BewellConnect, https://bewell-connect.us, a connected health company, has released the results of a survey that explores the topics of pain management and treatment. The goal is to make general awareness of electrotherapy (EMS) or TENS) devices to the public as an alternative recovery method for sore muscles from chronic pain or the everyday fitness routine.
Key insights from the survey are:
- Approximately 60 percent of Americans have had to seek treatments for back pain, bad knees, and other injuries
- Almost half (47 percent) of those treated received some form of electrotherapy using EMS or TENS
- Nearly 90 percent of those treated with EMS/TENS devices said the devices were helpful in their recovery
A “Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation” (TENS), a wearable medical device is designed to relieve pain using pulses that stimulate skin and nerve strands to block pain signals from the brain. Electrical Muscle Stimulation. (EMS) works by activating muscles through a comfortable stimulation and typically is used for muscle rebuilding and repair.
While these devices have traditionally been in the domain of physical therapists and healthcare providers, the technology is now widely available to consumers to use at home thanks to technological advances in portability. A new generation of electrostimulation devices are now giving users more freedom to move thanks to built-in wireless communications and intelligence for use with smartphone apps.
The survey also found that the growing awareness of pain medication addiction may contribute to the technology’s popularity. The survey also found that the need to reduce pain medications was the second most cited reason across all demographics (27 percent) and the number one reason among women (32 percent).
Also, affordability and the ability for consumers to practice self-care were major drivers for consumer adoption. Nearly 35 percent of respondents said that reducing visits to a healthcare provider would be their main motivation for acquiring a device.