Iron foundry Cadillac Casting is reportedly one of the first companies in America to provide free cryotherapy sessions as a benefit for its employees, to help them recover from the physical demands of their jobs, according to Impact Cryotherapy.

As a free employee benefit, the company is providing its 400 employees and their spouses unlimited access to sessions in an Impact Cryotherapy Cryosauna that is operated by Pine Grove Athletic Club in Cadillac, Mich.

Cryosaunas are engineered to use cold temperatures to promote natural healing and wellness. The treatments direct controlled applications of temperatures down to -250 degrees Fahrenheit, notes a media release from Impact Cryotherapy.

After experiencing Impact Cryotherapy sessions himself, Dan Minor, chairman of the board of Cadillac Casting, determined that cryosauna treatments should be available to his employees at no cost.

“There are numerous benefits of cryotherapy,” Minor shares in the release. “Impact Cryotherapy equipment is so beneficial to professional and collegiate athletes, why not make it available to the industrial employee? It was just the right thing to do.”

In response, Chad Finnegan, vice president of business development for Impact Cryortherapy, states that Minor is helping “bring cryotherapy and wellness to the front lines of the day-to-day aches and pains of working Americans.”

“If our production workers feel healthier, and feel better about themselves, then our productivity should increase,” Minor adds. “We’re trying to think outside the box here.”

[Source(s): Impact Cryotherapy, Business Wire]

The ready-to-wear Circaid Juxtafit Essentials Armsleeve, new from medi USA, is designed as an inelastic compression wrap for the management of lymphedema and lipedema.

Featuring adjustable juxtaposing band technology and made with a soft and breathable fabric, the armsleeve is designed to apply graduated compression from the wrist to the upper arm. It also contains silver to prevent odor and the spread of bacteria to the garment. The patented Built-In-Pressure System is also designed to enable multiple, measurable, targeted compression ranges in a single product.

“It is extremely valuable for patients with lymphedema to be as independent as possible in self-management of their condition, and to maintain their quality of life,” says Christopher Miles, senior manager of clinical services at medi USA, occupational therapist, and certified lymphedema therapist, in a media release from medi USA.

“The circaid juxtafit essentials armsleeve is easy to use, low-profile to fit under clothes, and is lightweight and breathable so patients feel comfortable wearing it,” he adds.

The juxtafit essentials armsleeve is available in left and right variants, three lengths and six sizes for optimal comfort and efficacy. Custom versions, as well as ready-to-wear and custom options for hand compression, are also available.

For more information, visit medi USA.

[Source(s): medi USA, PR Newswire]

CoachCare, a New York-based digital healthcare startup, launches into the pain management market during the PAINWeek National Conference, held in Las Vegas.

The digital healthcare solution is engineered to help pain management practitioners to gain 24/7 insights into their patients’ lives outside of the clinic.

It features a custom-branded patient mobile app, clinical dashboard, and connected proprietary trackers and scales to help monitor a patient’s unique protocol and progress, according to a media release from CoachCare.

Its benefits include the ability to monitor personalized patient programs in real time, including 3D pain tracking, pain levels and trends, weight fluctuations, nutrition, sleep habits, and more. In addition, physicians and patients can stay connected and engaged throughout their programs, and physicians can intervene when needed to offer encouragement or changes to patient programs.

“Pain and health go hand in hand,” says CoachCare CEO Andrew Zengilowski, in the release. “By monitoring a patient’s lifestyle habits when they are away from the office, a physician can get a better grip on what is contributing to the patient’s chronic pain issues and also improve and customize their program to help alleviate that pain more quickly and for longer periods of time.”

Upcoming features to CoachCare include video conferencing and a content library, the release continues.

To download a free whitepaper about the digital healthcare solution, visit CoachCare.

[Source(s): CoachCare, PRWeb]

TheraPouf, an innovative support pillow, is designed to apply counter pressure to support the spine to help it achieve a neutral position. It features a gel pack that can be frozen or microwaved to provide cold or heat therapy to relieve pain.

Fort Myers, Fla resident and entrepreneur Judy Cutler-Teeven developed the pillow as a natural remedy to align her spine and relieve her pain.

“Three years ago, I began to experience severe back issues that resulted in three surgeries,” Cutler-Teeven explains in a media release. “There are a number of products on the market that claim to offer relief, but none made my pain disappear. So I decided to leverage my background in product development and create a solution that would help others suffering from back pain.”

Key to the pillow is its versatility, Cutler-Teeven adds. Unlike a regular pillow, TheraPouf can be inflated to the user’s desired pressure to help treat their aches and pains.

“During our product testing phase, we provided the prototype to individuals with a variety of medical and physical issues,” she comments. “Their feedback was all positive, and two terms that kept coming up were comfortable and convenient. One individual used it as a perfectly contoured neck pillow on a long airplane ride to Africa, as a therapeutic aide behind his ailing back, and as an ice pack to relieve his swollen knee.”

For more information and to order a TheraPouf pillow, visit TheraPouf. Product sales will begin in the fall, according to the release.

[Source: TheraPouf]

Venture Heat announces that its Infrared Heat Therapy Pain Relief using Far Infrared Rays (FIR) has received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The pain management solution is designed to use FIR heat therapy, which is a type of low-energy therapy that takes advantage of heat generated by waves of energy from the far end of the infrared spectrum.

The wraps are made from flexible neoprene rubber and lined with soft fleece for maximum comfort. They feature 3D tailoring, designed to not only help the wraps fit better, but also ensure that heat is delivered directly to painful areas, according to the company in a news release.

“Typically, people use electric heating pads, microwaveable packs, hot water bottles, chemically activated patches and other heat-therapy applications,” says Eddie Chen, president of Venture Heat, in the release.

“Many methods of heat therapy require heat to be placed directly on the skin. Our Pain Relief line produces a deep, penetrating, soothing, and therapeutic heat that starts as infrared light, quickly turning to heat once it hits the source and origin of your discomfort.”

This and other Venture Heat products safely use low 12-V DC for plug-in use at home and a 12-V Lithium Ion battery for use on the go.

For more information, visit Venture Heat.

[Source(s): Venture Heat, Business Wire]

Stimwave Technologies Inc has received FDA clearance for its WaveCrest Mobile iOS Platform patient controllers designed to provide opioid-free pain management, the company announces in a media release.

This new system now gives patients iPhone and Apple Watch mobile control over WaveMaster multi-waveform automated programming for the Wireless Freedom Spinal Cord Stimulator (SCS) System for relief of chronic pain, which is implanted via an outpatient procedure.

WaveCrest Mobile allows a patient to use an iPhone, iPod touch, or Apple Watch to adjust their pain relief therapy. Via WaveCrest Mobile, pain sufferers can fine-tune the power level, visualize battery life, and modify programs that were pre-programmed by their clinician to control pain without opioids, according to a media release from Stimwave Technologies Inc.

“Pain suffers are rapidly migrating to the Stimwave Freedom wireless pain relief system as an opioid0-free option to control their pain- and now they can adjust their therapy with the swipe of their finger through their Apple Watch or iPhone/iPod Touch discreetly any time as needed,” says Stimwave Chairman and CEO Laura Tyler Perryman.

“Transformation of pain treatment moving from opioids and pills to interventional solutions like Stimwave can only happen as a result of empowering the masses to take control of their pain, which is now as easy as 1-2-3 with WaveCrest Mobile,” she adds, in the release.

“Patients’ needs in pain management are unique, and customized programming is a must. The Freedom System not only is the smallest option available for patients eliminating the complexities of an implanted lithium ion battery, but offers a wide variety of advanced programming features that the patient can choose through their mobile device,” states Dr Ellen Lin, MD, medical director of San Antonio’s Advanced Spine and Pain Center.

“WaveCrest Mobile provides patients with a high-tech approach to controlling their pain through their mobile device and future features and upgradeability options they never had before.”

Utilizing the Stimwave Freedom System, clinicians can utilize an iPad application to easily program the system using WaveMaster advanced therapy waveforms selectable from the AppleWatch or iPhone controller, according to the company.

[Source(s): Stimwave Technologies Inc, Business Wire]

The US Patent and Trademark Office has issued US Patent No. 10,112,040 titled “Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation using novel unbalanced biphasic waveform and novel electrode arrangement” to NeuroMetrix Inc for its Quell Wearable Technology.

“We are pleased to have received this latest patent, which further expands the Quell intellectual property portfolio and creates an important and sustainable competitive advantage. This patent is particularly important as it covers our novel neurostimulation technology that is up to 50% more efficient than traditional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation,” says Shai N. Gozani, MD, PhD, in a media release from the Waltham, Mass-based company.

“With this technology we have achieved a previously unobtainable battery life for a wearable neurostimulator. This is critical as Quell is often worn more than 12 hours a day.”

[Source: NeuroMetrix Inc]

Perform Better expands its recovery line with the introduction of Rollga Foam Rollers.

These omni-directional functional training rollers are designed to stabilize the hips, align the back, and increase range of motion, and are available in moderate, firm, and extra firm densities.

Each Rollga Roller has a unique shape featuring a patented design contoured to fit one’s body that helps it to penetrate muscle tissues and reach trigger points that are difficult to reach with an ordinary roller.

It can be used to perform connective tissue therapy as well as spinal alignment to help speed up recovery and eliminate unnecessary stiffness.

For more information, visit Perform Better.

[Source: Perform Better]

Myoscience Inc announces the commercial release of its Nerve Stim Enabled Smart Tip 1x90mm, the latest addition to its iovera° system. This tip received FDA 510(k) clearance in early 2018.

The iovera° system is a non-opioid platform technology engineered to help alleviate pain by applying intense cold to targeted nerves via a process called cryoneurolysis. The pain relief is immediate and lasts up to 90 days, the company suggests in a media release.

The iovera° system includes Smart Tips of different configurations to target both superficial and deep nerves. The new Nerve Stim Enabled Smart Tip can be used with most commercially available nerve stimulators to help enhance accuracy in nerve targeting.

For more information, visit Myoscience Inc.

[Source(s): Myoscience Inc, PRWeb]

Prediction models of that identify and forecast changes in the pain experiences among users of the Manage My Pain app were used in a study published recently in Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) that aimed to define pain volatility.

Data from the analysis came from users of Manage My Pain, an app designed by Toronto-based ManagingLife to help patients and clinics measure, monitor, and manage chronic pain. In total, data from 782 users who collectively recorded more than 329,000 data points.

In the study, researchers used data mining techniques to define pain volatility, a measure used to describe how the severity of pain changes over time. Machine learning techniques were then used to predict users’ pain volatility levels 6 months in the future, based on the information entered into the app in the first month, according to a media release from the company.

Researchers report that its model can predict whether users experience low or high levels of pain volatility 6 months in the future, with approximately 70% accuracy.

They believe this innovative, data-driven approach to analysis could help shape future treatments of pain, the release continues.

“With the significant increase in data available and by applying machine learning methods, we can better understand how pain experiences change and better understand how that might evolve in the future,” says Professor Joel Katz, Canada Research Chair in Health Psychology at York U and one of the lead authors of the study, in the release.

“This study may help to identify risk factors for heightened volatility and, therefore, to potentially prevent the development of high pain volatility through effective interventions,” he adds.

[Source(s): ManagingLife, PR Newswire]

Bright.md announces the addition of a module to its SmartExam telehealth solution designed to help patients receive comprehensive treatment for low back pain.

“Low back pain is one of the most common reasons that people seek care—and miss work,” says Dr Eric Norris, medical director of Express Care Clinics at Providence St. Joseph Health in Portland, Oregon. “This new SmartExam module is simple, on point, and will allow patients to get safe, evidence-based treatment from a provider they trust without making what can be a painful trip to a medical office.”

SmartExam acts as a virtual medical resident, by thoroughly and adaptively collecting information from the patient about their symptoms and medical history and integrating it with relevant information pulled directly from the electronic health record (EHR). It then provides a provisional diagnosis, treatment plan, and chart-ready SOAP note for the physician to review.

Clinicians only need a few clicks and a few minutes of time to deliver care. Unlike video visits, SmartExam allows patients to seek care—and providers to deliver it—from anywhere, using their smartphone or computer, 24 hours a day. No high-speed Internet connection required, explains a media release from Bright.md.

The release of the low back pain module was made possible with the addition of order and referral management (ORM) capabilities within SmartExam. Patients with low back pain can log on to SmartExam using their smartphone, computer, or tablet, answer a few questions about their pain and symptoms, and then receive a treatment plan from their provider. Importantly, treatment can include a referral to a physical therapist or another practitioner who can help the patient along to recovery, the release continues.

“With referrals, healthcare providers are able to safely and effectively diagnose and treat patients, while also helping them along their care journey within the system,” states Dr Ray Costantini, CEO and cofounder of Bright.md, in the release. “The seamless care experience leads to better patient outcomes for lower back pain and other health issues, and helps systems attract and retain patients.”

[Source(s): Bright.md, PR Newswire]

Teeter debuts a new version of its Neck Restore, the Neck Relax & Restore Duo, that features interchangeable inserts depending on the desired type of support.

The Flexible Arch Insert is designed to stretch the neck and help restore its natural curve. The Textured Rubber Insert offers a deep-tissue suboccipital release, helping to relieve muscle tension and ease tension headaches, the Puyallup, Wash-based company notes in a media release.

“I have personally suffered from tension headaches for a very long time, and the Neck Restore & Relax Duo is my go-to tool for relief,” says CEO Rylie Teeter, in the release. “I prefer to affix it to my Teeter Inversion Table for added decompression, but it works just as well lying on the floor– I highly recommend it for anyone prone to neck pain and stiffness, or headaches like me.”

The Neck Relax & Restore Duo can be used statically or rotated to create side-to-side movement, targeting trouble areas and enhancing cervical decompression. It also can be utilized as a stand-alone piece on a flat surface or easily attached to any Teeter Inversion Table, according to the company.

[Source(s): Teeter, PR Newswire]

Oska Wellness, Carlsbad, Calif, introduces the next generation of its Oska Pulse wearable and portable device designed to use Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) technology to help provide drug-free pain relief.

According to the company, key advancements to the device are the ability to provide sessions that last three times longer, up to 90 minutes; and a 50% longer battery life for a 15-hour total run time.

“Chronic pain disrupts the lives of over 100 million Americans daily and is the leading cause of long-term disability in the US, affecting more people than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined,” says Greg Houlgate, co-founder of Oska Wellness, in a media release.

“It’s very clear that the United States is fighting a battle with pain,” he adds. “Oska Pulse addresses this issue at the source and brings affordable, drug-free pain relief to those who need it most.”

The updated device will officially debut at Pepcom’s Digital Experience! in Las Vegas.

[Source(s): Oska Wellness, PR Newswire]

The Hummingbird device, from North Carolina-based Vital Motion, has received the 2018 Innovative Product of the Year Award from Frost & Sullivan for fibromyalgia therapy.

The device works by applying a gentle micro-mechanical vibration which is placed under the plantar (or front part) of the feet. This vibration in turn activates the calf muscles, increasing blood flow throughout the body and significantly relieving the pain and “symptoms associated with diseases such as fibromyalgia, orthostatic hypotension (posture-related dizziness), and poor circulation.

An accompanying Hummingbird App can be installed on any smartphone or tablet to allow the patient to control the stimulation time and vibration levels throughout the treatment period, according to Frost & Sullivan, in a media release.

“Many medical device therapies available in the market are designed to address various chronic pain indications, most are alternatives to suppressing the intake of opioids or other pain medicines. In contrast, the Hummingbird is a specialized therapy that has been scientifically evaluated and clinically demonstrated to address the critical physiological disabilities strongly correlated with fibromyalgia,” explains Bradley Saveth, co-founder at Vital Motion.

“The Hummingbird is an industry innovation because it stimulates the foot’s plantar nerve endings by delivering varying intensities of vibrational energy, thereby increasing the function of the calf muscle pump. This unique type of therapy is gradually being accepted by the community of pain physicians as an emerging standard of care for treating fibromyalgia symptoms,” states Arjunvasan A, healthcare analyst at Frost & Sullivan, in the release.

[Source(s): Frost & Sullivan, PR Newswire]

Manage My Pain, an app designed to help users measure, monitor, and manage chronic pain, has been redesigned and officially launches on the Apple App Store.

It was previously only available as an app for Android devices, with all other devices needing to access a web app using a browser.

“We are fortunate to have fantastic users that share ideas on how Manage My Pain can be even better,” says Tahir Janmohamed, chief executive officer of Toronto, Canada-based ManagingLife, the company that created Manage My Pain, in a media release.

“This re-designed version incorporates that feedback through new features like a personalized onboarding walkthrough and graphical representations of pain elements.”

Manage My Pain, developed in conjunction with pain researchers and clinicians, was created for people with chronic pain who want to better understand their conditions and to better communicate with their doctors. Once a day, it prompts people to reflect on their day’s meaningful activities before asking them to describe their current pain experience.

Over time, the app highlights patterns and trends through graphs and charts. People can also generate reports from the app to take to their doctor visits as a communication tool, according to the release.

Manage My Pain is available through the Apple App Store, Google Play, Amazon, and via the web.  The redesigned version will be made available for Android devices soon, the release adds.

[Source(s): ManagingLife, PR Newswire]

Venus Concept Ltd debuts Venus Heal, now cleared in the US for the treatment of minor muscle aches and pain, relief of muscle spasm, and improvement of local blood circulation.

One Call announces the debut of Pain Pathway, a unique injury-focused approach to pain management designed to help lead to better patient outcomes.

Pain Pathway is the third offering within Jacksonville, Fla-based One Call’s CarePaths platform, which was established to holistically view a patient and coordinate individualized care based on the injury with qualified independent providers.

According to One Call in a media release, Pain Pathway is designed to interrupt the pain cycle by incorporating a functional restoration program (FRP), performed by a qualified inpatient Center of Excellence, into the patient treatment plan.

FRPs are inter-disciplinary programs that assist injured workers in the reduction and self-management of chronic pain, explains One Call, a provider of specialized healthcare solutions for the workers’ compensation industry.

Customized for each individual and overseen by a physician, FRPs often include gradually detoxing an injured worker from opioid consumption and improving overall well-being.

“Chronic pain is a battle many injured workers face,” says Will Smith, chief product officer at One Call.

“We want those who feel helpless to know they have options. Our Pain Pathway solution is a multi-pronged approach that includes coordinating various types of therapies, technology, education, and counseling in conjunction with narcotic reduction. Our ultimate goal is always the same – coordinate the care necessary to restore an injured worker’s quality of life and get them back to work.”

One Call refers patients for FRPs to one of three independent inpatient Centers for Excellence within the US – located in Dallas, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Jacksonville, Fla. Patients can expect to complete the program within 4 to 6 weeks, with 6 to 8 hours of daily participation, depending on diagnosis.

CarePaths also includes two other offerings – Wound Pathway and Amputation Pathway – that provide individualized, injury-specific care for injured workers, per the release.

[Source(s): One Call, PR Newswire]

Myoscience Inc announces the commercial launch of the iovera° Smart Tip 309, a significant addition to the iovera° system, according to the company.

The iovera° system treats the genicular (knee) nerves through a process called cryoneurolysis and provides immediate pain relief that can last up to 90 days in patients recovering from total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery, and those suffering from chronic knee pain. The Smart Tip 309 is designed to safely and effectively treat the superficial genicular nerves in a broader patient population, including those with a high body mass index (BMI).

The iovera° system’s family of Smart Tips delivers precise, controlled doses of cold to freeze peripheral nerves, producing an immediate and long-lasting nerve block.  The iovera° Smart Tip 309 includes longer needles, which produce larger cold zones, and allows for the treatment of superficial nerves in a broader patient population, the company notes, in a media release.

“Building upon our success to date, the Smart Tip 309 will allow us to offer long-lasting, drug-free pain relief to a broader group of patients suffering from perioperative or chronic knee pain,” says Timothy I. Still, president and CEO of Myoscience.

[Source(s): Myoscience Inc, Business Wire]

Making Sense of Pain, Stories and Analogies that Help Define Pain, new from OPTP, is an informative resource offered to help explain the causes of pain, the reasons people feel pain, and what motivates them to get better.

Written by physical therapists Jim Heafner and Jarod Hall, the book is for clinicians who want to learn to explain injuries and symptoms to their patients in simple language that’s easy to understand. It’s also a resource for people experiencing pain, to help them better understand pain, what causes it, and things they can do to help mitigate it. Featuring colorful stories and illustrations, the book could be a useful tool for clinicians and for any patient who is on a journey toward healing, according to the Minneapolis-based company.

For more information and to order a copy of the book, visit OPTP.

[Source: OPTP]

In his new book, Costochondritis: A Forgotten Condition, Peter Askes, PT, cert. MDT, CST, and founder of the American Rib Pain Institute, offers answers to the three questions most often asked by patients that suffer from anterior rib pain: What is it? What causes it? How do I get rid of it?

Costochondritis is elusive, and many questions about the disorder remain unanswered and unaddressed by the medical community, he suggests. Many costochondritis patients in his clinic are initially referred with another diagnosis, such as chest pain or neck and upper/middle back pain, he writes, suggesting that the majority of costochondritis patients are female (80%) and most of them do not receive the correct diagnosis or treatment, according to a media release from American Rib Pain Institute.

In the book, Askes introduces a new physical therapy treatment for costochondritis called the Breathing Assisted Recoil Technique (BART), which he describes as a collaborative technique between therapist and patient that uses the elastic properties of the lungs to mobilize the rib joints involved.

Askes has been a physical therapist for 35 years and became interested in costochondritis in 2011 when he encountered several patients with recurring and persistent neck pain for whom regular physical therapy treatment only resulted in temporary relief.

While searching for a more permanent cure he discovered important clinical connections between cervical and upper back pain and costochondritis. And so his search began to find answers to unanswered questions about costochondritis, the release explains.

[Source(s): American Rib Pain Institute, PR Newswire]