Frequency Specific Microcurrent for Osteoarthritis

Overseen By Christy Palmer, RN

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Nova Southeastern University

Must not be taking: Immune-enhancing, Inflammation medications

Disqualifiers: Smoker, Immune-modulating diseases, others

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

Duration: 1 day

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if a special type of electrical therapy, called frequency-specific microcurrent, can reduce inflammation and pain in people with osteoarthritis. The trial compares real treatment against a placebo (a fake treatment) by using a machine that's either turned on or off. It suits individuals diagnosed with osteoarthritis, with a BMI over 29.9, and who do not smoke. Participants will undergo five blood tests and complete pain surveys before and after the treatment to track changes.

As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the chance to contribute to innovative research that could lead to new treatment options for osteoarthritis.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that you have not taken any immune-enhancing dietary supplements or medications for inflammation in the past 10 days. If you are currently taking such medications, you may need to stop them before participating.

What prior data suggests that frequency specific microcurrent is safe for osteoarthritis patients?

Research has shown that frequency-specific microcurrent therapy is generally safe for most people. Studies have found no major safety issues with this treatment. One study demonstrated its effectiveness and safety for various conditions in everyday use. However, this therapy should not be used during pregnancy. Overall, evidence suggests that patients tolerate it well. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM) is unique because it offers a non-invasive approach to managing osteoarthritis, unlike standard treatments such as NSAIDs, corticosteroid injections, or physical therapy. FSM uses specific frequencies through microcurrent to target inflammation and pain, potentially addressing the root causes rather than just the symptoms. Researchers are excited about FSM because it could provide a drug-free alternative with fewer side effects, making it a promising option for long-term management of osteoarthritis.

What evidence suggests that frequency specific microcurrent is effective for osteoarthritis?

Research has shown that frequency-specific microcurrent therapy, which participants in this trial may receive, might help reduce pain and improve movement in people with osteoarthritis. Studies have found that this therapy can lower inflammation, a major cause of pain and stiffness in osteoarthritis. In a recent clinical trial, microcurrent therapy reduced pain in knee osteoarthritis, although it didn't significantly improve overall knee movement. Another study found that this therapy improved hand function by an average of 44%. These findings suggest that the therapy could be promising for managing osteoarthritis symptoms. ^{1 3 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Samuel Spaiser, MS

Principal Investigator

Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults over 18 with a BMI greater than 29.9 who have been actively diagnosed with osteoarthritis. It's not specified, but typically people are excluded if they have conditions that might interfere with the treatment or skew results.

Inclusion Criteria

My BMI is over 29.9.

I have been diagnosed with active osteoarthritis.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive frequency specific microcurrent treatment or sham treatment for one hour with blood draws at specified intervals

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

1-2 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Frequency Specific Microcurrent

Trial Overview The study is testing Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM) to see if it reduces inflammation and pain in osteoarthritis patients compared to a sham (fake) treatment. Participants will undergo an hour of FSM and complete questionnaires about their pain before and after treatment.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: FSM Treatment Group Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants receiving the 40 hertz/97 hertz alternating sharp square wave 200 uamp microcurrent treatment (machine is turned on and placed in an opaque bag to cover the screen; the machine is silent and therefore will be indistinguishable form placebo)

Group II: Placebo Group (Sham) Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Participants receiving sham microcurrent treatment (machine is turned off and placed in an opaque bag to cover the screen)

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Nova Southeastern University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

103

Recruited

12,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of microcurrent therapy (MCT) for managing pain and improving function in adults with knee osteoarthritis, using a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

The research will analyze data from multiple databases and employ meta-analysis techniques to provide a comprehensive understanding of MCT's potential benefits, addressing the current lack of clinical evidence supporting its use in knee OA treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of microcurrent therapy in promoting function and pain management of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol. Zhou, Z., Xue, Y., Zhao, Y., et al.[2023]

Microcurrent therapy significantly reduced knee pain in participants over a 4-week period, with notable improvements observed particularly in the third week (P < 0.01).

Participants using microcurrent therapy also showed an increasing trend in physical function scores, suggesting that this treatment could be a beneficial alternative or complement to traditional pain medications for acute knee pain.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy of microcurrent therapy for treatment of acute knee pain: A randomized double-blinded controlled clinical trial. Lawson, D., Lee, KH., Kang, HB., et al.[2022]

A study involving 50 patients per condition showed that microcurrent therapy significantly improved health-related quality of life for chronic back pain, skeletal system pain, fibromyalgia, migraine, and depression over a 6-month period.

The therapy was found to be safe, with only four adverse events reported, indicating that microcurrent devices can be effectively used in real-world settings for these conditions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Observational Study to Assesses the Efficacy and Safety of Microcurrent Therapy with a Portable Device in Patients Suffering from Chronic Back Pain, Skeletal System Pain, Fibromyalgia, Migraine or Depression. Marmann, P., Wiatrek, W.[2023]

The study measured streaming potential distributions in articular cartilage under compression, revealing that potential amplitudes were highest at the center of the cartilage disk, which aligns with predictions from biphasic models regarding fluid pressure and movement.

These findings suggest that spatially resolved measurements of streaming potentials can be useful for non-destructive diagnostics of cartilage health and may help understand how physical signals affect cellular responses in cartilage.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Streaming potentials maps are spatially resolved indicators of amplitude, frequency and ionic strength dependant responses of articular cartilage to load. Garon, M., Légaré, A., Guardo, R., et al.[2019]

The study calculated the electric fields and current densities induced in knee cartilage by a specially designed coil applicator that uses pulsed magnetic fields, showing a peak electric field magnitude of -153 mV/m in the medial cartilage.

This research utilized advanced 3D modeling techniques to simulate the effects of the magnetic field, indicating the potential for this technology to be adapted for different waveforms and applicator designs in treating osteoarthritis.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Calculation of electric fields induced in the human knee by a coil applicator. Buechler, DN., Christensen, DA., Durney, CH., et al.[2019]

In a study of 213 patients with mechanical low back pain (LBP) treated with frequency-specific microcurrent (FSM) therapy, significant improvements in pain and disability were observed compared to a control group, indicating FSM's efficacy as an adjuvant treatment.

However, in patients with neck pain (NP), FSM did not show a significant difference in pain or disability outcomes compared to the control group, suggesting that its benefits may be more pronounced for LBP than NP.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of adjuvant frequency-specific microcurrents on pain and disability in patients treated with physical rehabilitation for neck and low back pain. Shetty, GM., Rawat, P., Sharma, A.[2021]

Current density imaging (CDI) is an effective technique for mapping electric currents in bone structures, which can help in studying conditions like osteoporosis and bone fractures.

The method's sensitivity is enhanced by using a contrast agent (Gd-DTPA) and physiological saline, allowing for clear visualization of electric current distribution, which could aid in understanding the effects of electrical stimulation on bone health.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Electric current density imaging of bone by MRI. Beravs, K., White, D., Sersa, I., et al.[2019]

Electroarthrography (EAG) is a promising new technology that detects cartilage degradation by recording electrical signals from the knee during compressive loading, reflecting the health of the cartilage.

Computer modeling of the knee has shown that EAG signals are generated by load-induced fluid flow in cartilage, and different cartilage defects can be identified by specific changes in these electrical signals, enhancing the potential for EAG as a clinical diagnostic tool.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The forward problem of electroarthrography: modeling load-induced electrical potentials at the surface of the knee. Han, Q., Buschmann, MD., Savard, P.[2016]

Microcurrent therapy (MCT) has been shown to significantly improve shoulder and knee pain in adults, based on a review of 4 randomized controlled trials involving a total of 92 patients, with no severe adverse events reported.

The study highlights a notable placebo effect in treating knee pain, suggesting that while MCT is a promising nonpharmacologic treatment option, further research is needed to fully understand its efficacy and optimize study quality.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Microcurrent Therapy as a Therapeutic Modality for Musculoskeletal Pain: A Systematic Review Accelerating the Translation From Clinical Trials to Patient Care. Iijima, H., Takahashi, M.[2022]

A personalized knee model was developed to improve the accuracy of measuring the effects of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) delivered through the skin, using advanced techniques like Finite Element Analysis and impedance spectroscopy.

The model was validated in a study involving 30 volunteers, including both healthy individuals and those with varying degrees of knee osteoarthritis, achieving a low average error of 3%, demonstrating its potential for reliable monitoring of treatment effects.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A personalized FEM model for reproducible measurement of anti-inflammatory drugs in transdermal administration to knee. Arpaia, P., Crauso, F., Frosolone, M., et al.[2022]

In a study of 78 patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty, those receiving microcurrent therapy alongside conventional physiotherapy showed a significant improvement in functional outcomes, with a 31% increase in their OSWESTRY total function score after three months, compared to an 18% increase in the control group receiving sham treatment.

The results indicate that microcurrent therapy can enhance recovery in postoperative rehabilitation, suggesting it should be considered for early introduction in treatment protocols after knee surgery.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Effectiveness of microcurrent therapy as a constituent of post-hospital rehabilitative treatment in patients after total knee alloarthroplasty - a randomized clinical trial]. Rockstroh, G., Schleicher, W., Krummenauer, F.[2010]

Interferential current (IFC) therapy significantly improved pain and disability outcomes in patients with knee osteoarthritis compared to a sham treatment, based on a study of 60 patients over 3 weeks.

While all active IFC frequencies (40, 100, and 180 Hz) showed benefits, there was no significant difference in effectiveness among the different frequencies, indicating that any of them can be used effectively for treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Interferential current therapy in patients with knee osteoarthritis: comparison of the effectiveness of different amplitude-modulated frequencies. Gundog, M., Atamaz, F., Kanyilmaz, S., et al.[2016]

Citations

1. trials.arthritis.org trials.arthritis.org/trials/NCT06390137

Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of Frequency Specific Microcurrent ... It is hypothesized that application of frequency specific microcurrent can decrease inflammation in osteoarthritis patients resulting in decreased pain.

2. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-osteoarthritis-3-2024-cbd34

Frequency Specific Microcurrent for Osteoarthritis Research suggests that microcurrent therapy may help reduce pain and improve function in people with knee osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal pain ...

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10151844/

Effects of microcurrent therapy in promoting function and ... A recent clinical trial demonstrated the pain-reducing effect of MCT in knee OA. However, it did not show significant improvement in knee ...

4. academic.oup.com academic.oup.com/rheumatology/article/64/10/5504/8156779

Frequency-specific microcurrent improves hand function and ... An average improvement of 44% in hand function scores was seen during treatment. Three of the six patients exhibited very substantial ...

5. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12357078/

Investigating the therapeutic efficacy of microcurrent therapy Studies have also shown that MIC therapy improves pain and functionality in knee osteoarthritis, temporomandibular joint disorders, and ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10712256/

Observational Study to Assesses the Efficacy and Safety of ... Microcurrent therapy has been demonstrated to be efficient and safe under real-world conditions for the treatment of each of the conditions for which the ...

7. frequencyspecific.com frequencyspecific.com/frequency-specific-microcurrent-contraindications-and-precautions/

Frequency Specific Microcurrent Contraindications And ... While generally considered safe, there are several contraindications to be aware of: Pregnancy: FSM should not be used during pregnancy.

8. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04938271

A Telehealth Study of a Wearable Electroceutical & Sports ... The purpose of this telemedicine 24-person open-label study is to evaluate the safety and usability of a proprietary wearable microcurrent electroceutical ...