At first, Christine Millbank found the pain in her knee bearable, if a little irritating. But as the months passed and it grew worse, she began to struggle with everyday tasks – let alone walking her energetic German shepherd Millie.
After visiting her GP and being referred for scans, the former hairdresser, 75, from Berkshire, was diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee – a common condition caused by cartilage gradually wearing away, leading to pain and reduced mobility.
Doctors told her the only way to be rid of the pain was to have a knee replacement operation. ‘I was loathe to go down that route,’ said Christine. ‘The idea of surgery was daunting, to say the least.’
Today, however, Christine is pain-free – and she didn’t have to go under the knife.
Her relief came via a £300 device originally developed to treat racehorses. Known as the Arc4Health, the machine is one of several similar devices that use mild electrical currents to heal tissue and reduce pain.
The pain in Christine’s knee caused her to struggle with everyday tasks – let alone walking her energetic German shepherd Millie
‘I was desperate for relief and I had heard of the device from my daughter, who’d used it for her horses,’ said Christine.
‘When I heard the company also sold a human one, I decided to give it a try.
‘Within six weeks the pain in my knee had gone down massively and a twinge of pain that had just started in the other knee went away completely. It was amazing.’
The device is about the size of a TV remote control and sits in a Velcro cuff – similar to those used with blood pressure monitors – that straps around a leg or arm.
It is initially worn for three hours a day for six weeks and users don’t feel anything while it’s on. The imperceptible pulses it delivers through electrode pads on the skin stimulate tissue repair, help manage pain and fight inflammation, the company claims.
Research has suggested this kind of treatment, called microcurrent therapy, can help with a range of muscle and joint problems – from shoulder, knee and back pain to sinus issues – and may even speed up healing from injuries.
A 2001 study in the American Journal of Pain Management looked at 1,949 patients using microcurrent therapy for pain relief. Ninety-three per cent saw a significant reduction in discomfort from conditions such as localised back pain, migraine headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome.
It sounds unlikely and critics suggest the benefits may be little more than a placebo.
Yet studies have shown horses with career-ending injuries made a full recovery using the device.
In people, alongside pain relief and improved healing – demonstrated in randomised clinical trials – it has also been shown to reduce symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME).
Some Long Covid patients have also claimed the therapy eased their symptoms. A study by the company in 2023 found that 53 per cent of Arc4Health users with Long Covid – which can cause extreme tiredness, heart palpitations and concentration issues – said the device reduced fatigue.
Other symptoms such as breathlessness and altered senses of smell and taste also improved, the research found.
While working as a GP in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, Dr Clive Dewing, who is now medical director of Arc4Health, often recommended the device to patients with muscle injuries or chronic pain.
‘The theory is that the electrical currents stimulate cells to produce ATP, the energy capsules stored in our cells,’ he explained.
‘This helps repair muscle and reduces inflammation and pain.’
After the initial six-week course, patients are advised to continue on different schedules depending on their needs.
Christine now uses the device just two or three times a year, which is enough to keep her knee pain at bay.
Her relief came via a £300 device originally developed to treat racehorses
Known as the Arc4Health, the machine is one of several similar devices that use mild electrical currents to heal tissue and reduce pain
But some experts remain sceptical. ‘For this particular device, it appears that there are only a few very small trials, which are focused on whether the devices help people lessen muscle aches upon working out,’ said Dr Franziska Denk, senior lecturer at King’s College London.
‘This is much too small to draw any conclusions as to whether these devices work. There is no biological reason to think that these devices would have such a big impact on pain.’
Doncaster-based GP Dr Dean Eggitt agrees it ‘makes sense’ that the device might have some benefit – but says expectation may play a role.
‘We know that sending a weak electrical current through the skin does reduce pain locally and improve muscle strength over time but the placebo effect can also be very powerful,’ he said.
‘I wonder whether the amazing anecdotes we hear reflect the power of expectation therapy over the power of electric current therapy.’
Placebo or not, for Arc4Health user Jean Arnould the relief has been life-changing.
Debilitating osteoporosis of the spine had left former finance worker Jean, 67, in constant pain, making even walking or showering difficult.
‘Everything was painful – even turning over in bed,’ she said.
But after a friend with similar chronic pain recommended the device, Jean says her life has transformed.
‘I started using it on a Monday and by Tuesday the discomfort was gone – I couldn’t believe it,’ she said.
‘I use it regularly now whenever the pain gets bad. It’s not a cure but it’s a huge help.’