Press Information
September 3, 2015
Philips Connected BlueTouch and PulseRelief with personalized treatment app give
pain sufferers increased control to maximize pain relief
Berlin, Germany – At this year’s Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA), taking place in Berlin,
Germany, from September 4-9, Royal Philips of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is
presenting innovations that empower people to live healthier lives across the health
continuum, from healthy living to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and home care. The
connected BlueTouch and PulseRelief with new app including personalized treatment diary,
offers pain sufferers a more flexible way to manage their pain and maximize pain relief for a
more active life. These unique and innovative devices can be app controlled from any iOS or
Android device. New treatment diary functionality makes it even easier to choose, control,
track and tailor pain relief, supporting pain sufferers to help reclaim their independence and
the activities they enjoy.
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Today’s modern living can affect our ability to be healthy, live well and enjoy life. One in five
of us suffer from chronic paini. This can have a significant impact on quality of life and makes
it difficult to maintain mobility, agility and an active lifestyle. Philips is constantly innovating to
help people take better care of themselves and their loved ones. Philips Pain Relief devices
combine clinically provenii, ground-breaking technologies designed to enable activity while
managing pain, with seamless app control and personalized treatment tracking and progress.
“Pain will affect almost all of us at some point in our lives, and not just when we get older – 70
per cent of chronic pain sufferers are under 60 years oldiii,” explains Dr. Elke Naujokat, Senior
Clinical Scientist, Philips Pain Relief. “Physical activity is beneficial for those suffering from
chronic musculoskeletal pain such as osteoarthritis of the knee or low back pain as it can help
to relieve pain and maintain mobility. This in turn helps to avoid or break the cycle of
persistent pain and inactivity in which other complications may be prevalentiv. The wireless
design of the Philips BlueTouch and PulseRelief products allows users to move freely during
the treatment sessions and the specially designed Philips Treatment App enables them to
easily adjust intensity and duration according to their individual needs on their smartphones.
The new treatment diary in the Treatment App allows them to review and optimize their
treatment, on their own or together with their physician or physiotherapist. ”
Philips connected BlueTouch
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September 3, 2015
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Among pain sufferers, back-pain occurs most frequentlyv. Offering natural, drug-free pain
relief from muscular back pain, Philips BlueTouch uses innovative blue light therapy delivered
simply and easily through the use of a wireless, wearable patch to aid recovery and repair of
damaged muscles and give soothing, beneficial warmth.
Clinically provenvi, the proprietary technology developed by Philips works by using 40 blue LED
lights to stimulate the release of the body’s own nitric oxide (NO). NO and warmth increase
local blood flow which supports the body’s natural recovery processes, enhancing nutrient
and oxygen supply as well as metabolite removal. This has an immediate relaxing effect on
strained muscles.
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Results of Philips BlueTouch registry reveal that it can significantly improve the quality of life
for pain sufferers, with almost two thirds of patients showing at least 30 per cent pain relief
after two weeks of treatmentvii. The connected Philips BlueTouch offers control via a
smartphone or tablet, where you can select from a range of treatments and start and stop as
needed. Intensity levels (light and temperature) can be chosen according to preference, and
the new app includes a diary to track the progress of treatments. One push of the diary
function gives a comprehensive overview of the user’s treatment history which can be used to
further optimize back pain treatment.
Philips PulseRelief
Offering wireless, app-controlled TENS (Transcutaneous Electronic Nerve Stimulation) therapy
for more comfort and complete freedom of movement the Philips PulseRelief helps relieve
mild to moderate chronic musculoskeletal pain. Easy and convenient to use, pain sufferers can
manage and personalize treatment from their smartphone or tablet according to their needs,
choosing from 15 programs and 60 intensity levels.
New treatment diary functionality on the app helps users track and optimize treatment
together with their healthcare professional or by themselves. Slim, lightweight and
comfortable to wear, including electrodes with patented hydrogel technology, Philips
PulseRelief lets people set-up and apply treatment throughout the day without the hassle of
wearing wires.
During TENS treatment, electrical pulses pass across the intact surface of the skin to stimulate
the underlying nerves and trigger the body’s natural ability to suppress pain. Pain signals to
the brain are blocked already at the level of the spine and the release of endorphins is
triggered. Philips PulseRelief uses unique, advanced technology for a comfortable sensation
during treatment. Proven to help pain reliefviii, Philips PulseRelief has been developed to let
people enjoy everyday activities while relieving pain, at home or out and about.
“With over 100 years’ experience in Health Care, Philips is committed to helping people enjoy
healthy living. We understand how debilitating pain and the treatment of pain can be. That’s
why we’ve developed products offering clinically provenix, natural pain relief” says Jasper
Vervoort, Category Leader for Philips Pain Relief. “Following major breakthroughs, such as the
development of Philips BlueTouch, we’ve now enhanced the specialized app which can be
used to control, personalize and track treatment on our connected products. We’re
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September 3, 2015
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supporting those who suffer from muscle pain, often caused by tension, stress and overuse in
daily life, and musculoskeletal pain to live their life without compromise.”
The Philips BlueTouch and PulseRelief products with new Treatment app will be available
from September 1st, 2015 in store and online.
For further information on the latest Philips innovations from IFA 2015, please visit
www.ifa.philips.com.
For further information, please contact:
Pravini Nathoo
Philips
+31 11 361 999
Pravini.Nathoo@philips.com
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About Royal Philips:
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused
on improving people's lives through meaningful innovation in the areas of Healthcare,
Consumer Lifestyle and Lighting. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips posted 2014 sales
of EUR 21.4 billion and employs approximately 106,000 employees with sales and services in
more than 100 countries. The company is a leader in cardiac care, acute care and home
healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as male
shaving and grooming and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at
www.philips.com/newscenter.
i
H. Breivik, B. Collett, V. Ventafridda, R. Cohen, D. Gallacher (2006). Survey of chronic pain in Europe: Prevalence,
impact on daily life, and treatment. European Journal of Pain 10, 287-333.
ii TensRelief – Source: M. Johnson, M. Martinson (2007). Efficacy of electrical nerve stimulation for chronic
musculoskeletal pain: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Pain 130, 157-165.
BlueTouch - Source: Prof. Dr. Hubert J. Bardenheuer (University Clinic Heidelberg, Germany), 24th
Interdisciplinary Congress on Pain Therapy and Palliative Care, Frankfurt/Main, Germany, lecture 7 March 2013 re
the use of BlueTouch for chronic musculoskeletal back pain
InfraCare – W. Siems, N. Bresgen, R. Brenke, R. Siems, M. Kitzing, H. Harting, P.M. Eckel (2010): Pain and mobility
improvement and MDA plasma levels in degenerative osteoarthritis, low back pain, and rheumatoid arthritis after
infrared A-irradiation” Acta Biochimica Polonica 57, 313–319
iii H. Breivik, B. Collett, V. Ventafridda, R. Cohen, D. Gallacher (2006). Survey of chronic pain in Europe: Prevalence,
impact on daily life, and treatment. European Journal of Pain 10, 287-333.
iv JWS Vlaeyen, SJ Morley, SJ Linton, K Boersma, J de Jong: Pain-related fear: Exposure-based treatment of chronic
pain. IASP Press 2012, Seattle, USA
v H. Breivik, B. Collett, V. Ventafridda, R. Cohen, D. Gallacher (2006). Survey of chronic pain in Europe: Prevalence,
impact on daily life, and treatment. European Journal of Pain 10, 287-333.
vi BlueTouch – Source: Prof. Dr. Hubert J. Bardenheuer (University Clinic Heidelberg, Germany), 24th
Interdisciplinary Congress on Pain Therapy and Palliative Care, Frankfurt/Main, Germany, lecture 7 March 2013 re
the use of BlueTouch for chronic musculoskeletal back pain
vii Überall MA, Müller-Schwefe GHH. Efficacy and tolerability of blue LED light in the therapy of low back pain and
shoulder/neck pain under everyday life conditions. Pain, 2014, Supplement 1, 71-2.
viii TensRelief – Source: M. Johnson, M. Martinson (2007). Efficacy of electrical nerve stimulation for chronic
musculoskeletal pain:A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Pain 130, 157-165.
ix TensRelief – Source: M. Johnson, M. Martinson (2007). Efficacy of electrical nerve stimulation for chronic
musculoskeletal pain: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Pain 130, 157-165.
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September 3, 2015
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BlueTouch - Source: Prof. Dr. Hubert J. Bardenheuer (University Clinic Heidelberg, Germany), 24th
Interdisciplinary Congress on Pain Therapy and Palliative Care, Frankfurt/Main, Germany, lecture 7 March 2013 re
the use of BlueTouch for chronic musculoskeletal back pain
InfraCare – W. Siems, N. Bresgen, R. Brenke, R. Siems, M. Kitzing, H. Harting, P.M. Eckel (2010): Pain
and mobility improvement and MDA plasma levels in degenerative osteoarthritis, low back pain, and
rheumatoid arthritis after infrared A-irradiation” Acta Biochimica Polonica 57, 313–319
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