While some prescription medications are effective and helpful in pain management, there are a number of reasons you may wish to avoid turning to drugs to get relief. Medications can come with unpleasant side effects, be costly or interact with medicine you may need to take for other conditions. Luckily, there are a lot of great ways you can manage your pain without taking medications. When trying NON-DRUG therapies, be open to ideas that you may not fully understand and go in with an open mind. If a certain a treatment is helping you feel better, the “how it works” becomes far less important than the fact that it does work. Here are four Adrug-free pain management treatments you might not have tried, or maybe you tried it years ago at your healthcare provider’s office. Acupuncture Acupuncture, one of the oldest healing practices in the world, is becoming so commonplace that many insurance carriers now cover treatments and an estimated 3.1 million Americans have had acupuncture treatments—70% of them seeking help with pain, according to the National Center of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine. Here’s a quick overview of how acupuncture works: It is based on idea that energy, or qi, travels our bodies on paths called meridians and that illness (or pain) occurs when that flow is disrupted. The idea is to find the cause, in addition to treating the symptoms. “Acupuncture and herbs are an intriguing alternative to pharmaceuticals. They certainly have been proven to treat pain in numerous scientific, double-blind studies. More importantly, however, is the face that traditional medical systems, like Chinese Medicine, try to address...
Advanced Accuracy & Technology Help Ensure Consistent Readings LAKE FOREST, Ill. (Oct. 7, 2014) – Omron Healthcare, Inc., the number one doctor and pharmacist recommended brand of home blood pressure monitors, is announcing a new line of monitors that provide even more accurate results. The new line captures five times more data points for a more precise reading. With more data points captured, interferences such as breathing and movement have less of an impact. Premium units include the easy wrap ComFit cuff which inflates around the entire arm to avoid incorrect positioning, and Omron’s proprietary algorithm allows for more consistency and precision. “Studies have proven that monitoring blood pressure not only in the doctor’s office, but also at home, is vital to reducing the risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure or kidney failure,” said Sarah Meltzer, Blood Pressure Product Manager. “With more accurate readings, people can confidently take their blood pressure at home, which is an easy step to improving health conditions.” The newest offerings from Omron make it easier for people to stay on top of their blood pressure between visits to their doctor. 10 Series Wireless Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor (BP786) $99.99 10 Series Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor (BP785N) $99.99 7 Series Wireless Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor (BP761) $89.99 7 Series Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor (BP760N) $89.99 5 Series Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor (BP742N) $69.99 3 Series Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor (BP710N) $49.99 About Omron Healthcare, Inc. Omron Healthcare, Inc. is a leading manufacturer and distributor of personal wellness products. Omron’s market-leading products include home blood pressure monitors, fitness solutions,...
How to Use Moist Heat for Pain Relief Applying moist heat, like a microwaveable heating pad, is an easy, affordable, and safe way to obtain pain relief. Heat should be used with caution. A hot pack should be applied with additional toweling so that comfortable warmth is achieved without the potential for burns. Heat can be applied any amount of time, but increased length of application can increase the risk for burns, especially when the heat source is constant, such as with a plug in heater. Heat can also increase swelling in an injured area. How Moist Heat Works to Reduce Pain Moist heat has been shown to increase local metabolism and blood flow. This can assist with increasing circulation to an area, in general allowing for increased nutrient flow to the area while helping to flush out pain substances. Both of these processes can help to relieve pain. Moist Heat Works Well with TENS Therapy Moist heat can also aid in muscle relaxation by decreasing tissue tension and spasm while increasing tissue extensibility, which often assists in pain relief. Heat can be used in conjunction with a TENS unit. While TENS can be used for symptomatic pain relief, moist heat can add additional therapeutic benefits. The electrical impulses from the TENS unit excite the sensory nerves. This can provide varying degrees of pain relief by activating the body’s natural pain relieving system and/or the nervous system’s ability to use the electrical impulses to interfere with the pain messages being sent to the brain. Moist Heat is Not Recommended for Everyone People with certain conditions should also be very...
Here’s some expert advice. There are many arthritic diseases, which cause non-inflammatory or inflammatory joint pain. Osteoarthritis causes degeneration of one or more joints, while rheumatoid arthritis can be experienced in many regions of the body. Either variety is a common cause of joint and muscular pain, stiffness and limitation of mobility that can interfere with the normal basic activities of daily living (ADLs). Many people with arthritis tend to take medication which can cause dependency and side-effects. If you are concerned about taking too much medicine, you should consider TENS therapy. TENS, or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation therapy, can help to control arthritis pain without the use of additional drugs as well as reduce the amount of medication and related side-effects. Advice on how to use TENS for arthritis If your arthritic pain is confined to a single region, a TENS unit may help reduce your pain. Just place the electrode pads above and below or parallel to the involved joint. If your arthritic pain is in multiple areas, such as from rheumatoid arthritis, I recommend pad placements in this order. First apply the pads to the most painful region, followed by other areas as needed. If you have arthritic pain at the hip or knee, it is also possible that TENS applied to the low back can decrease pain. This occurs because the nerve supply to those joints originates from the lumbar spine. If you are active and have arthritis in the knee, you can improve mobility during and immediately after a TENS therapy session. The American College of Rheumatology recommends patient instruction in the use of...
New Technology Makes Counting Steps Easier and More Accurate This Spring LAKE FOREST, Ill. March 4, 2014 – Today Omron Healthcare, Inc., a leader in personal wellness products, launched the Alvita Ultimate Pedometer, which replaces its popular HJ-112 model. The new pedometer uses Tri-Axis technology to count steps accurately almost anywhere the device is positioned, including the hip, pocket or a purse. It has four activity modes for both regular and aerobic activities, and stores up to seven days of information on the display. Research shows using a pedometer can increase physical activity1 and be a great motivational tool to help people reach 10,000 steps a day. Smaller than previous models but with a large easy-to-read screen, the Alvita Ultimate Pedometer is the perfect companion to help users achieve their physical activity goals. “Exercise enthusiasts have counted on our Dual-Axis HJ-112 model for 10 years, so we knew we had to make the Alvita the best new pedometer on the market,” said Jill Person, Product Marketing Manager, Fitness, Omron Healthcare, Inc. “Our goal is to make counting steps easy and enjoyable, which is why the Tri-Axis technology is so fantastic – it keeps track of your movements no matter where it is on your body.” The Alvita Ultimate Pedometer is equipped with several features that make it easier than ever to know how many steps you have taken and how many calories you have burned, including: Accuracy: Tri-Axis technology allows users to place the pedometer wherever it’s most comfortable. Steps will be measured accurately whether positioned at the hip, in a pocket or purse. Auto Stride: This new feature...
When it comes to exercise, baby boomers can feel damned if they do, damned if they don’t. Yes, we’re supposed to stay active, but as the body wears out, it’s all too easy to go overboard. Medical professionals have even coined the term boomeritis to describe the aches and pains afflicting those who are 55 going on 25—that is, who overestimate what they can accomplish on the dance floor, open road, or basketball court. In 2009, the National Institutes of Health issued a comprehensive online handout on sports injuries. Though it covers all age groups, some of the advice is critical to boomers. For example, after a hard workout and more-than-usual pain, you may want to know whether to head for the doctor—or, as usual, just your medicine cabinet or TENS machine. The problem, for those of us who love to exercise, is—well, we love to exercise, doing that particular sport, type of training, or dance. We have a hard time cutting back or cutting out. I hated to quit my flamenco dance classes, but I came to think they’d caused or aggravated my hip bursitis and low back pain. (Also, I was discouraged by the teacher’s comment that it takes 25 years to learn flamenco—so I’d be 80 by the time I was ready for the spotlight.) Now I take dance that’s slightly easier on my hips. Another way to lessen discomfort is cross-training. But even activities that are supposed to prevent injury, like yoga and Pilates, can produce pain when they’re overdone or done incorrectly. (Check out the New York Times’s incendiary 2012 “How Yoga Can Wreck...
GLOBAL LEADER IN TENS PAIN MANAGEMENT INTRODUCES NEW PAIN RELIEF PRO™ Omron’s Electrotherapy Empowers the User with More Pain Relieving Choices LAKE FOREST, Ill. (JANUARY 28, 2014) – Omron Healthcare, Inc., a global leader in TENS pain relief for more than 20 years, announced today its new Pain Relief ProTM electroTHERAPY unit (PM3031). Users can find relief from stiff, achy and sore muscle and joint pain in about 15 minutes*. Its versatility delivers more settings and more power for more relief with 10 power levels and eight pre-set modes. Electrotherapy TENS units are a prescription-free pain relief option recommended by professionals and favored by a growing number of acute and chronic pain sufferers. TENS, which stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, uses gentle pulses to stimulate nearby nerves and is thought to scramble pain messages to the brain, stimulate the production of endorphins (the body’s natural pain reliever) and improve blood circulation. This drug-free pain relief tool, which can be purchased over the counter, is safe and effective to help users manage pain. The new Pain Relief Pro is being introduced during the height of cold winter weather for many parts of the United States, when people are feeling pain from activities like shoveling snow, carrying wood for fires or simply resolving to get back into the gym. Muscle and joint pains are frequent problems for many people throughout the year, but during colder months, pain prone areas become more inflamed due to temperature, wind, humidity, precipitation and barometric pressure changes. “We developed the new Pain Relief Pro with our customers in mind. They wanted more options for every...
Omron Healthcare Named APTA Strategic Business Partner Omron Healthcare Inc, a manufacturer of personal wellness products, has been named a Strategic Business Partner of APTA. Omron is most widely known for its transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy devices. In an APTA press release, APTA President Paul A. Rockar Jr, PT, DPT, MS, stated, “We are pleased to welcome Omron Healthcare to APTA’s Strategic Business Partners family.” Ranndy Kellogg, chief operating officer at Omron Healthcare Inc, said, “The American Physical Therapy Association is a leading professional organization working to improve quality of life for all people, and we are thrilled to work with them.” He added that “It’s a natural partnership for us as we share the same passion to help Americans who are in pain.” The APTA Strategic Business Partner program seeks to enhance business relationships and develop meaningful partnerships with for-profit companies by offering services and marketing opportunities that provide mutual benefits to partners and APTA. For further information on the APTA Strategic Business Partner program, visit the Strategic Business Partners webpage. ### About Omron Healthcare, Inc. Omron Healthcare, Inc., is a leading manufacturer and distributor of personal wellness products. Omron’s market-leading products include home blood pressure monitors, fitness solutions, such as pedometers and heart rate monitors, and electrotherapy devices. In our connected and digital world, consumers want to accurately monitor and track certain aspects of their day-to-day health on- and offline. Omron products provide accurate health information that support positive lifestyle changes and can be shared with friends, family and health professionals. For more information, visit www.omronhealthcare.com. Media Contact: Johnna Purcell Omron Healthcare 847-247-5637...
Do you suffer from muscle pain? It’s possible that your muscle pain came from an injury, strain or overuse. Today, many Americans turn to FDA cleared TENS devices (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) to relieve muscle pain in the lower back, hips and arms. The use of TENS at home may be part of the overall treatment program developed by a physical therapist like myself, a physician or chiropractor. These professionals understand the musculoskeletal system and know how to most effectively place the electrode pads onto your skin for optimal pain relief. You can also buy a TENS unit over the counter (OTC) from your local drugstore to use at home. Yet, without the advice and training of a healthcare provider, you may not feel comfortable about where to place the electrode pads. I would like to allay some of your fears with a little professional advice about electrode pad placement. In order to obtain the best degree of pain relief with TENS, I recommend the following TENS pad placement guidelines: 1. Take note of exactly where your pain is located. Outline the most concise and tender area of the pain. 2. Always use two pads (one channel) or four pads (two channels) at the same time depending upon the type of TENS unit that you have as it will not work with just one pad. 3. You can alter the flow of the electrical sensation if you change the distance between the electrode pads and/or the direction of the pads. 4. The pads can be placed in one of three directions 1. vertical 2. horizontal 3. angulated. 5. The...
SCHAUMBURG, IL (November 26, 2013)—OMRON Foundation, Inc. made a donation to the Midwest Food Bank in the amount of $25,000 to assist the residents of central Illinois and Indiana affected by the devastating tornados. “We wish to express our deepest sympathies to those who have lost loved ones and offer our help to those who have been profoundly affected by the storms.” expressed Nigel Blakeway, Omron Foundation President and CEO of Omron Management Center of America, Inc. As relief efforts shift to long-term assistance, Omron Foundation wishes to assist the thousands of people whose homes were destroyed and are in need of help this winter season. In addition to this donation, U.S. Omron employees are encouraged to support local relief efforts by making individual donations, which are matched by Omron Foundation within program guidelines. About OMRON Foundation, Inc. Founded in 1989, OMRON Foundation, Inc. (OFI) coordinates the charitable efforts of all OMRON offices in the US and Canada to achieve the greatest positive social impact. The Foundation is funded by OMRON’s subsidiaries in North America, which contribute a portion of sales revenue to the Foundation. The Foundation divides its charitable resources among organizations benefiting education, people with disabilities, cultural programs, health, and other social concerns including disaster relief. For further information, contact: Kevin Bulatek, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, at Omron Foundation, Inc., 55 Commerce Drive, Schaumburg, IL 60173 U.S.A. Tel.: 1-224-520-7650 Fax: 1-224-520-7680. About OMRON Headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, OMRON Corporation is a global leader in electronics manufacturing. Established in 1933 and headed by President & CEO Yoshihito Yamada, OMRON has nearly 36,000 employees around the world working to provide products and services to customers in a variety...
