Avacen device treats arthritis pain with heat

Avacen Medical’s Avacen 100 is a medical device cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the temporary relief of joint pain associated with arthritis, as well as minor muscle aches, sprains and spasms

Avacen uses dry heat to warm the palm of a hand. Users put their hand inside the device and rest it on a pad heated to about 106 degrees Fahrenheit.

In 2013, researchers at Integrated Tissue Dynamics and Albany Medical College discovered that a small number of fibromyalgia patients had an unusual amount of extra nerve fibres in the capillary blood vessels of their palms.

The researchers believe those extra nerve fibres act as valves, interfering with the flow of blood to muscles and organs throughout the body.

In theory, warming the hand improves circulation throughout the body, reducing pain and inflammation non-invasively and without the use of drugs.

In a pilot study involving 14 fibromylagia patients who used the Avacen device twice a day, 93% reported a significant decline in widespread pain.

Thomas Muehlbauer, chairman and CEO of Avacen Medical, said: “We believe our mechanism of action is infusing heat into the circulatory system at an amount greater than the core body temperature.

“It drives the warmer blood which has a reduced viscosity through the capillaries. The biggest benefit there is that we’re taking oxygen and protein to the deep tissues and we’re taking away waste.”