Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions!

Avazzia

Avazzia General Questions about the technology

What is it for?

The Avazzia Bio-Electric Stimulation Technology (BEST) devices are FDA-cleared non-invasive, non-pharmacological neuromodulation devices for mitigating pain. These devices were developed to provide pain relief without surgery and without taking medicine. Effectiveness depends on factors including source of pain, history of pain, other health issues, adherence to treatment schedule and more. Even fatigue and hydration may impact outcomes. There are no known side effects. The technology does not impact efficacy of other medicine or injections received for pain management.

Prescription use for the symptomatic relief and management of chronic, intractable pain and adjunctive treatment in the management of post-surgical and post-traumatic pain.
Over-the-counter use for the temporary relief of pain associated with sore and aching muscles in the shoulder, waist, back, back of the neck, upper extremities (arm), and lower extremities (leg) due to strain from exercise or normal household work activities.

What are the benefits?

The Avazzia BEST devices have been certified by the European Union, HealthCanada, and the U.S. FDA as safe and effective. Since BEST devices do not introduce drugs, medicine or toxins to your body, you will not suffer related potential side effects. Avazzia offers safe, cost-effective treatment. Patients have used Avazzia for the following reasons:

They want to alleviate pain either before surgery or after surgery.
They have found that traditional remedies for pain (drugs, surgery, physical therapy) are not helping or not helping enough.
They have long-term pain (from sports injuries, trauma such as car accidents, or work-related pain such as carpal tunnel syndrome) that is hard to eliminate.
They have pain related to other health conditions, such as diabetic neuropathy or nerve pain.

Does it work?

Many people report impressive results – significantly reduced pain and, frequently, pain completely eliminated. Healthcare practitioners, including medical doctors, dentists, chiropractors, physical therapists and athletic trainers, use Avazzia units for their own pain. A growing body of research shows that electro-stimulation effectively manages pain which can bring relief to related issues. Avazzia’s premier engineering ensures its units offer outstanding performance. Electro-stimulation is used by NASA, the U.S. military and hospitals, as well as rehab clinics, physical therapists and athletic trainers, to improve outcomes after injury and surgery.

What is electro-stimulation?

Electro-stimulation is the application of electrical impulses to the body. There are many types of electro-stimulation and several U.S. FDA classifications, such as:

Heart stimulator (pacemakers)
Implantable stimulators (frequently used for pain)
Bone growth stimulators
Transcranial stimulators
Electrical muscle stimulators
Transcutaneous (skin) electro-neurological stimulators (TENS): Avazzia falls into this category, and unlike many in this category, also falls into both subcategories of microcurrent and interferential.

How is Avazzia different than other TENS units on the market?

Avazzia devices are classified by the FDA as a TENS unit, as are possibly hundreds of other devices. Many of these TENS units haven’t changed their technology in decades. Avazzia technology was created in 2004 by a former Texas Instrument engineer to take the technology used in the 1970s into the 21st century. Key features of Avazzia’s BEST technology (Bio-Electric Stimulation Technology) are its state-of-the-art engineering and that it is manufactured in the U.S.; Avazzia’s technology distinctions:

Technology delivers more advanced output waveform and microcurrent.
The interactive features and functions of Avazzia are patented and proprietary.
The PRO-SPORT model gives a numeric reading of tissue reaction response data.
Flexibility means all Avazzia devices can be used with any of the approved accessories or alone, with the onboard electrodes.

Because of the interactive response, the patient is less likely to develop accommodation or habituation from treatment. (Accommodation reduces the efficacy of almost every other TENS device on the market.) Devices are programmed to control the electrical amplitude (how much power is delivered); the frequency (the rate of electrical output) and other qualities such as burst pulse patterns; modulation; and damping.

What are the reaction data readings, IR, OR, CIR, COR, D and Z?

The PRO-SPORT model gives a numeric reading of tissue reaction response data. Other Avazzia devices also indicate D or Z in some modes. Click here for more information about IR, OR, D and Z.

How often may I use the device to treat my condition?

Follow your healthcare provider’s directions. It is not unusual to apply Avazzia microcurrent two to three times a day, for up to 20 minutes each time, for a week. After a week, many users find they significantly reduce their treatment time or frequency. Many discontinue daily use all together.

May I use this in addition to other drugs or after physical therapy sessions?

Yes. The only contraindications for using Avazzia technology are cardiac pacemakers and pregnancy. Make sure to read and follow warnings in the Owner’s Manual. And make sure your physical therapist knows you are using Avazzia.

May I take my Avazzia device through airport security?

Go to the Transportation Security Administration website for the latest information regarding batteries and battery-operated devices in carry-ons and checked luggage. No problems in traveling with Avazzia devices have been reported but the Federal Aviation Administration and TSA may change these regulations on very short notice.

What is a SCENAR?

SCENAR also is a TENS unit and relies on research done during the 1970s in the Soviet space program.

How do I use it? Is it working?

The Avazzia devices are, in general, simple to use:

Turn on the power with the slide switch on the side of the device.
Place electrodes (either the metal plate on the device or through an accessory) on the skin and, using the plus and minus keys on the front, turn up the power (or down) to find a comfortable power setting.
Click the black button in the center of the circle on the front display to select mode.
Apply microcurrent therapy.

Will people at the Avazzia office tell me how to use this?

Avazzia is a medical device manufacturer. Avazzia does not have licensed healthcare practitioners to answer medical questions. Your prescribing healthcare provider is the best person to help you. First Alternatives does have Licensed practitioners on staff that will aid you in answering your questions. Please call in to the office line to schedule a zoom or phone call with a practitioner to go over possible best practices for the given use case.

Sometimes it seems like I need less power to feel the tingling of the Avazzia unit than others? Is this possible?

Yes. A number of conditions impact your body’s sensitivity to the electro-stimulation from Avazzia’s microcurrent. These can include, but are not limited to: your body’s hydration level; level of fatigue; where you place the electrodes; recent exercise or strenuous physical activity; recent bathing or showering; alcohol consumption; caffeine consumption; recent sun exposure and more. Also, after several applications you may notice that the tissue’s sensitivity to electro-stimulation has changed.
It is important to be well hydrated, both for general health and to get the most benefits from Avazzia protocols. Drink plenty of water or juice each day, not just on the days of treatment.

I feel tingling in only one of the two pads. Is one broken?

No. If you feel tingling in one pad, that indicates the unit’s power is working. Body tissue that is dry, cold, stressed, injured or receives poor blood flow may not be as sensitive. Set the power level to a comfortable setting for the pad through which you feel tingling, but no higher. Eventually, the sensation may be felt in the second pad as well. This may take more than one application. There is nothing wrong with feeling the sensation in only one pad.

I can’t feel anything on my feet, even at the highest setting. Is the unit broken?

Not necessarily. Try to determine why you don’t feel anything. It may be because skin tissue is dry, cold or numb or insensitive, for some reason, to touch. Test the microcurrent output on more sensitive skin tissue with these steps:

Make sure the device is OFF.
Turn the device ON using the slide switch on the device’s side. When the device is turned on, three LEDs will light up and a beep will sound indicating power is on.
With the device at its lowest power setting, put the onboard electrodes on sensitive tissue, such as fingertips.
Carefully increase the power level by holding down the plus key (+) on the face of the unit. You should begin to feel power (tingling) in the fingertips.
If, after turning on the device, it emits 20 rapid beeps, this indicates batteries are losing power (low). Batteries should be replaced. Make sure to use new, good-quality batteries. If after replacing batteries, you still don’t feel a microcurrent signal, even on sensitive tissue such as fingertips, the device may require service.

The most common reason power is not felt is because of very dry skin, very poor circulation or using electrodes on calloused skin. To increase skin sensitivity, try this: Make a light saline solution (1 teaspoon of salt dissolved in one cup of water), moisten a washcloth and wipe the skin. Once skin is dry, test it with the onboard electrode. Most likely, tingling will be felt. Do not apply lotion.

Can I put electrode pads on while I nap or sleep and run the Avazzia unit then?

No. It is against protocol to use the Avazzia unit “while sleeping.” That includes any time the person using the unit is unaware of its functionality. Under proper supervision a practitioner may turn the device's automatic sleep timer off for extended treatments but this is not recommended to do without the proper active supervision.

May I rent a unit to try it out?

Yes! First Alternatives has a rental program for you to rent to own to try it out first!

Frequency Specific Microcurrent

Are Avazzia modes frequency specific?

Yes, all modes on all Avazzia devices use specific frequencies. Some of those frequencies are proprietary information and are not public information. Others are listed in the owner’s manuals of the different Avazzia products.

Do Avazzia devices use sine waves?

Yes. Avazzia devices generate a high-voltage, pulsed current (HVPC), damped, biphasic, asymmetric sinusoidal waveform that produces a microcurrent output.

Do Avazzia devices have paired frequencies?

Owners may set paired frequencies using two PRO-SPORT units. In this case, treatment can be using two separate preset modes on each device (eg: set one device at Stimulate, the other device at Relax Assess and place the four pads as preferred) or setting each device at one of the VAZ custom programmable modes and personally selecting desired frequencies. This also would require two sets of two pads, with placement as desired. Also, this could be accomplished using two BEST-RSI devices or BEST-PRO 1 devices, with one device set at one mode, the second device at a different mode.

How do you program a VAZ mode? Is it complicated?

Custom-programmable VAZ mode is available only in the PRO-SPORT. It is not difficult to use (and save) a preferred frequency. This example gives step-by-step instructions to save desired settings:

To start, turn on device: Press v key to navigate to AVA mode. Press Select to select AVA mode.
Set frequency at 121Hz: Press > key to frequency. Press v key to 121.
Select pulse value of 3: Press < key to pulse. Press v key to value of 3. (This sets 3 pulses per packet.)
Select Z_value to 15: Press > key to Z value. Press v key to value of 15.
Select damping value of 2: Press > key to Damping. Press v key to value of 2.
Select Modulation of 3:1: Press > key to MOD. Press v key to 3:1
To save this program in VAZ 2: Press > key to SAVE VAZ 1. Press v key to SAVE VAZ 2. Press Select.

This is now saved as the VAZ 2 mode. This can be recalled by moving to VAZ 2 and pressing Select (the center button).
This VAZ 2 mode also can be reprogrammed with different settings, in effect “erasing” the first set of characteristics. Note that programming happens in the AVA mode, although AVA will not save those settings.

Maintenance

How many times may I use the same set of adhesive pads?

It depends upon how careful you are with them and where you store them when not in use. Follow the care directions on the package they come in. Some patients, with care, have used a set of pads twice a day for 7 to 10 days and more.

How do I clean the device?

With the device off, carefully wipe it with a damp cloth. Dampen a cotton ball in isopropyl alcohol and wipe off the onboard electrodes (if those were used) or the electrodes on the end of the brush, pencil or Y-electrode attachments. Do not open up the device, other than to change batteries.

How often do I need to change batteries?

It depends upon many factors: how often you use your unit; how long you use your unit; the batteries’ quality; where you live. There is a great deal of difference between inexpensive batteries and high-quality batteries. In a professional setting, two to three days is an average life-span for the two AA batteries that power the BEST devices. For home users, a set of high-quality batteries could last several weeks. Your device will emit a series of 20 beeps immediately after turning on the device if it detects a low battery (weak) electrical output.

What are contributors to battery life in Avazzia Pro devices?

Battery life is dependent on battery quality and device settings. Higher intensity settings and frequencies will use more battery capacity.