Last Sunday evening (19/08/2012, about 7:30-7:45 on Prime), I saw an infomercial for “The decompression belt of Dr. Ho.” This advertisement piqued my interest because I’d just read an article on the respectable website Science-Based Medicine a few days prior that detailed “Decompression therapy” is a term used by chiropractors to describe a procedure that is frequently advised for dubious reasons.
As far as I can tell, the only claims made for this product (that it can relieve back pain) don’t seem illegitimate, and while I’ve found numerous references to the product being “clinically tested” and “scientifically proven” without any supporting evidence, I’m not sure if such claims have been made in official promotions. However, throughout my investigation, I learned that “Dr. Ho is not a medical doctor, as he stated in the infomercial where he authoritatively sold the product. Rather, he is a “Chiropractor and Acupuncture Doctor.”
According to the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act of 2003, “A person may only use names, words, titles, initials, abbreviations, or descriptions stating or implying that the person is a health practitioner of a particular kind if the person is registered as a health practitioner of that kind and is qualified to be registered.” The usage of the term “Practitioner” in this advertising gave me the sense that “Dr. Ho” was a licensed medical doctor, and so possessed the authority with which he promoted his goods.
My conclusion is that this use of the term is inappropriate “This paper from the New Zealand Medical Journal confirms that the title “doctor” might be deceptive and hence breach the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 when used in this context by non-medical doctors.
I’d be grateful if someone with authority on the subject could explain what is and isn’t allowed when it comes to referring to oneself as “In advertising, the term “doctor” is used in a medical context. Is this behavior regarded a violation of advertising guidelines, or is it acceptable? Is there a list of qualifications that allow one to call themselves a professional if it is deemed acceptable? “Doctor,” or would there be no requirement for qualifications?
Is Dr Ho the same as tens?
Chiropractors and Physiotherapists employ the DR-HO’S Pain Therapy System, which is a professional TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) equipment.
How often can you use Dr Ho?
Use no more than three times each day. To determine the genuine reduction in pain, score your pain before and after each therapy session on a scale of 1 to 10 (low to high).
Is Dr Ho good for arthritis?
It’s been an exhausting day. You’re lying on the couch, watching TV, when you turn to get up and yeow! a piercing agony pierces your lower back. So, what exactly do you do? Fortunately for you, an infomercial for a new product that might just assist airs on television.
You’ve seen him, Dr. Ho, flanked by a slew of bikini-clad ladies hawking a pain-relieving electrical gizmo. Dr. Ho’s Muscle Massage Therapy, a battery-operated hand-held gadget weighing 100 grams, promises to offer electrical stimulation through two gel pads to relieve painful muscles in about 20 minutes.
Consider that electrical devices have long been utilized in rehabilitation therapy. Before you roll your eyes, remembering your guiltily acquired Tony Robbins empowerment recordings buried in your attic.
Most people are familiar with ultrasonography, which stimulates blood circulation and cellular activity by transmitting sound waves into the muscle. TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) devices are also utilized, primarily for pain relief: electrodes inserted on the skin produce low-frequency electrical impulses that disrupt the neural circuits that transmit pain sensations. Other machines, which release a larger impulse than TENS units and cause the muscle to contract effectively giving it an electrical exercise are sometimes used to enhance muscle strength.
Dr. Michael Ho, a chiropractor by training, is tight-lipped about how his gadget works, explaining only that it sends out electrical signals in a random sequence to induce muscle relaxation and pain reduction, similar to a massage. It’s a bit of a misnomer to call it a massage because it feels more like a short jolt of electrical current, which is painless if the setting is low enough. When the gadget is used on a muscle, it will contract or appear to leap involuntarily.
He explains, “It provides 12 various types of electrical stimulation, with varying frequencies, wave frequencies, intensity, sequencing…” “To reset the tone of the nerve that causes muscle tension, you use it to stimulate the nerve and simulate a massage. A TENS machine reduces pain by relaxing the muscles and nerves, which improves blood flow.”
The wearer can control the strength of the stimulation as well as the sort of massage. Three different programs use different “massage” techniques, including kneading, rubbing, and tapping sensations. Along with your $135, you’ll get the muscle massage therapy gadget and a DVD that not only explains how to use the gel pads, but also shows Dr. Ho practicing a pain-relieving exercise plan.
While the hyperactive man on TV may appear to be more of a salesperson than a competent researcher at first look, it was his experience in the field of rehabilitation that led to the development of the device. He founded the Toronto Pain and Headache Clinic after graduating from Toronto’s Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in 1987. He created a prototype for use at the clinic while he was there.
Dr. Ho’s contention that his product is a valuable new tool in rehabilitation therapy appears to be supported by preliminary findings. Prof. Stuart McGill, who teaches spin biomechanics at the University of Waterloo, conducted an independent investigation that confirmed that using the gadget causes a physiological reaction in users.
Prof. McGill admits to being skeptical about pain-relieving technologies since they frequently rely on soft scientific analysis. Sensory perception can’t be assessed objectively, so while your migraine may feel like someone is trying to drill a hole in your brain, you can’t prove it.
The electrical profile of a muscle, on the other hand, can be measured. Pain signals are delivered as electrical impulses through the nerves, thus if a muscular spasm develops, the electrical activity in that muscle increases.
Prof. McGill employed an electromyography technique to analyze the electrical profile of muscles before and after a 20-minute session with the gadget. Prof. McGill discovered that using the gadget reduced muscle spasms “in most individuals, on average” in 41 adults with neck and shoulder pain. When the spasms were initially more severe, the effect was more pronounced.
He also had patients estimate their own perceived degree of pain before and after therapy, finding that discomfort fell by 50% on average.
Despite his findings, Prof. McGill is hesitant to recommend the product: “Certainly, it isn’t the most conclusive study, but it is the first step.”
He’s currently working on a study to see if the device can boost muscle oxygenation. According to preliminary research, Dr. Ho’s gadget may alleviate pain by improving oxygenation, presumably as a result of improved blood flow, which could drain away pain-causing lactic acid buildups.
Dr. Ho’s multitherapy method adds to the complexity of determining the device’s utility. The gadget is meant to be used in combination with his workout routine. As a result, it’s difficult to tell whether the workouts or the massage device are the most beneficial.
It’s also difficult to establish whether Dr. Ho’s technology has any advantages over other medicines without long-term comparative research. According to a recent study, regular physical therapy may heal 90% of acute back pain sufferers in just one month. Dr. Ho claims that his device is effective in a comparable time frame when used in conjunction with an exercise program. As a result, neither Dr. Ho’s nor standard therapy appear to have an edge in terms of lowering recovery times. The only difference is that Dr. Ho’s technology does not necessitate the involvement of a medical professional.
While some patients may favor Dr. Ho’s approach because of the home-care part, other medical professionals are concerned about the self-diagnosis and self-monitoring.
Prof. Ethne Nussbaum, an assistant professor in the department of physical therapy at the University of Toronto’s college of medicine who specializes in electrotherapy, says, “There’s no doubt that these types of devices operate to stimulate the muscles.” “However, it could be risky if the patient is unaware of an underlying disease, or there may be other ways to relieve the pain.”
Prof. Nussbaum believes that once therapists have completed a personalized assessment and begun treatment, electrical therapy is more effective. She claims that electrical pain management gadgets are frequently used just after the physical condition has been treated but the suffering persists.
Dr. Ho’s main roadblock to earning trust in the medical world is that his “eye candy” infomercials irritate doctors.
Prof. Judith Hunter, a physical therapist and researcher at the University of Toronto’s college of medicine’s department of physical therapy, says, “I’m more interested in evidence-based research on its usage as an intervention.” She is apprehensive that the public will be lured by the television commercials and will not investigate the product further.
“It’s nothing more than a muscle-stimulator. It’s not the only one out there; it’s just the one that’s now being promoted.”
Prof. McGill, who conducted the sole independent scientific tests, appears to be turned off by the marketing technique.
Prof. McGill admits that his study only looked at neck and shoulder pain, with some back pain thrown in for good measure. Dr. Ho, on the other hand, claims that his device works on all forms of pain and provides rapid relief for all types of maladies, including arthritis, migraines, and menstrual pain, in his promotional campaign. The device’s efficacy for these conditions has yet to be determined.
Dr. Ho claims that he was compelled to utilize television commercials to describe how the equipment works because print cannot show muscles contracting. He claims that word of mouth is too slow to spread the message that his equipment works. Dr. Ho reasoned that since pain relief is a major business (an estimated 17% of Canadians suffer from chronic pain, and 60% to 80% of people have lower-back pain at some point in their lives), he needed to take advantage of the medium to make his firm profitable.
He has sold over 250,000 units since being on the market four years ago, with only two complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau, one of which was handled.
Prof. Hunter is concerned that one clinical trial does not provide a large enough body of evidence to draw any judgments about a therapy’s effectiveness, despite not having read Prof. McGill’s report. She’s not impressed by the stacks of patient testimonials applauding Dr. Ho for his life-changing invention, which include testimonies from players like Gary Sheffield, an outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Olympic hurdler Tony Dees.
Prof. Hunter says, “It’s not surprising that it works for some people; you can always obtain testimonials for items like these.” “Given that may have some positive effect, I suppose it’s not a horrible thing,” she admits, despite her skepticism.
However, Prof. Hunter points out that in a clinical trial, a certain percentage of persons who get a placebo, or dummy medication, will claim that their illness has improved.
She speculates, “It could be physiological.” “No one can deny the placebo effect in pain management, but I’m not convinced until we understand why some placebo effects occur.”
Can you reuse Dr pads?
Chiropractors and Physiotherapists employ Dr. Ho’s Pain Therapy system, which is a professional TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) equipment. The Pain Therapy System has been clinically proven to alleviate pain, muscular tension and spasm, promote tissue oxygenation, and improve circulation.
TENS technology, Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS), and Auto-Modulating pain-relieving waves are all included in the Pain Therapy System. To keep the body from adapting, it’s engineered to vary the stimulation at random intervals. There are 12 various wave types to choose from, all of which are designed to mimic calming and relaxing treatments. Dr. Ho’s Pain Therapy System differs from standard TENS machines in that it has been shown to offer pain relief in as little as 20 minutes of use.
Overuse, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalances are all common causes of skeletal muscle spasms. A spasm is a painful, sudden occurrence that typically necessitates immediate alleviation. Electromyography (EMG), a diagnostic process that attaches electrodes to the skin and records the electrical activity of muscle tissue, was used in clinical research at the University of Waterloo to examine the Pain Therapy System’s efficiency in reducing muscle spasms. Dr. Ho’s Pain Therapy System was found to considerably lessen muscle spasms during this surgery.
To sustain the normal functioning of the organs, brain, and heart, the body must maintain a constant level of oxygen saturation. Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) is a medical and physiological diagnostic technique that may measure blood flow and oxygen consumption rates in the body. Individuals who used Dr. Ho’s Pain Therapy System had a considerable increase in tissue oxygenation, according to this non-invasive method.
The ability of the Pain Therapy System to boost tissue oxygenation also results in an increase in circulation, according to the muscle oxygenation signals collected while patients utilized the Pain Therapy System. The Pain Therapy System encourages blood to circulate, transporting nutrients, oxygen, blood cells, and other sustenance that aids in the battle against disease and the maintenance of a healthy body.
Dr. Ho’s Pain Therapy System 4 Pads has two electrode outlets, allowing for simultaneous treatment of two body locations or two people! The Pain Therapy System by Dr. Ho has three distinct therapy modes. The frequency of each mode changes constantly, preventing the body from becoming accustomed to the sensation and maximizing stimulation penetration and pain alleviation. Water activates the pads, making them reusable.
For pain, muscle tension, fibromyalgia, poor circulation, arthritis, injuries, and accidents, this Pain Therapy System is advised.
How do you clean HiDow pads?
The HiDow TENS/EMS units contain a rechargeable internal battery that can be charged using a conventional wall socket or a computer’s USB port.
Before the first use, the battery may need to be charged for up to 8 hours.
A fully charged battery can provide up to 15 hours of use.
- Connect the USB cable’s small end to the unit and the bigger end to the AC adapter.
(When power is flowing from the outlet to the unit, the battery life indicator will flicker.)
- When the battery life indication is firm and no longer blinking, the unit is fully charged.
- Connect the small end of the USB cable to the unit and the larger end to a computer’s USB port.
- When the battery life indication is firm and no longer blinking, the unit is fully charged.
- Make sure your skin is clean of debris, oils, and lotions before using. (TIP: To clean the treatment area, use HiDow alcohol wipes.)
- Apply a few drops of water to your fingertips and rub them on the electrode pads after each use.
- This will help the pads last longer and keep their adhesiveness.
How long does it take to charge Dr Ho?
Dr. Ho’s Pain Therapy System Pro is rechargeable and takes about 1.5 hours to fully charge. It’s compact and lightweight, and it may be used anywhere, at any time.
What is difference between TENS and EMS?
Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) devices are designed to stimulate the muscles for the goal of strengthening and rehabilitating them, whereas Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) machines are designed to stimulate the nerves only for the purpose of reducing pain.
If you want to treat nerve discomfort, we recommend using a Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation (TENS) machine that combines TENS and heat, such as the OMRON HeatTens. Similarly, if you’re looking for muscle pain relief or want to strengthen your muscles as part of a training program, we recommend using an Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) machine.