Iontophoresis - Pulsed vs Direct Current

I recently purchased a Hidrex ionotphoresis machine and had used it for a few weeks with only a very minor reduction in sweating (I suffer from severe palmar/plantar HH). I'd say overall, the treatments had been ineffective.

About a week ago I decided to change the pulsed current setting to direct current, and immediately I noticed a reduction in my sweating, more so then I had experienced with a few weeks of treatment on the pulsed current setting. The reduction was noticeable, but they were not completely dry. After about a week the sweating started to return to almost full rate and I tried another 20 min session on the direct current setting. It's been two days and again my hands and feet are about 75-80% sweat free.

To me, this is proof enough that there is a distinct difference in effectiveness when pulsed current and direct current are compared.

I am not saying that direct current is more effective, but I AM saying that it was definitely more effective FOR ME. For those of you who have failed to see results when using iontophoresis, it's possible that if you were using pulsed current, switching to direct current may finally net you the results you were hoping for.

Up until my purchase of the Hidrex machine, I had been using a Drionic unit (which uses direct current only) with success since 2008. The fact that I always used the Drionic, which uses direct current, with success for almost 5 years and then failed to see results with pulsed current and then saw results again when I switched back to direct current is further evidence that direct current is more effective for me, and possibly for others.

Thanks for sharing your results. I'm curious, why did you switch from the Drionic to the Hidrex? Also what does the pulsed current feel like compared to direct?

Pulsed current feels way more comfortable. You don't feel the current like you do with straight DC. I used DC since 2005 had very good results until about year ago. Since that time I started using non-pulsed on one hand, pulsed on the other. Recently switched to pulse on both hands.

The results are identical for ME. It all depends on your body chemistry. Ionto used to work close to 100% for me and now it doesn't. Other factors come into play outside of the water issue. In my case it's extreme Fibromyalgia, climate, even altitude seems to impact MY ionto effectiveness.

Sprawling,

Just curious: are you on any medications for your fibromyalgia? Sometimes, medications can interfere with the effectiveness of iontophoresis.

Amherst

Amherst said:

Sprawling,

Just curious: are you on any medications for your fibromyalgia? Sometimes, medications can interfere with the effectiveness of iontophoresis.

Amherst

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Yes, been taking several non-narcotic pain meds for several years. It's only within the last year or so that ionto hasn't been working as well. It does dry out my hands when fully relaxed. Sweating in social situations provokes the sweating even more, yet it would be way worse than if I didn't do ionto.

I'm sure that you're aware that some pain meds, even ibuprofen,
can increase sweating, but usually only if taken in truly copious
quantities. Many patients with fibromyalgia also complain of
excessive sweating, but fibromyalgia seems to be one of those
"black hole" conditions where there is just no consensus about
what causes it. I'm really sorry to hear of your struggles with
this condition.

What you say is quite true and I realize that my sweating is very much tied to the fibromyalgia. Fibro messes with my already screwed up nervous system.

hyp-hi said:

Thanks for sharing your results. I'm curious, why did you switch from the Drionic to the Hidrex? Also what does the pulsed current feel like compared to direct?

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I switched to the Hidrex because it plugs into any outlet and doesn't require batteries like the Drionic. I also wanted to try a pulsed current ionto device and Hidrex seemed like one of the more popular pulsed current devices. It's also easier to clean/maintain, store away and there are more options that you can control vs the Drionic. Basically it's easier to use and care for. The Drionic always developed this disgusting gunk in the corners and in the ridges that separate the two parts of the units if you didn't clean it after every single use.

Also, because of the design of the Drionic, there was always a strip across my palm that still sweated even when the rest of my hand was dry. It was kinda funny to see but a little annoying. The Hidrex has better build quality but I have to admit, I've never had a problem with the Drionic unit in the nearly 5 years I've owned it and I always got positive results.

As mentioned above, pulsed current is much more tolerable for most people compared to direct current. You basically don't feel anything. Maybe a little tingling but nothing the average person couldn't handle without a doubt.

Personally, I don't find direct current painful at all, like some people do. I did a little when I first started using iontophoresis back in 2008 but even then it didn't bother me all that much. The itching I get around the waterline mark on my skin can be annoying but that goes away pretty quickly. There's also lotion that can solve that. Only time it hurts is when I have a cut and then it hurts like a bitch! I solve that by smearing some vaseline over the cut or even chapstick.

I use both direct and pulsed current. But I find that iontophoresis is
much more painful in the winter, when the indoor and outdoor
humidity levels are significantly lower. Where I live in the American Midwest,
the dew-points are routinely about 72 degrees (22 Celsius); our
indoor humidity is over 50 percent (even with central air). As a result,
iontophoresis is painless. But when the humidity drops below about 30 percent, my skin dries out fairly quickly and I get more abrasions and cuts, especially on the hands.

i think you know this sites iontophoresis-device.com it is one of the top sites for the theme iontophoresis and they are not manufactorer dependend cause they sell different brands .. all other shops mostly sell only one machine

I still say that all the ionto devices on the market are way overpriced. I would stick with an off label machine. I've been doing ionto since 2005, so I do have experience.

I've suffered with HH since about age 6 that I can remember, and that's before the Fibromyalgia.

Started with a used Drionic, then purchased a used Fischer MD-1A and now love the pulsed "Ultra-G Digital Galvanic Stimulator." I know it's easy to be skeptical. Several people have emailed me privately who were willing to go with the galvanic stimulator.
If I didn't feel strongly about it, I wouldn't keep repeating myself. All of the name brand machines are Galvanic Stimulators. Some are pulsed, others are not. I've used both pulsed and non-pulsed. Paying $700 or more for one of these machines is insane.

Sprawling said:

I still say that all the ionto devices on the market are way overpriced. I would stick with an off label machine. I've been doing ionto since 2005, so I do have experience.

I've suffered with HH since about age 6 that I can remember, and that's before the Fibromyalgia.

Started with a used Drionic, then purchased a used Fischer MD-1A and now love the pulsed "Ultra-G Digital Galvanic Stimulator." I know it's easy to be skeptical. Several people have emailed me privately who were willing to go with the galvanic stimulator.
If I didn't feel strongly about it, I wouldn't keep repeating myself. All of the name brand machines are Galvanic Stimulators. Some are pulsed, others are not. I've used both pulsed and non-pulsed. Paying $700 or more for one of these machines is insane.

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Have to agree with Sprawling. Not about the Ultra-G as I haven't got any personal experience with it as yet, but about paying $700 for a unit. I'm using a homemade unit and my inital purchase of 4 6V lantern batteries is still going strong. Can get another 4 for $40. And since the first set have lasted 3 months to date - I'm not sure I'll switch to something else when I know this works...

Good luck,

can you give me a quote of the output and frequency of this:
Ultra-G Digital Galvanic Stimulator

thre are huge differences in the currents...

Look it up online. All I can say is I've been using this machine as my primary treatment for years now. All of the named brand overpriced machined give you almost zero info.

I've been treating my palmar HH for seven years with an Idromed 5 PC(Pulsed current ) machine.Yes, the machine has its price -but it is built to last a lifetime . I have never had any problems with it.It is very easy to use and the treatments are painless. When treating you should feel a slight tingling sensation which lets you know that you are treating correctly.this machine got my hands dry and it now helps me maintain the dryness.I personally think that the question of direct current versus pulsed current is a very individual one ,it comes down to what works for you.

Keep in mind that money should not be a factor in treating palmer HH. There are so many alternatives and ways to make an Ionto machine without expensive batteries. Many people have posted many different ideas over the years.

I'll be going on 11 years of treatment. I did have at least a year where treatment of any kind only helped maybe 50%. There are certain people where ionto will just not work under any conditions configurations, water quality etc.

I do maintenance treatment once a week and my hands as of lately remain 95-100% dry. Ionto has opened up my world of experiences. When my hands are dry and and I shake hands with people I can't believe the amount of people that get moist hands.

I haven't been on here in a long time. I saw this post and was going to answer it and then I realized I was the one that created the post 4 years ago lol.

Still using the Hidrex. Still having success with it. Had success using the Drionic but it was a cheap machine, not as effective and more painful.

I'm really bad for keeping up with treatments so I almost never do maintenance treatments and wait until my sweating returns and becomes a nuisance and starts affecting my daily life before I force myself to clean the thing and start treatments again. Horrible for leaving the thing once I'm done using it and it will literally sit there until all the water has evaporated lol. I know, gross.

It always works though. I usually do 2 to 3 sessions, 40 min each, switching polarities after 20 min, and then I always end up being lazy and stop the sessions, even though the sweating hasn't stopped. Then, after 3 or 4 days after my last session, my hands stop sweating all of a sudden. I don't know why there is a delay but that is almost always how I do my treatments. 2 or 3 sessions and then stop due to laziness. Then sweating stops 3 or 4 days later. Anyone else ever notice this? Also, my feet stop sweating when my hands stop sweating. I've never treated my feet before.

Anyways, hope everyone is doing well and for those who haven't found a treatment that works for them, keep searching and here's hoping that someday a cure is found.