Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I need my Doctor to refer me?
2. How long is the sound wave treatment?
3. Is this covered by MEDICARE?
4. Do my Extended Health Benefits cover me?
5. How long has enSonix sound wave therapy been around?
6. How does the enSonix sound wave treatment work?
7. Does it work?
8. Is the enSonix treatment painful?
9. Is the enSonix treatment permanent?
10. Do I have to do anything/take anything else in conjunction with this therapy?
11. I would like to stop taking my drugs, can I stop taking them immediately or at all?
12. I cannot take drugs. Will the treatments help?

1. Do I need my Doctor to refer me? (top)

No, a Doctor’s referral is not necessary. However, a referral may be required for your insurance coverage.

We would like to ensure that you have been properly diagnosed. If you have any x-ray reports please bring them with you, including a list of all your current medications.

We will contact your Doctor, with your permission, to let them know that you are starting with the ATCA treatment programs. Progress reports will also be sent to your doctor.

2. How long is the enSonix treatment? (top)

Course of therapy is 15 treatment sessions. Patients who are approved for the procedure receive two to three enSonix treatment sessions per week for five to eight weeks. Each enSonix treatment takes 25 minutes. On your first visit to an Arthritis Treatment Center, a Physical Therapist administers a comprehensive assessment of your medical condition to determine your suitability for the various treatments offered at our treatment centers. Patients typically are finished within one hour.

3. Is this covered by MEDICARE? (top)

MEDICARE covers 80% of the cost of the therapy.

4. Do my Extended Health Benefits cover me? (top)

Yes. All the major insurance carriers will cover the Treatment Programs under physical therapy. The programs are considered to be fairly priced and reasonable by their standards.

5. How long has enSonix sound wave therapy been around? (top)

enSonix was registered with the FDA in 2002. Over 300,000 treatments have been administered to date.

Sound pressure wave technology has been available in various formats for many years. You may be familiar with ultrasound. Ultrasound works on a frequency greater than 20 kHz, whereas enSonix sound wave treatments use a range of lower frequencies, typically 100 to 5,000 Hz, which provide broad-spectrum exposure to the whole body in each session.

6. How does the enSonix sound wave treatment work? (top)

The sound pressure waves generated by the enSonix medical device are believed to work in three ways to provide pain relief and relax muscles.

1. Sound pressure waves stimulate mechanoreceptors in the skin which in turn communicate with the brain thus blocking any other message from getting to the brain - including pain. This is referred to as the pain gate control theory.

2. They also create an exercise effect in the muscles by gently vibrating the muscle fibers: this effect encourages the production and release of endorphins, the body's natural pain killers.

3. Finally, sound pressure waves can increase cell membrane flow and blood circulation, resulting in further pain reduction, muscle toning and relaxation.

7. Does it work? (top)

Yes. 80% of patients who complete 10 treatment sessions experience a significant reduction in pain.

8. Is the Ensonix treatment painful? (top)

No. The procedure is non-invasive, safe, and pain free. The most frequently reported side effect is a warm, tingling, temporary sensation in the joints. Patients who fall asleep during treatment may be disoriented upon waking.

9. Is the Ensonix treatment permanent? (top)

No. This is not a cure for arthritis. We are providing pain relief and muscle relaxation. All programs offered at the clinic are adjunctive to your current therapies. The pain relief is long lasting. Depending on a person, it can last from two to eight weeks. We recommend fallow up maintenance treatments once per month.

10. Do I have to do anything/take anything else in conjunction with this therapy? (top)

Yes, you have to be fully involved. A Kinesiologist will see you after each treatment for beneficial exercise and possibly more localized joint treatments. You will see a nutritionist and you are expected to follow the recommendations of your clinician.

11. I would like to stop taking my drugs, can I stop taking them immediately or at all? (top)

Please continue with your prescription medications as recommended by your doctor. Do not stop!!! We will provide regular progress reports to you and your doctor and he/she will decide whether reduced amount of medication is appropriate and when.

12. I cannot take drugs. Will the ATCA treatments help? (top)

There is an eighty percent (80%) chance that we will be able to reduce your pain. Our treatment programs are drug free. If you are currently taking medication(s) for arthritis, our treatment protocols will not interfere with their effect. Our programs are adjunctive to whatever your Doctor has prescribed, whether medication, traditional physiotherapy, or any other therapeutic.