Biowave works very well at treating pain resulting from interstitial cystitis (IC). Some of our pain accounts have a women's health specialty focus and have been successfully treating pain from IC for the past 7-8 years. Our neurostimulator is a 2-electrode system and there are two electrode placement options that can work for IC:
- Place one electrode over the pubis - in fact the electrode should be placed directly over the location the pain presents on the lower front of your body in the pelvic region. Hair needs to be shaved if it is in the way. The second electrode can be placed directly over the sacrum, or slightly to the left side or right side to target the sacral nerves on the side that the pain is more prevalent. Lying on your back so the tissue is taut in the pelvic region where the first electrode is placed is the ideal positioning for the 30-minute treatment. 30 minutes of treatment time can provide up to 24 hours of pain relief.
- The other placement is to just target the sacral nerves by placing the electrodes bilaterally one inch apart on either side of the sacrum (the bottom of the spine at the top of the butt crack). It is easier to tolerate a much higher level of stimulation with both electrodes on the sacrum and we would typically recommend trying this electrode placement first. Sitting with your torso at approximately 90 degrees to your legs is the ideal positioning for the 30-minute treatment.