for a patient in lieu of other traditional
pain management procedures?
Due to the non-invasive
and painless nature of Sympathetic Therapy,
few patients with chronic pain would be
excluded from treatment. It is
believed that Sympathetic Therapy can offer
significant relief to many types of chronic
pain sufferers, especially those patients
who have a sympathetic component to their
pain. It should be noted, however,
that Sympathetic Therapy is not a panacea. While
not every form of chronic pain responds
to Sympathetic Therapy, it could be considered
as a primary treatment option for many patients. It
may be desirable to first treat those patients
who have experienced pain for an extended
period of time and who have attempted other
forms of treatment with little or no success.
Is
Sympathetic Therapy safe?
The transcutaneous application
of electrical stimulation has been proven
safe over decades of use. As
such, the contraindications for Sympathetic
Therapy are the same as those widely accepted
for traditional electrotherapy (Thrombosis,
Pacemakers, Cardiac Conditions, Bacterial
Infections, Malignancy, consult your Dynatron
STS operators manual for a more complete
explanation of contraindications, warnings
and precautions). Of course,
individual patients have different tolerance
levels for the intensity of current during
their treatments, but Sympathetic Therapy
protocols call for administering treatment
only to the level of intensity deemed comfortable
by the patient.
When comparing Sympathetic Therapy to other
treatments commonly prescribed for chronic
pain patients, consider the following:
- Sympathetic Therapy is non-invasive.
- There is no preparatory or recovery time
associated with Sympathetic Therapy. Patients
endure no extreme disruption of their
daily lives.
- There is no danger of addiction as is
often common with traditional pain medications
often prescribed for chronic pain sufferers.
- The treatment is comfortable and painless.
What
claims are approved by the FDA?
Sympathetic
Therapy is delivered using the Dynatron
STS clinical device and the Dynatron STS
Rx home unit. The following information
and indications for use are allowed by the
FDA:
CAUTION: The law of the United States and
other countries restricts the sale of this
device to physicians, physical therapists,
chiropractors, dentists, or other practitioners
licensed by the law of the state in which
said person practices, or to individuals
who have received a legal prescription from
their medical practitioner for the use of
the device.
INDICATIONS FOR USE: Electrical stimulation
delivered by the Dynatron STS and Dynatron
STS Rx is indicated for providing symptomatic
relief of chronic intractable pain and /or
management of post-traumatic or post-surgical
pain.
How
is the "Sympathetic Therapy program" implemented?
Sympathetic
Therapy treatments are prescribed when
a patient has a probability for moderate
to significant symptomatic relief of
chronic pain with this therapy. Daily
clinical treatments are required to establish
efficacy of the treatment and to arrive
at the most effective protocols for the
patient.
After a series of clinical treatments have
been undertaken and it has been confirmed
that the patient is responding positively
to the treatment and the optimal protocols
have been established, a home unit, the
Dynatron STS Rx, may be prescribed to facilitate
treatments over an extended period of time
and, in most cases, indefinitely.
Clinical Treatments
The clinician
will select the most appropriate protocol
based on multiple factors including the
location and severity of the pain. Adjustments
to the treatment protocols will continue
to be made on a daily basis until the optimal
treatment regimen is determined.
At each clinical visit, the patient completes
an evaluation form to allow the clinician
to see how the patient is responding to
the treatments and to make adjustments
to the protocol as necessary. In
addition to tracking pain levels, information
on medications, sleep and level of ambulation
are also recorded. At the end
of the series of treatments, the clinician
will, in most cases, have determined the
appropriate protocol for the patient. The
clinician may continue to evaluate and
adjust the protocols, even after the patient
has begun home treatments.
Home Treatments
The Sympathetic
Therapy program provides chronic pain patients
with a long-term solution for treating
their pain at home. Home
treatments provide convenience to the patient
and allow the patient to treat as needed. Because
the Dynatron STS Rx is a prescription device
regulated by the FDA, it may only be dispensed
under the order of a physician.
Once effectiveness has been established,
correct protocols determined, and a home
unit secured, the patient will be instructed
in the application of their specific protocol
and the operation of the device. The
patient will be advised as to safety issues
and restrictions limiting the device to
their own personal use. The patient
may then proceed with home treatments which
continue to be under the supervision of
the clinician. If necessary,
the patient may return to the clinic periodically
for a follow-up visit to adjust the protocol
or receive additional guidance in delivering
the treatments at home. Experience
has shown that ongoing daily treatments
are often required to achieve and maintain
maximum benefit.
How
Does the Patient Obtain a Home Unit?
When the clinician
believes the optimal protocols have been
determined, the patient will be presented
with the opportunity to purchase a Dynatron
STS Rx to continue their treatments at home. The
patient, with the required prescription,
will be directed to their local Dynatronics
dealer to arrange for the purchase.
Can
the Patient Rent a Home Unit?
These devices are presently
not available through a rental program.
Is
Sympathetic Therapy cost effective?
For many chronic pain patients,
Sympathetic Therapy will be the single most
cost effective treatment option, especially
over many years of pain management efforts.
Patients who can achieve symptomatic relief
of their chronic pain conditions through
self-administered Sympathetic Therapy treatments,
could likely save thousands of dollars in
anticipated medical expenses over the patient's
lifetime.
What
is the history of Sympathetic Therapy?
Sympathetic
Therapy was developed by Dr. Donald Rhodes,
a pain specialist in Corpus Christi,
Texas. When
one of his patients developed chronic pain,
Dr. Rhodes realized there were no effective
treatments available. After referring
to many "specialists" with no results,
he began extensive research to devise an
effective means of helping his patient.
Over nine years,
Dr. Rhodes, working with other physicians
and therapists, developed what is now referred
to as Sympathetic Therapy. Dynatronics
Corporation, a market leader in physical
medicine, acquired the exclusive marketing
and distribution rights to this patented
therapy in August 2000.
Extensive work with Sympathetic Therapy
is also being conducted by Dr. Steven Sacks,
a physiatrist from Beaumont, Texas, as
well as others-with very promising results
in a large percentage of patients being
treated. Dr.
Rhodes, Dr. Sacks and other medical professionals
have treated over 1,000 patients with very
encouraging results in chronic pain patients
who had exhausted most other courses of
treatment with little or no relief. This
unique therapy has proven beneficial in
providing symptomatic relief for many forms
of chronic pain. Sympathetic
Therapy is not a cure, but rather a form
of therapy that provides symptomatic relief
for many chronic pain sufferers.
Who
do I contact with questions about Sympathetic
Therapy?
Your local authorized Dynatronics
dealer can answer many of your questions
about Sympathetic Therapy and the Dynatron
STS clinical unit. Or contact
Dynatronics by e-mail (click "Contact Us"
at the top of this page).
Web
sites dedicated to the topic of Chronic
Pain
www.painfoundation.org
(The American Pain Foundation)
www.pain.com (Pain.com)
www.aapainmanage.org (American Academy of
Pain Management)
www.theacpa.org (American Chronic Pain Association)
www.paincare.org (National Foundation for
the Treatment of Pain)
www.ama-assn.org (American Medical Association)
www.ampainsoc.org (American Pain Society)
www.partnersagainstpain.com (Partners Against
Pain)
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