Dear Diana,

I just realized that my reply isn't kind or loving. I apologize for its bluntness. Nothing personal is intended. It’s just that I get upset at all the quacks and huskers selling unlikely and unproven so-called remedies taking advantage of peoples' pain and suffering. Even if their remedies work, they're way overpriced. That $80 massager probably cost about $10 or less to make. The sellers know that the verbiage in the web site is overblown and manipulative and that there is no evidence for the massager's effectiveness. Otherwise, they would have included supportive scientific studies on their website.

Even if the unit works as advertised, the pricing is set to take advantage of sick people's desperation. An example of that is "The Rebuilder". I think it's very effective, and performs as advertised. Still, the original selling price was about $1,000, to take advantage of (meaning to gouge) Medicare. When Medicare stopped covering the exorbitant cost, Rebuilder Medical lowered the price to about $500. That's the price I paid for an early model. I've seen it since for as low as $300. It reduced my pain dramatically, but the price left a very sour taste in my mouth. The unit costs $30 at most to build...probably less. The company continues to gouge for vastly overpriced supplemental materials after the initial sale. I must however point out in good conscience that the company has provided superb support over the years and the unit has lasted for about 6 years of hard use.

I'll stick with my analysis in the first post, if not the tone. We have to be leery of crooks and charlatans taking advantage of our misery for their own enrichment, without providing relief and without promoting health in return.

I hope the bluntness of my reply didn’t upset you. May you and yours have a very happy Christmas or Chanukah, and a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year.