Sellers of Physiokey devices continue the illegal use of our reputation and SCENAR trademark to promote their products. (For example: http://www.scenar.de, https://scenar.ch/physiokey/  (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2).

Fig.1

Fig. 2

The manufacturer of Physiokey devices recently stopped the illegal use of SCENAR trademark on his website (https://www.keyserie.com).  

Such sellers’ actions lead to misleading patients who start to think that Physiokey is SCENAR. Below is the example of the consequences of such misleading.

This website of one of the practicing therapists (https://www.atemhaus.com/index.php/physiokey) states that Physiokey and SCENAR have similar treatment possibilities (Fig.3), and this is not the sole example.

Fig. 3

This is the reason why we have to continue the series of publications with the common headline “Physiokey is not SCENAR” and explain why it is incorrect to use the Physiokey device for SCENAR therapy without prior clinical studies.

In this material we speak about the electrodes. Besides the built in electrode, there are external electrodes manufactured for SCENAR devices that can be connected to SCENAR device. The main purpose of such electrodes is the treatment of skin areas that cannot be reached with the built-in electrode or areas that are remote from each other. For the second case there are different models of spaced electrodes that have one common connecting plug.

The size and shape of these electrodes should depend on the size of the treatment zone and geometry of the human body. For the treatment of hairy parts of the body there should be special comb electrodes.

Although these requirements are obvious, they are not taken into account in the Physiokey electrodes. Their model line is very strict. Thus, the Physiokey device lacks:

• the electrodes for treatment of large areas;
• the spaced electrodes;
• the electrodes intended for the treatment of periorbital zones and points (zone around eyes);
• the electrodes for treatment of point-like areas, including the acupuncture and auricular points;
• the electrodes for assessing the initial reaction in the acupuncture points.

There are some less obvious but still very important requirements besides the electrode shapes that are caused by the technology of SCENAR therapy. The electrodes should not be massive, and their electrical capacity should not exceed the particular value. The last one is particularly important. Following that rule allows maintaining the dynamic properties of the pulse and its shape when using the external electrode.

 The reason is that if the electrode is massive, its application to the skin can cause the mechanical irritation that can significantly compete with the electric irritation, turning the electroneurostimulator into a trivial mechanical massager. The wrong electrical characteristics of the electrode can lead into:

• the pulse losing its ability to change in accordance to the skin impedance;
• corrupt pulse shape.

 These two factors are enough to turn the professional SCENAR device into a regular TENS, though with a relatively high voltage pulse (TENS of HVPC type). 

The Physiokey electrodes are much more massive, their weight is significantly higher than of the same types of SCENAR electrodes, and their electrical capacity significantly exceeds the maximum value for SCENAR devices. These facts do not allow using the Physiokey electrodes to perform SCENAR therapy techniques, even if they are connected to a SCENAR device. 

Physiokey is not SCENAR.