InterX for Professionals
What makes InterX different?
There are four main areas where InterX is different and it requires an awareness of all of them and how they interrelate to really understand why this powerful technology can be so effective. The interactive nature of the stimulation allows for a unique, evidence-based application that optimizes treatment parameters and thus achieves consistently good results across a broad range of conditions.1,2,3
The Technology
The InterX delivers an interactive, damped, bi-phasic, sinusoidal waveform through fixed stainless steel electrodes. The interactivity of the waveform ensures that the device adjusts its’ output in response to changes in skin resistance/impedance. This means the InterX can and is applied without the need for any conductive gel and the stimulation is delivered through small, closely spaced electrodes without any risk of damage to the skin or discomfort to the patient. This advancement in technology has significant impact on the way neurostimulation can be delivered and subsequently the results that can be achieved.
The Application
As the InterX is impedance sensitive, it can be applied directly to the skin and moved around over the skin without conductive gels. This allows the user to be able to assess the impedance of the skin to identify and target optimal treatment points. This has led to the development of the three step protocol of almost every InterX treatment: Scan, Target, Dynamic.
SCAN – Identify optimal treatment points
TARGET – Deliver focused, high amplitude stimulation
DYNAMIC – Perform therapeutic exercise while treating points of pain
This protocol system is designed to optimize four important aspects of any neurostimulation treatment to ensure better and more consistent results.
Optimization of Parameters
Research has shown that optimization of various treatment parameters can significantly increase the effectiveness of neurostimulation across a broad range of conditions4,5,6. Missing any one of these factors could significantly reduce or even nullify any clinical benefit from treatment. This is why previous neurostimulation research has had mixed results7,8 and real-life clinical applications often leave therapists very disappointed. Correct application of the InterX optimizes all of these parameters and offers therapists a way to scientifically apply neurostimulation with evidence-based protocols and achieve excellent results.
- Optimal Treatment Points:
InterX identifies low impedance points which relate to major nerve branches, trigger points, acupuncture points and localized areas of sympathetic skin response. 9,10,5,11,12,13 - High amplitude stimulation:
InterX delivers stimulation safely and comfortably at 3-4 times higher amplitudes than would normally cause muscle contraction with TENS or IFT. The current densities delivered by InterX can be up to 100 times higher than a typical TENS and this has been shown to have significantly greater physiological response. This is made possible by the combination of the interactive waveform and the small, fixed electrodes. 14,15,16,17,18,19 - Varying Frequencies:
A range of synergistic, analgesic mechanisms are activated when a wide range of frequencies are used. The InterX ranges from 15-480 pulses per second and the recommended protocol ensures that a broad range is delivered in every single treatment. 20,21,6 - Avoiding tolerance/accommodation
Research has shown that repeating treatments too often, treating for too long and using fixed frequencies mean that the body stops responding to neurostimulation after a period of time(sometimes as little as 4 x 20 minute treatments). By delivering short, infrequent treatments, to multiple treatment points (that change in every treatment), using a wide range of frequencies, InterX ensures that patients continue to respond to the therapy over a course of treatments.22,23,5
The Results:
InterX has been clinically proven to be effective on very complex chronic conditions that had not responded to any other treatment as well acute post-surgical orthopedic pain which has proven very difficult to treat with neurostimulation in the past. While the protocols for each of these applications may be very different, the technology allows for the treatment to be customized for every patient and their condition to ensure optimal results. Many patients are amazed by the results of their InterX treatment and many learned and experienced therapists believe InterX is the most effective and consistent modality they have ever used and they benefit from the fact that there is scientific and clinical evidence to support its’ application.
1 Gorodetskyi I G, Gorodnichenko A I, Tursin P S, Reshetnyak V K, Uskov, O N: Non-invasive interactive Neurostimulation in the post-operative recovery of patients with a trochanteric fracture of the femur. J Bone Joint Surg [Br]2007;89-B:1488-94.