Arthrolite S Osteoarthritis Machine

Arthrolite S Osteoarthritis Machine.

Why use Arthrolite?

Osteoarthritis affects more than 8 million individuals within the UK and this number is set to rise over the next decade. Many people over 50 years old are painfully aware of the disability and distress associated with osteoarthritis. Weight bearing joints are mostly affected by osteoarthritis and it is crucial for those with osteoarthritis to keep active. This maintains the strength of the muscles around the joints, protecting the joints from further harm. However, there is no cure for osteoarthritis and the mainstay of medical management lies in alleviation of the pain and reducing the disability caused by the pain.

The Arthrolite offers pain relief using Near Infrared Light (NIR), which has been known for many years to assist with pain relief. The Arthrolite is unique in that the specific wavelength of NIR is also hypothesised to reduce inflammation and improve tissue function. If this hypothesis is supported by clinical trials then the Arthrolite will make a significant impact on patient’s quality of life.

At this time there are two Arthrolite products available. The S machine which is for treating smaller areas such as tennis elbow and finger pain and the M machine ( also available ) which is for more larger areas of discomfort such as the neck and the knee. Both of which are CE approved for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.

The Arthrolite S is a small, handheld NIR light device which is used to treat small areas of musculoskeletal discomfort such as tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, pain at the base of the thumbs and pain affecting the fingers. It is not effective for the treatment of larger areas - the Arthrolite M should be used instead.

Musculoskeletal pain can often be referred to a site adjacent to where the true inflammation or pathology is located. It is important that the true source of the pain is targeted when using the Arthrolite S.

Patient expectations should be realistic as the Arthrolite S may take at least two weeks to begin to be effective. Several weeks of twice daily treatments may be needed for full results. However, the average user can expect to feel slight pain relief immediately after the application of the Arthrolite S.

On occasion there may be an exacerbation of pain at the site of treatment. This is not an adverse effect of the Arthrolite but instead likely to be an indication of increased repair function of the body. If this occurs, the area should be treated using the Arthrolite S for 4-5 cycles, 4 times per day, for the next few days.