Can anyone find any information, good or bad, relating to Infrared pain therapy online, apart from the crap that the manufacturers themselves put out there? My wife has found something that could potentially change her life as far as pain relief in the guise of this thing called a Quasar Capsule. It is insanely expensive, but I've found some other things out there that use similar technology which are also expensive, but not as insanely expensive. As you are the most intelligent collection of people i know, I was hoping you could give me some pointers as to where to look for more REAL information about this type of thing.

Uhhh Stef?

Sorry to hear that your wife's in so much pain, Pete :(

It does appear as though most website talking about this kind of treatment are also ready and willing to sell it to you, which I always therefore take with a pinch of salt.

Having said that, this technology does appear to have scientific basis as far as I can make out, with some initial research being done by NASA

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2003/nov/HQ_03366_clinical_trials.html

into the efficacy of this treatment in certain areas of pain relief and also in the promotion of wound healing

http://www.warp-heals.com/pdf/WoundHealing_JCLMS.pdf

I can also direct you to a National Institute of Health trial on the use of IR therapy for chronic back pain

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16960636

I think that's really all I want to say, as the web is utterly flooded with 'buy me' websites.

My opinion is that it certainly is an effective treatment for certain kinds of pain.

My advice is to consult with your doctor. Firstly to determine that this type of treatment can work for the particular kind of pain Joan is suffering with and also to determine the correct treatment regime to provide maximum relief.

Hope that helps mate.

Yes, thank you!

I was loaned a TENS machine for pain relief. It did absolutely nothing for me but the girlfriend that loaned it swears by the thing. Pain is such a subjective thing - there's no way to truly understand or measure another person's pain because what is painful for one, might only be discomfort to someone else. My thoughts are that if she is in pain and nothing else is working then give it a try. Given it is so expensive, you might be able to hire one for a week to give it a test drive. xx

My wife was given a TENS machine once as well and it exacerbated the pain. I tried it out myself, I really did not like the feel of it. I often wonder how much it is is related to the user's mind set.... i.e. if one believes it will work, i wonder if it will. Not saying that was your mind set at all Tam, but for my wife, she is so fed up with everything she doesn't think anything will work. I wonder if that may be why nothing does.

I didn't like the pins and needles sensation from the TENS at all. It could be that I didn't give it a chance but I found it more annoying than soothing! I'd be inclined to hire the capsule first or see if she can find a clinic/salon somewhere that has one. You really won't know for sure until she tries it.