Nerve related pain can be persistent and resistant to standard care. Pulsed shortwave therapy (PSWT) is a drug-free adjunct for chronic musculoskeletal pain.
ActiPatch® is one self-contained unit: a small control unit and a treatment loop centered over the area of pain.Standard loop: 12 cm (4.7 inches) in diameter.
How it works
Nerve pain is often described as burning, shooting, or tingling and can persist for months. ActiPatch® is FDA cleared for adjunctive treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain. Discuss adjunctive use with your clinician for nerve related pain conditions.
FDA cleared for adjunctive use, alongside your other care. Check in with your doctor if the pain changes, gets worse, or isn't easing after a few weeks. Do not use for sudden or unexplained pain. Who should not use it
Research and study limitations
From the evidence library
What does the evidence show?
ActiPatch® is FDA cleared (510(k) K192234) for over-the-counter adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain. These counts cover selected ActiPatch® clinical publications, not laboratory studies or studies of other devices. Study conditions and protocols differ, and individual results vary.
Published records
7
Each paper counted once
Randomized controlled trials
3
Library design label: RCT
Publication years
2012–2025
Earliest to latest record
What do clearance and research tell us?
FDA clearance identifies the device's permitted use; it is not an endorsement or a guarantee of results. The ActiPatch® pain trials did not measure circulation, tissue repair, or inflammation.
Individual experiences vary. Many people report noticing relief within a few hours; for some, it can take up to four days of consistent wear. Keep following the package directions and do not change medications or prescribed care without speaking with your healthcare provider.
Observational2025 · Medicinski Glasnik (Zenica)
Effectiveness of ActiPatch® in the Management and Prevention of Pillar Pain Following Open Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery in Weight-Bearing Hand of Elderly Patients: An Observational Study
Sassara G, Cannella A, Caruso L, Taccardo G, Passiatore M, Militerno A, Marinangeli M, De Vitis R
In a 2025 observational study from a university orthopedic department in Rome, 10 elderly patients with pillar pain after open carpal tunnel release wore ActiPatch® for seven days, then used it pre-emptively when the other hand was operated on. All reported improved pain and hand function, and none developed pillar pain in the preventive phase. There was no control group, so the result is a signal, not proof.
Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial
Bagnato GL, Miceli G, Marino N, Sciortino D, Bagnato GF
In a four-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled ActiPatch® trial in knee osteoarthritis, 66 people were randomized and 60 completed the study. The investigators reported improvements in pain and physical function compared with placebo. Participants wore the device 12 hours a day.
Pulsed Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field Therapy: A Potential Novel Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis
Brook J, Dauphinee DM, Korpinen J, Rawe IM
A seven-day, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial studied nightly use for plantar fasciitis. Among 70 participants who completed the study, the active-treatment group reported a greater reduction in morning pain than the placebo group.
