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Article What is SCENAR therapy?

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More and more people are becoming aware of SCENAR therapy – a revolutionary treatment method which is slowly becoming increasingly popular.

A few years ago it was even featured on A Current Affair.

This unique device was developed in Russia, initially for the rehabilitation of astronauts coming back from space. It quickly became obvious how effective SCENAR therapy was for general rehab purposes and soon a large number of doctors and physiotherapists were using the SCENAR to treat their patients in many European countries.

Unlike the way it sounds phonetically SCENAR is not a scanning device, which a lot of people associate it with when they hear the term. In fact SCENAR is an acronym which stands for Self-Controlled Energy Neuro Adaptive Regulator.

The tool itself is a small, hand-held device that can be applied to most problem areas which are causing pain to an individual. Electrical pulses are sent from the device which interact with the nerves of the painful region.

The individual being treated should feel a tingling sensation which may be slightly uncomfortable, but not painful. The intensity can be adjusted without any impact on the therapeutic effect, so you do not have to endure a torturous treatment session!

Locally (i.e. at the site of pain) SCENAR is able to stimulate the muscles and blood vessels in order to improve blood flow and reduce swelling, inflammation and, importantly, pain. More globally (i.e. around the body) SCENAR can have positive effects on the nervous, endocrine and immune systems.

How does SCENAR therapy achieve this?

The device’s interaction with nerves, and therefore the central nervous system, will help reduce the pain response being elicited. Additionally, the increase in local blood flow means more oxygen, nutrients and other factors such as cytokines and other anti-inflammatory mediators being directed to the site of pain, increasing the rate of healing.

Once the pain levels are reduced, additional treatments such as specific exercises may be given to supplement and prolong the effect of SCENAR therapy in order to improve the strength, stability and mobility of the area being treated in an effort to avoid any recurrence of the issue.

Typically, you should see a good, measurable improvement after 3 sessions of SCENAR treatment. A full course of treatment can, however, last up to 12 sessions or more, depending on the nature of the injury and whether it is just an acute pain, or a more stubborn chronic condition.

What conditions can SCENAR therapy help with?

  •    Muscle and joint pain (including back and neck pain)
  •    Headaches
  •    Osteoarthritis
  •    Irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, gastritis and lazy gut
  •    Asthma, bronchitis
  •    Many functional, unexplained conditions where serious pathology has been ruled out yet the symptoms remain.

Exciting SCENAR therapy facts

  • The treatment is completely pain-free and safe
  • Effects are felt after a maximum of three sessions
  • No negative side effects
  • Very few contraindications

A word of caution

With SCENAR being relatively new in Australia, there are currently very few professional and regulatory requirements to fulfil to become a SCENAR therapist. Therefore, it is important to thoroughly research any therapist you wish to see. This allows you to make an informed decision about who you are receiving treatment from.

Seeing a qualified physiotherapist who is also a certified SCENAR therapist will ensure that you will receive the best possible treatment. Even though SCENAR therapy has virtually no negative side effects and very few contraindications it’s very important that your physiotherapist conducts a thorough diagnostic assessment, including an analysis of your medical history, in order to determine whether SCENAR therapy is the right treatment for you.

Have you tried SCENAR therapy? Share with us below.

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Comments

  • We have used biofeedback therapy and agree biofeedback therapy and agree that this treatment is completely painless and safe. By the way, ENART 900 series devices https://enart.info/en/biofeedback-devices/enart-devices/ have more features and are much easier to control!

    Reply

  • Wow, absolutely amazing. So glad it’s not just used on astronauts as lots of people would benefit from it

    Reply

  • I wonder would it be good for internal healing after an operation.

    • SCENAR therapy is generally very effective for post-operative rehabilitation, however to answer your question fully I would need to know what kind of surgery it was and what the major issues are now, e.g. pain, lack of mobility etc. If you are just asking in general whether it speeds up the recovery time after surgeries then the answer is yes. You can reply to me here or send an email to healthpointphysiotherapy@gmail.com if you have any other questions.

    Reply

  • wow this sounds like an awesome treatment. Sort of reminds me of a TENs machine in theory?

    would be great for my husband, so will do some more research on it and find someone who does it here

    • It’s actually quite different to TENS. Previously TENS was often used to reduce pain, however new research indicates that it’s more effective for muscle strengthening when the person can’t do active exercises, e.g. post stroke rehabilitation. Interferential therapy has now basically replaced TENS for pain relief purposes.

      SCENAR and interferential both work on the principle of improving the blood supply to the affected area which in turn brings in more oxygen which helps to accelerate the healing process. However interferential is only used for pain relief while SCENAR not only reduces pain but also inflammation. We use all three in our practice, just depends on the patient’s condition.

      Where are you located? Our practice is in East Brighton, Melbourne, however if this is too far for you I know a few very experiences practitioners in other areas who use SCENAR therapy.

    Reply

  • I’ve never heard of it either !
    I will ask my neighbor -who is a physiotherapist- if she’s familiar with it and uses it in their practice.

    • Yes, a lot of people have not heard of it. SCENAR has been used very effectively for many years in a lot of European countries and is now becoming more popular in Australia. Here is the link to the Current Affair program which featured SCENAR therapy.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtGTile9faU

      You have to be a certified SCENAR therapist as well as physiotherapist in order to be able to use this method. I did my physiotherapy training in Australia and my SCENAR therapy course in Russia where the method was developed.

      Unfortunately a lot of physiotherapists in Australia have the mind set of only using soft tissue work, mobilisation and exercise prescription in their practice. While these treatments are very effective and we use them often in our practice there is a time and place for them which is also true of electrotherapy and SCENAR therapy. It’s important to have a thorough assessment first, on the basis of which the physiotherapist will decide which treatment will be the most effective one for your particular condition.

    Reply

  • What an incredible treatment, I suffer from osteoporosis and don’t take painkillers, this treatment sounds relatively safe!

    • Thank you for your comment. Yes, this treatment is very safe. There are some contraindications which we always check for during the initial assessment but they are very few. It is certainly indicated for osteoporosis. Which joints does it mainly affect in your case? If you like you can send me an email (healthpointphysiotherapy@gmail.com) and we can discuss it in more detail.

    Reply

  • I’ve never heard of it and never tried it. It looks amazing! And it seems like it can treat a lot of different symptoms.

    • Yes, it’s a very good treatment which can be used for a wide range of conditions. The best thing is that it’s totally pain free.

    Reply

  • I have never heard of scenar therapy but it sound’s promising!

    • This treatment has been used successfully in many European countries but in Australia it’s relatively new. More and more therapists are starting to use it though which is certainly good news.

    Reply
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