Delivery system

Clare has been having shoulder issues and has been going to physical therapy. This week her physical therapist applied one of these to her shoulder: ActivaPatch® IntelliDose™ 2.5.

“ActivaPatch® IntelliDose™ 2.5 is a highly intelligent, microprocessor controlled, self-powered iontophoresis patch. The flexible and low-profile ActivaPatch® contours to multiple anatomical treatment sites, and a single patch can deliver a 40mAmp*min or 80mAmp*min treatment in approximately 2.5 hours.” Uh, huh.

First: Iontophoresis:
» “is a process of transdermal drug delivery by use of a voltage gradient on the skin.” —Wikipedia
» “the introduction of an ionized substance (such as a drug) through intact skin by the application of a direct electric current.” —Merriam-Webster
» Although I haven’t, perhaps you’ve encountered a word similar to “iontophoresis”: electrophoresis?

Ahh, I see. A sensor detects something about the electric charge of the skin and then ionizes the drug so that the medicine is electrically-attracted to the skin, where it’s absorbed. Very clever.

Bottom line, though: did it help? Yes, it did.

Looking back
  1 year ago: “Pandemic Puzzle #13 [Filler]”
 2 years ago: “Grandparent changeover”
 3 years ago: “Common Buckeye (below)”
 4 years ago: “Her 4th time out”
 5 years ago: “Skippers do it…”
 6 years ago: “Another August abstract-y”
 7 years ago: “Au revoir!” (Campus office cleaned out & door closed for last time)
 8 years ago: “Weathervane II”
 9 years ago: “The three most important things in real estate…”
10 years ago: “NOT a Zebra swallowtail…” (I can’t believe I thought this was a Zebra Swallowtail…)

[ PXL_20210812_222513598A75x100tm :: cell phone ]

[Mags]

Interesting. I hope it gave her pain relief.

[Thom Mitchell]

@digitalrn Cool stuff, devices like this!

[Thom Mitchell]

@marlboromaam Yes, it did, thank you!
December update (almost four months later — it was a nightmare getting insurance to approve an MRI, but we're pretty sure it was the provider's office that was incompetent): She has a complete tear of the supraspinatus tendon. Shoulder surgery in January.

[Mags]

@rhoing My goodness! Wishing her well with it. Mom has to have some oral surgery and cataract surgery in January. I sure hope I don't have to have any more procedures. I'm recovering from gum surgery last Wednesday and that is no fun at all because I can't take pain meds that will make me woozy when I may have to run take care of mom.

[Jane Pittenger]

Fascinating

[Jane Pittenger]

I have complete supraspius and infraspinus as well as partial biceps…only option is complete shoulder replacement which I am not keen on

[Kathy]

An interesting device and it's good to know that it provided her with some pain relief.

[Rick Schies]

@rhoing The technology they come up with nowadays is remarkable. Our therapists use this delivery system quite often. I actually had a similar form of treatment after I had my thumb joint replaced. I am glad she found relief. I am not a fan of taking pain medication so this method of pain relief is far better in my opinion.

[Thom Mitchell]

@jgpittenger Ouch! I forgot to mention it, but Clare has a bicep connection issue, too. The surgeon will repair that when he's "diggin' around in there" :-/

What's the anticipated recovery period for full shoulder replacement??