HOW-TO Guide: Using AS-Trode Electrodes to Treat Pain in 4 Easy Steps

When you purchase an Alpha-Stim®, one of the options is to treat using AS-Trode brand electrodes.

The AS-Trode self-adhesive electrodes that come with the Alpha-Stim M are designed to treat acute, post-traumatic and chronic pain and are a great choice if you are looking to use Alpha-Stim for a longer time period (we recommend at least one hour). As with all methods of Alpha-Stim treatment delivery, they are clinically proven to provide fast, safe and effective relief with no risk of addiction and no dangerous side effects.

AS-Trodes are necessary for treating post-traumatic or post-surgical pain with the Alpha-Stim. Leave the AS-Trodes on at 0.5 Hz and 100 µA for a minimum of one hour at a time but as long as necessary to manage the pain and get a long-term residual effect. If necessary, turn the current up to 600 µA, or the highest comfortable level, for brief periods to manage pain. Once the pain subsides turn it back to 100 µA. We recommend leaving the AS-Trodes in place for days when treating post-surgical pain. This may be used indefinitely as necessary.

AS-Trode Electrode Treatment Process

1.Evaluate pain before, and from time-to-time during, and immediately after treatment. This can be done moving the affected body part and perceiving pain on a 0 (no pain) to 10 (most pain) level. Consider writing it down. It can be helpful to keep a pain diary.

2.Turn Alpha-Stim power on and set times to 10, 20, 40, 60 minutes or continuous depending on the length of time necessary to effectively manage pain. Standard treatment time is 20 minutes to 1 hour, except in post-surgical and post-traumatic pain where it is often days or perhaps even weeks.

3.Set the current (µA) to your desired setting. Use the lowest current setting that provides effective pain relief, it is safe to raise it to 6 if necessary but decrease it immediately if it becomes uncomfortable. A higher current level should provide faster relief but treatment at a lower current might last longer.

4.Apply AS-Trodes to clean, dry skin. Always place them to direct the current between them through the area being treated. Two AS-Trodes must always be used in order to complete the electrical circuit. Experiment with moving the AS-Trodes around to obtain the best results.

See the poster below for example protocols of where to place electrodes to treat specific pain sites or parts of the body.

Get Started on your path to fast, safe and effective pain relief. If you already own an Alpha-Stim and would like help on how to best use your device, we offer free clinical support Monday – Friday from 8am – 5pm CST at 1-800-FOR-PAIN. You can also email clinical support questions to info@epii.com.

Click here to download this AS-Trode Protocol Poster