Introducing ActiPatch®

Pop a Patch, Not a Pill.

Over 1 million ActiPatch® devices sold.

Bioelectric pain relief. Surprisingly affordable.

About this milestone

Manufacturer-reported cumulative product sales. This counts devices, not individual customers or clinical outcomes.

  • Clinically tested
  • FDA reviewed the evidence in 2017 and again in 2020
  • Over the counter

The only pulsed shortwave device FDA has cleared for over-the-counter pain relief. FDA clearances from 2017 and 2020

Pop a Patch: wear ActiPatch® where it hurts for muscle and joint pain relief.

Shop ActiPatch®5-minute Pain Check

Read customer testimonials

Free shipping on ActiPatch® single, double, and triple packs (US addresses only, through December 31, 2026, midnight HST)

An olive-skinned woman in a tank top wearing an ActiPatch loop taped to her bare shoulder.
The patch?ActiPatch®.Drug-free relief you wear.
Worn where it hurts, on skin or over thin clothing.
Smiling Asian man with an ActiPatch® loop taped just above his right elbow with three white tape strips, its control unit resting near the inner elbow
ActiPatch® device
Smiling mixed-race woman wearing an ActiPatch® loop and control unit taped over thin leggings on her right knee
ActiPatch® device
Muscular white man viewed from behind with an ActiPatch® loop and control unit secured to his upper back with two white tape strips
ActiPatch® device

67%of users cut or quit pain medsSource

NASA feasibility assessment · 2020

ActiPatch® ranked #1 of 4 drug-free pain relief approaches in a 2020 NASA spaceflight feasibility assessment. View the NASA posterNASA study summary

See ActiPatch® in action

See how ActiPatch® fits into everyday life.

Watch more videos

Learn more about ActiPatch®.

Morning Pain

What 2 placebo-controlled studies found for knee and heel pain

Read the transcript

Your knees wake up before you do.

That first step out of bed. The slow walk to the coffee. The pills by the sink, just to get going.

Meet ActiPatch®. It's drug-free and FDA-cleared for musculoskeletal pain. Gentle electromagnetic pulses calm overactive pain signals while you sleep, and you won't feel a thing.

In a placebo-controlled knee arthritis study, pain dropped about 25%, compared with about 4% on placebo. And 26% stopped their pain pills, compared with 3%.

For heel pain, a separate placebo-controlled study found morning pain fell 40%, compared with 7%.

Get your mornings back. No pills, no pain. Order today at ActiPatch.com. Free shipping on every order through December 31.

ActiPatch®, from the team at Electrome.

Free shipping offer ends December 31, 2026 (midnight HST), US addresses only. Individual results vary. ActiPatch® does not replace prescribed medication.

Scenes with actors are dramatizations.

The Lifter

How ActiPatch® works on a sore back, explained in about a minute

Read the transcript

Your back taps out before your legs do.

Set 3 of 5, and you're already racking it. Popping pain pills just to finish the session.

Here's how ActiPatch® works. Gentle electromagnetic pulses calm overactive pain signals, right where it hurts. You won't feel a thing.

Wear it under your gear or over it, for up to 720 hours. It's drug-free and FDA-cleared for musculoskeletal pain.

In a study of more than 1,300 people with back pain, average pain dropped about 40% within 7 days. A NASA review even ranked its technology first among non-invasive pain options.

Train hard. Recover smart. Leave the pills at home. Order today at ActiPatch.com. Free shipping on every order through December 31.

ActiPatch®, from the team at Electrome.

Free shipping offer ends December 31, 2026 (midnight HST), US addresses only. Individual results vary. ActiPatch® does not replace prescribed medication.

Scenes with actors are dramatizations.

The Golfer

Drug-free pain relief you can wear for all 18 holes of your next round

Read the transcript

What's under this polo is nobody's business.

Great drive. Terrible back. And by the back nine, you're sinking pain pills instead of putts. Over-the-counter, even prescription.

ActiPatch® goes on in the locker room in about 5 seconds. It's drug-free, FDA-cleared for musculoskeletal pain, and works under your polo or over it. Now, if only it could read the greens.

In a 6-month study, people reported 65% less pain in the first week, and it held. About half cut back on pain medication, including prescription opioids. More than 1 in 4 stopped altogether.

Fewer pills in the cupholder, more rounds on the calendar. Walk the course? There are knee and heel versions too.

Play all 18, and still make it to the 19th hole. No pills, no pain. Just wear the patch. Order today at ActiPatch.com. Free shipping on every order through December 31.

ActiPatch®, from the team at Electrome.

Free shipping offer ends December 31, 2026 (midnight HST), US addresses only. Individual results vary. ActiPatch® does not replace prescribed medication.

Scenes with actors are dramatizations.

Where does it hurt?

Choose an area to see how to wear ActiPatch®.

Where should the patch go?

No area selected.

One ActiPatch® device. Any of these areas.

Shop ActiPatch®

Browse all pain guides

What the research found

More than a decade of published, peer reviewed results that have held up.

ActiPatch® has been tested in 4 controlled trials covering more than 350 patients, a UK registry with 5,000 user assessments, a 1,394 person chronic back pain registry and a 6 month follow up study of 240 chronic pain sufferers.

The device has not changed since those trials. FDA reviewed the trial evidence in 2017, when it first cleared ActiPatch® for over the counter use, and again in January 2020, when it cleared ActiPatch® for adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain and recorded that no device modifications had been made.

Controlled trials compare ActiPatch® with a placebo device. Surveys and registries collect what users reported themselves, with no placebo group, so they do not prove cause. Individual results vary.

  1. 1Volunteers are split into two groups
  2. 2One group wears ActiPatch®, the other a look-alike device
  3. 3Researchers compare the two groups

Placebo-controlled trial. Results on ActiPatch® are compared with an identical placebo device.

  1. 1Users choose to answer questions
  2. 2Each describes their own experience
  3. 3Answers are collected without a placebo group

Customer survey or registry. Users report their own results. There is no placebo group.

  • Randomized trial · Knee osteoarthritis

    26%

    Stopped pain meds, vs 3% on placebo

    Knee osteoarthritis patients wore it 12 hours a day for a month. 8 of 30 on ActiPatch® stopped NSAIDs or painkillers, compared with 1 of 30 on an identical placebo device.

    Rheumatology (Oxford), 2016

    Read the study (opens in a new tab)

  • Randomized trial · Plantar fasciitis

    40%

    Less morning heel pain in 7 days

    Plantar fasciitis patients wore it overnight for a week. Morning pain fell 40% on ActiPatch® versus 7% on placebo (70 people). Part of the evidence FDA reviewed for the 2017 clearance, and again for the 2020 clearance.

    Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery, 2012

    Read the study (opens in a new tab)

  • User registry · Chronic pain, UK

    65%

    Reported a meaningful pain drop

    Of about 5,000 UK users who rated a 7-day trial, 65% reported pain down 2 or more points on a 0 to 10 scale. Their pain fell 57% on average.

    Pain Management, 2015

    Read the study (opens in a new tab)

  • 6-month follow-up · Chronic pain

    52%

    Cut pain meds a lot or a fair amount

    240 users who got relief in week 1 were followed for 6 months. 52% reduced their medication meaningfully and about 28% stopped analgesics altogether.

    Pain Research and Management, 2019

    Read the study (opens in a new tab)

  • 3-month follow-up · Chronic pain

    67%

    Cut pain meds moderately to completely

    Users followed for 3 months, including opioid users, reported moderate to complete elimination of pain medication. 70% also slept better, 74% were more active and 84% reported better quality of life.

    BioElectronics follow-up data

    See the survey data (opens in a new tab)

  • Customer survey · US and Canada

    72%

    of users taking pain medication reduced it

    In the manufacturer's US and Canada customer survey, 70% of responders were taking pain medication. Of those, 72% reported using less, and average pain relief was 50%.

    BioElectronics survey, 2012

    View the survey (opens in a new tab)

What newer, independent research says

ActiPatch® belongs to the family of pulsed electromagnetic therapies. Independent research groups have kept studying that family, and their recent reviews point the same way as the ActiPatch® trials.

  • Meta-analysis · 2020

    Osteoarthritis pain

    16 placebo controlled trials pooled in Physical Therapy found a large, clinically significant effect of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy on pain, with smaller gains in stiffness and function.

    Read the review (opens in a new tab)

  • Systematic review · 2023

    Low back pain

    9 randomized trials with 420 patients, reviewed at the Medical University of Vienna: the therapy was safe, and 5 of the 9 trials reported significant pain and function gains, especially alongside physical therapy.

    Read the review (opens in a new tab)

  • Meta-analysis · 2025

    Shoulder pain

    4 randomized trials with 252 patients, pooled in PLOS ONE, showed clinically significant short term pain relief and better function that lasted.

    Read the review (opens in a new tab)

These reviews cover a range of pulsed electromagnetic devices and protocols, not ActiPatch® alone. Results vary by device, condition and person.

See all the clinical evidence (opens in a new tab)

Explore the manufacturer's collection of studies, surveys, and charts.

Compare everyday use

Everyday convenience features of ActiPatch® PSWT, conventional TENS, HFIT (Hinge Enso) and NMES. Not an overall device ranking.
Everyday featureActiPatch®TENSHFITNMES
No skin padsYesNoNoNo
Over thin clothingYesNoNoNo
All-day wearYesNoNoNo
No app neededYesYesNoYes
No external wiresYesVariesYesVaries
No charging or battery changesYesNoNoNo

ActiPatch® Model 088; HFIT: Hinge Enso. TENS and NMES: typical units; app and wireless options vary. ActiPatch®: up to 720 operating hours.

Compares convenience, not pain-relief effectiveness.

Shop ActiPatch®View full comparison

Less pain. More everyday life.

ActiPatch® offers drug-free, wearable relief for everyday musculoskeletal pain, including back, knee, shoulder, neck, foot and heel pain, and muscle and joint aches.

Wear it for hours as directed, with no drugs, no appointments to use it, and up to 720 therapy hours per device.

Rest and recharge

When pain eases, it can be easier to settle down for sleep and feel ready for the day.

Keep your independence

When pain eases, it can be easier to stay active, manage everyday tasks, and focus at work.

Make room for connection

When pain eases, it can be easier to enjoy family and friends, nurture relationships, and make space for a brighter mood.

In a 6-month ActiPatch® follow-up, 60% reported better sleep and 53% were more active.

Staelin, Koneru, and Rawe (2019) followed 240 users who had relief in week 1. Self-reported, with no placebo group. Individual results vary.

Read the ActiPatch® research and its limitations

Mood and relationship benefits are possibilities of less pain, not measured ActiPatch® results.

ActiPatch® is FDA cleared (510(k) K192234) for over-the-counter adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain.

From the evidence library

What does the evidence show?

ActiPatch® is FDA cleared (510(k) K192234) for over-the-counter adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain. These counts cover selected ActiPatch® clinical publications, not laboratory studies or studies of other devices. Study conditions and protocols differ, and individual results vary.

Published records
6
Each paper counted once
Randomized controlled trials
3
Library design label: RCT
Publication years
2012–2021
Earliest to latest record
What do clearance and research tell us?

FDA clearance identifies the device's permitted use; it is not an endorsement or a guarantee of results. The ActiPatch® pain trials did not measure circulation, tissue repair, or inflammation.

Read the FDA clearance record (opens in a new tab)

How soon might I notice a difference?

Individual experiences vary. Many people report noticing relief within a few hours; for some, it can take up to four days of consistent wear. Keep following the package directions and do not change medications or prescribed care without speaking with your healthcare provider.

RCT2016 · Rheumatology (Oxford)

Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial

Bagnato GL, Miceli G, Marino N, Sciortino D, Bagnato GF

In a four-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled ActiPatch® trial in knee osteoarthritis, 66 people were randomized and 60 completed the study. The investigators reported improvements in pain and physical function compared with placebo. Participants wore the device 12 hours a day.

Read the source publication(opens in a new tab)
RCT2012 · Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery

Pulsed Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field Therapy: A Potential Novel Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis

Brook J, Dauphinee DM, Korpinen J, Rawe IM

A seven-day, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial studied nightly use for plantar fasciitis. Among 70 participants who completed the study, the active-treatment group reported a greater reduction in morning pain than the placebo group.

Read the source publication(opens in a new tab)
Pain-medication use

In a 4-week neck-pain trial, ActiPatch® users took fewer rescue painkiller doses than the prescription-drug comparison group.

200 adults with neck osteoarthritis: 6.7 rescue paracetamol doses with ActiPatch® versus 13.4 with etoricoxib. This single-center, manufacturer-funded trial was not blinded and had no sham group. The ActiPatch® group was older and had more pain at baseline.

Use alongside prescribed care. Ask your clinician before changing medicines.

Read the published study(opens in a new tab)

Evidence describes study results, not a promise of the same result for everyone. This is not medical advice.

Explore the full evidence library

Want the details?

How the signal works, how to wear it, and the full research live on their own pages.

Smiling woman wearing an ActiPatch® loop and control unit taped over thin leggings on her right knee
Worn over thin leggings, with the loop around the knee.

  1. Step 1

    Switch it on

    Remove the white tab, then press and hold the button for 1 to 2 seconds. The green light shows it is on.

  2. Step 2

    Circle the pain

    Place the loop so it encircles the source of your pain. One device covers one area at a time.

  3. Step 3

    Secure and wear

    Hold it with the included tape or a wrap, on skin or over thin clothing. Wear 12 to 24 hours per day.

Read the full directions for use

Beyond pain · Healing research

What pulsed electromagnetic therapy does in the body

Pulsed electromagnetic therapy has also been studied in wounds, in the skin cells that close them, and in blood vessels. These studies used other pulsed devices, some at different frequencies from ActiPatch®.

  • Studied in: surgical wounds

    Randomized trial · 72 women

    Better wound healing by day 7

    After cesarean section, women treated with a pulsed electromagnetic device had better wound healing at day 7, with no fluid, redness, or swelling, than women with a sham device. Half as many had severe pain in the first day, and they used about half the painkillers.

    Studied with RecoveryRx®, a prescription-only device.

    Khooshideh et al., Clin J Pain 2017 (opens in a new tab)Read the full write-up
  • Studied in: skin cells in a dish

    Lab study · Human skin cells

    Fibroblasts closed a wound gap faster

    Fibroblasts are the cells that rebuild skin. Fibroblasts taken from slow-healing leg ulcers grew faster and closed a scratch "wound" in the dish faster after a 27.1 MHz pulsed field, catching up to cells from healthy skin.

    Costantini et al., Bioengineering 2024 (opens in a new tab)Read the full write-up
  • Studied in: blood vessels

    Randomized trial · Mayo Clinic

    PEMF improved blood vessel function

    People with high blood pressure used a pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) device for 12 weeks or joined a control group. Arteries in the PEMF group widened better when blood flow increased, a key sign of healthy vessels, and their blood pressure dropped. The control group did not change.

    Stewart et al., J Clin Hypertens 2020 (opens in a new tab)Read the full write-up

ActiPatch® is FDA cleared for musculoskeletal pain, not for wound care. A separate prescription-only device, RecoveryRx®, is used for post-operative therapy. Talk to your clinician about any wound that isn't healing.For providersIn the provider portal, clinicians prescribe and order RecoveryRx® for post-operative use.My CareIn Consumer: My Care, people with a valid prescription order RecoveryRx®. ActiPatch® can be chosen and bought in both portals.Shop ActiPatch®For everyday muscle and joint pain, ActiPatch® is available without a prescription.

Choose your pack

Each device gives 720 therapy hours. More devices let you cover a second area or keep a spare.

  • ActiPatch® Single pack: 1 box

    Single pack

    1 device plus adhesive tape

  • ActiPatch® Double pack: 2 boxes

    Double pack

    2 devices plus adhesive tape

  • ActiPatch® Triple pack: 3 boxes

    Triple pack

    3 devices plus adhesive tape

  • Free shipping on ActiPatch® single, double, and triple packs (US addresses only, through December 31, 2026, midnight HST)
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Guest checkout, no account needed
See packs and prices

Read it yourself

Sources

ActiPatch® is FDA-cleared for over-the-counter adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain under 510(k) K192234 (opens in a new tab) (2020). Its first clearance, 510(k) K152432 (opens in a new tab) (2017), covered pain related to knee osteoarthritis and plantar fasciitis. Both fall under FDA product code PQY, nonthermal shortwave therapy for over-the-counter treatment of pain. As of October 23, 2026, FDA's 510(k) database lists no other clearances under that code. Both clearances are held by BioElectronics Corporation, which manufactures ActiPatch®. FDA clearance is not an endorsement or a guarantee of results. Survey and registry results are self-reported and have no placebo group. Individual results vary.

BioElectronics Corporation (opens in a new tab)

Pack contents, therapy hours, and wear guidance come from the manufacturer directions for use. Prices come from the live store.

The Pain Check is educational and is not a diagnosis or medical advice. Do not stop or change any medication without talking to your doctor or pharmacist.

Essential questions and safety

Do I need a prescription?

No. ActiPatch® is available over-the-counter (OTC). FDA first cleared it in 2017 (510(k) K152432) for knee osteoarthritis and plantar fasciitis, then in 2020 (510(k) K192234) for adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain.

What does adjunctive treatment mean?

It means ActiPatch® can be used alongside other treatments for musculoskeletal pain, including muscle and joint pain. Do not stop or change prescribed treatment without speaking with your healthcare professional.

How long does one device operate?

Each ActiPatch® device provides 720 therapy hours. If it runs continuously, that is approximately 30 days; intermittent use spreads those operating hours over a longer calendar period.

Will I feel anything while it is operating?

ActiPatch® is a self-contained, drug-free wearable with nothing to charge or pair, and it is designed for comfortable, continuous wear with no tingling sensation from the device. The indicator light confirms that the device is operating.

How soon can I notice pain relief?

Individual experiences vary. Many people report noticing relief within a few hours; for some, it can take up to four days of consistent wear. Keep following the package directions and do not change medications or prescribed care without speaking with your healthcare provider.

How do I position it?

Position the loop over the site of pain. Wear it directly on the skin with the included tape or a wrap, or over a thin layer of clothing such as a t-shirt or leggings. Avoid thick fabric between the device and the skin. Follow the package directions and do not wear the device in water.

Can I use more than one ActiPatch® device?

Yes. Use one ActiPatch® device per painful area, with each loop positioned over its own site of pain as the package directions describe.

How might ActiPatch® fit into everyday life?

ActiPatch® offers drug-free, wearable relief as an adjunctive treatment of musculoskeletal pain. Wear it for hours as directed, with up to 720 therapy hours per device and no appointments needed to use it. When pain eases, it can be easier to sleep, stay active, focus at work, and enjoy time with family and friends. Mood and relationship benefits are possibilities of less pain, not measured ActiPatch® results. Individual results vary.

The ActiPatch® clinical trials are from 2012 to 2017. Why nothing newer?

Because the device has not changed. ActiPatch® delivers the same 27.12 MHz pulsed shortwave signal, pulse pattern and dose it did in the trials, so those results still describe the product you buy today. FDA confirmed this in January 2020: its clearance summary records that no device modifications were made, and it cleared ActiPatch® for over the counter use for musculoskeletal pain on the same controlled trials it reviewed in 2017. Independent reviews of pulsed electromagnetic therapy published from 2020 to 2025 are summarized in the research section above.

Who should not use it

  • Do not use if you have a cardiac pacemaker, implanted defibrillator, or other active implanted metallic or electronic device.
  • Do not use if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant.
  • Not for use by or on children under 17.
  • Do not use for sudden or unexplained pain, or if the cause of the pain is unknown. Not for pain deep in the body such as the chest or stomach, and not for cancer-related pain.
  • The device is not sterile. Do not place it in direct contact with open wounds.
  • Check in with your doctor if the pain changes, gets worse, or isn't easing after a few weeks. If you are under a doctor's care, consult your doctor before use.

Full safety informationMore answers in Help