Description
Stivax is a non-drug, minimally invasive treatment that has proven highly effective in chronic pain in many areas, peripheral arterial disease, neuropathies and other painful conditions – even when other pain management treatments have failed.
The device connects to the two tiny electrodes via a single lead wire. The physician will percutaneously implant the 38-gauge electrodes in the triangular fossa of the ear lobe, and affix them with surgical grade adhesive tape. The device will then be connected to the electrodes by the single lead wire, which will be affixed to a secure point on a location adjacent to the lower shoulder area.
This PENS stimulator device emits a low, imperceptible electrical current into the ear lobe, then on to the vagus nerve in the brain stem. This nerve affects the pain pathways in the spinal cord and reduces pain signals regardless of their cause. Patients may report a 50% reduction in pain within the first few days, and 85% reduction in pain after the entire 60-day program. The sustained effect is usually long-term. Some patients that have previously been relying on narcotic drug treatments have been able to discontinue the use of these conventional medicines.
The single Stivax package contains a single PENS device that is used throughout the entire 14-day treatment. Common packaging bundles 3 devices together with adjunctive components to cover a 60 day treatment period.
DISCLAIMER: Providers should consult their own billing and reimbursement sources for appropriate billing codes and current rates applicable to them. It is our understanding that Medicare and some commercial insurance companies are not covering electro-acupuncture or auricular vagus nerve stimulation devices such as Stivax at this time.
