Novel pain treatment device receives Health Canada approval

The device offers a new way to provide patients with widespread, non-invasive pain relief

Novel pain treatment device receives Health Canada approval
AVACEN Medical, a US-based company focused on developing non-invasive alternative pain treatments, has announced that its CE-marked AVACEN 100, Class-II medical device has received Health Canada Medical Device License approval.

The device eases pain through the AVACEN Treatment Method, wherein heat is safely and noninvasively introduced into the circulatory system. The treatment induces muscle relaxation while increasing microcirculation throughout the body.

While other devices offer only local pain relief, the AVACEN 100 provides systemic and widespread pain relief. According to CEO Thomas Muehlbauer, it is “the only OTC medical device on the market today able to provide non-invasive, rapid whole body treatment, using a single point of contact.”

He added that the Canadian market has shown high demand and acceptance for innovative new alternatives to pharmaceuticals for treating pain. Following its European Union approvals, the company intends to apply to Health Canada for approval as a treatment for fibromyalgia.

Characterized by chronic widespread pain, fibromyalgia is a disorder affecting 200 to 400 million people worldwide, according to the National Fibromyalgia Association in the US. A recent study published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders found that the direct costs of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) in Canada amount to $3,804 per patient annually.

The study also reported indirect costs; FMS patients with paid jobs lost an average of 5.6 days to pain during the past 3 months, while those unemployed lost an average of 25.1 days in household productivity. Aside from prescribed medications, 66.67% of participants in the study bought over-the-counter medication, and 52.63% got natural health products.

In a 22-person study of FMS management using the AVACEN treatment, 100% positive results were recorded for the full therapeutic treatment group; a reduction of over 40% in the widespread pain index was observed, as well as a reduction in average tender point counts from 15 to 9.

The company said that the AVACEN 100 may also help with joint pain from conditions such as CRPS, Reynaud's, and Lyme disease. It has also been found to relax muscles, effectively treating negative health symptoms such as pain related to pinched nerves, stress, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety.


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