ActiPatch® vs Red Light Therapy for Pain
By Electrome Corporation · Published October 21, 2026
Red light and near infrared devices are used in timed sessions, usually holding a wand or sitting by a panel. ActiPatch® is a small wearable. It keeps delivering drug-free therapy for hours while you move, work, or sleep.
Wearable versus stationary
ActiPatch®
Wear it for hours through thin clothing. No setup.
Red light therapy
Timed sessions holding a wand or sitting by a panel.
How is red light therapy used?
Red light therapy devices shine red or near infrared light on the skin for a set time. Products range from handheld wands to large panels, and their clearances and studies differ. Check what a specific device is cleared for and what its own research shows.
Where does ActiPatch® come out ahead?
Wearable instead of stationary. ActiPatch® goes with you, works through thin clothing, and needs no eye protection or setup.
It is supported by a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial and is FDA-cleared for adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain. One device provides up to 720 therapy hours.
Can you use both?
Yes. Take the ActiPatch® loop off the area during a light session, then put it back. Follow each device's instructions.
What does the research show?
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial in people with knee osteoarthritis (Bagnato and colleagues, Rheumatology, 2016), the study reported a difference in pain outcomes between active and sham devices. Individual results vary.
ActiPatch® is FDA-cleared (510(k) K192234) for over-the-counter adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain. It has no drug ingredient, and you wear it for hours at a time right over the sore area.
Who should not use ActiPatch®?
Do not use if you have a cardiac pacemaker, implanted defibrillator, or other active implanted metallic or electronic device.
Do not use if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant.
Not for use by or on children under 17.
Do not use for sudden or unexplained pain, or if the cause of the pain is unknown. Not for pain deep in the body such as the chest or stomach, and not for cancer-related pain.
The device is not sterile. Do not place it in direct contact with open wounds.
Check in with your doctor if the pain changes, gets worse, or isn't easing after a few weeks. If you are under a doctor's care, consult your doctor before use.
Read the supplied package insert before use.
Frequently asked questions
Is ActiPatch® better than red light therapy?
They work differently. Red light therapy is used in timed sessions. ActiPatch® is a wearable that delivers drug-free pulsed shortwave therapy for hours at a time.
Is ActiPatch® a light therapy device?
No. ActiPatch® uses pulsed shortwave therapy (PSWT) at 27.12 MHz, not light.
Primary sources
Educational information only. ActiPatch® is FDA 510(k) cleared (K192234) for over-the-counter (OTC) adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain. Read the package instructions and consult a clinician about persistent or worsening pain.