If you’re reading this post, you’re probably in pain, and are looking for something — anything — to help turn down the level on the pain. Signal Relief is the latest snake-oil product from nCAP. Heard of Kailo Pain relief patches? This is almost a clone product, being released by the same group of people connected with Kailo.
nCAP is not a new company. They had a previous nCAP product before “nCAP SIGNAL RELIEF“, but that product was on a shabby website that gave away the fact that this was a scam. After the massive success they had with Kailo, right now they are trying to copy the same slick marketing formula to sell yet more people a placebo product that does not have any scientific testing or evidence.
Don’t believe me yet? Read on…
nCAP Logo on Kailo Pain Relief Patch — they’ve done this all before…
What’s the risk with SIGNAL RELIEF pain patches? Why not give them a try?
They offer is a “100% satisfaction guaranteed” and a bunch of purely positive testimonials – how tempting! For any number of people, there will be some people for whom the placebo effect means that they do experience some level of pain relief — even when the product itself is a complete dud. Their sneaky business strategy means that even if only a few people keep the patches and don’t return them, their high price means that they still make a massive profit of desperate people in pain.
If you don’t mind being ‘tricked’ into some possible pain relief, and don’t mind paying $$$ for a piece of inactive plastic — go for it. Hey, I’ll even sell you my own bio-conductive dimagnetic copper tape magical pain relief tape for half their price… if you ask me nicely. 💸💸💸
How do SIGNAL RELIEF pain patches work?
Well, it doesn’t — and it can’t! The body’s nervous system is highly complex, and the signals from the nerves are extremely low-level.
- They claim it works by “Neuro Capacitive Coupling” – which is a real thing, but which requires active medical devices – e.g. devices like TENS or OsteoSpine – which are powered by batteries, and which have pads that must touch the skin to work. Unlike SIGNAL RELIEF, those products have been rigorously scientifically tested, and even then they certainly don’t claim the kinds of miraculous results that SIGNAL RELIEF is offering. Signal relief even claims to be able to alleviate Cerebral Palsy symptoms! If true, you would certainly have read about it in the news….
- There is no way a simple patch can detect which signals are pain and which are not. Try and pinch yourself — how can you tell when the signal stops being pressure and when it starts being pain? There is no difference in the kind of signal being sent.
- If this device really did work, then putting it over your heart could be extremely dangerous if it affected the heart’s nerve signals! Or putting it on your head could send you into a coma! Perhaps thankfully, this dud pain relief patch is no danger at all, except to your wallet.
- The body’s signals are so so weak, that we require extremely sensitive instruments to detect nerve signals with sensors placed on the skin. SIGNAL RELIEF claims to work through clothing, without touching the skin at all – impossible!
- Since the body’s nerve signals are weak, to detect them requires a sensitive amplifier — which requires power to operate. This patch has no power source!
- I’ve looked at the nCAP “technology” found in Kailo under an scanning electron microscope — and I can tell you, this device is just copper powder in a plastic sheet. No special “nano-technology” <insert buzzword> here!
Still don’t believe they are a scam? Have a read of my posts on Kailo Pain Relief — you’ll quickly see that these are just the same product under a different name and a new look…
Don’t say I didn’t warn you! Give these snake-oil salesmen your money at your own risk!
87 replies on “Is the Signal Relief pain relief patch a scam?”
Many thanks for your remarks. Like others I have
chronic pain and look for a magic bullet to gain
relief.
I bought and within 2 minutes years of pain was gone. It has been almost 3 weeks and still no pain. This works and I believe this scam review has a hidden agenda
Glad to hear it works for you… what hidden agenda do you think I have? I am a scientist (PhD) — I look for scientific evidence, not just anecdotes. The patches do not work for many people, and there is no scientific evidence of the claimed mechanism of action. If they did work, it would be easy for Signal Relief to do a clinical trial and become a fully validated healthcare product. This is the trouble for all placebo products — even though they don’t do anything, they will still work for a small portion of people! Thanks for your comment Henry.
I have severe sciatica. There is not a placebo in the world that would take my pain away in a few minutes. Today I took painkillers.. nothing.. tens unit.. nothing.. been walking around all afternoon because sitting is agony. I ordered this a week ago and thought I would try it this evening. After 3 minutes pain subsided. Certainly not in my head.
I am certainly not saying Rose that, anything is just in your head. If it removes the pain for you, great. What I am saying is that is not evidence that this patch is anything more than a placebo! The placebo effect is a real thing, and is a very significant effect! this is why they are able to offer a money back guarantee, and still make bank with this scam. Because the product does work for some people, but I do believe that it is a scam and is just a placebo.
Was ready 2 order till I came across ur article. Tks!
Thanks Mary, I’m glad you were not ‘relieved’ of your money! Best, Sam
Why doesn’t this falling under false advertising guidelines/protections against scams like this?
Hi Josh, great question.
Simple answer, there are two reasons:
(1) they have a fine-print disclaimer that dilutes many of their claims (see below).
The testimonials, statements, and opinions presented on our website are applicable to the individuals. Results will vary and may not be representative of the experience of others. The testimonials are voluntarily provided by actual customers. The testimonials are representative of the users experience but the exact results and experiences will be unique and individual to each user. Reviews containing references to drug names or submitted by non customers have been removed.
(2) They appear to be trying to avoid making statements of cure or treatment, they are likely hoping that they will not be assessed as a medical device, so the FDA will not regulate them.
nCAP Signal Relief is a General Wellness Technology and does not eliminate the cause of your pain, and is not a cure for disease, but it does provide a simple, reusable, wearable solution for pain relief to maintain an active lifestyle.
Why is it not false advertising? Well, they are very careful in the language they use, to never guarantee that you will see any results at all. Very sly.
I suffer phantom limb pain attacks I’m sorry to say after 30 years Fentanyl Works be careful and honest beware of developing a tolerance use it only when you can’t stand the pain anymore eg: 20-30 hr.ji
Hey Jim, thanks for your comment. It’s a bit of a knife edge dance I imagine. Let’s hope science progresses and that other effective alternatives open up. Best, Sam
I figured it was a scam. Stumbled upon their slick 60 min long ad on tv and thought it looked scammy so researched online and see it is a scam. Slick wording, if u don’t read it u will never notice what a scam it is. I’m sure some folk say it works as it’s the placebo effect.
I am going to my third Dr today for back pain. Don’t u think if this worked and was such a miracle one of my Dr’s would recommend it? My Dr’s are at Cleveland Clinic which has the top Dr’s in the country. Scam!!
Try your state Attorney general office false advertising with no proof of claim . If they are slow they may sue for you and your state
Worked for my wife. Godsend. Placebo effect? Don’t know – don’t care. Her pain is relieved after all the years.
That’s certainly great news for your wife! But if you don’t care whether this is a placebo or not, then you’re not really my target audience? For example, I do care that the vitamins I buy at the store are actual vitamins, and not ‘funny tasting tablet placebos’.
Thank you, about to order for my mom but this is an eye opener. many thanks
Hi I’ve tried them and they seem to work
I’m glad to hear that the placebo effect works on you. Please let us know how your long term results go. Best, Sam
My sciatica pain has been controlled for over seven months!!! Just ordered three of the larger patches today… Hopefully they last me many years!!!! Never want to be without one!!!!!
Thank you for your comment Linda, I’m glad that it’s working for you, even if I don’t believe that this is more than a placebo – since there is zero scientific evidence.
You sure seem to want these patches to be ineffective for some reason. Why can’t you simply accept the fact that they are actually helping people instead of insinuating that they are a “placebo” effect. Perhaps you should not be so closed minded and open your mind to the possibility that it works. Closed minds are not able to see open possibilities. I can’t see how the electricity runs to my tv but I see it’s working. Think outside ty box instead of trying to dissuade others from something that may be beneficial! You are one of those argumentative, know it all, lateral brain morons.
I welcome your comment, and wish others to see it. My pursuits is to offer a critical evaluation of the claims from a scientific perspective. Your attempts to pigeonhole me as “closed minded” are farcical. I bought the product even though all the evidence says it can’t possibly work. I took the product apart to inspect it using the most powerful scientific tools available. I even tried it out. If that’s not being open minded, then I don’t know what else to tell you. And if you don’t understand the full power of placebo, or are not aware of the value of double blind clinical trials, then I’m glad you’re learning something new today.
You’re incessantly condescending despite you not actually knowing. Your degree means nothing when you refuse to be objective about a new technology and consider even “anecdotal” evidence because it doesn’t fit into your preconceptions.
(And as someone pointed out, there IS at least one study, proving it works)
Worthless opinion, Admin.
Look, I’m quite happy to trade useless comment for useless comment. Isn’t that what the internet is for?
More seriously, I’m also passionate about new technologies, but they MUST go through the gauntlet that is the rigourous scientific method to earn their credibility. I don’t dismiss anecdotal evidence to be spiteful or disrespectful (though some snark acknowledged towards those who are not here to engage in discussion), I dismiss it because we know without a doubt how unreliable and subjective people can be, even with the very best of intentions!
Again, if you want me to tear into a paper of your choice, post the link and I’ll gladly do so.
Thank you for your comment.
I am open minded, and I sincerely wish this product worked for the majority as opposed the minority fortunate enough to respond to the real phenomena of placebo effect.
Please forward the scientific clinical trial you referenced. I have doctoral preparation in healthcare so I would like to read the study, hopefully published in a peer reviewed journal.
It is not a sin to be educated and critically evaluate stated information. It is however a grave error in those lacking the background preparation to cite scientific fact.
Do you have the reference to your study? Thank you.
Bought one very recently- had my doubts for sure – BUT WOW. Just WOW! My wife, who has suffered back pain for years, had her spine operated on 3 years ago. Back pain was relieved slightly but due to nerve damage her legs, especially the right leg, made her cry with pain in more recent times. She could not even bear to be touched that is how bad it was. She has been on strong painkilling meds for years, with side effects such as hair loss, which didn’t help her self esteem one little bit. I understand people’s caution but I reckoned it was worth the risk after all there seemed to be no risk of it doing harm. The product duly arrived and with fingers crossed the patch was gently placed on my wife’s back. Within 5 minutes – yes 5 minutes she felt her pain lifting slightly. Today pain free in her back though the legs,which are vastly improved, now just ache and she is now able to stand and cook a meal – this gave me relief also – I hate cooking! In fairness to the product, it did say that if it didn’t work within 7 minutes it was likely not to work. Thank goodness that did not apply to my wife. We are both 72 years of age, resident in Scotland and have no connection whatsoever with the company; indeed up until a week or so ago we had never heard of this technology. Dated 14/02/2021.
Great product
Helped my PD suffering dad after covid19, he couldn’t move at all from the hospital bed.
Be fair and atleast publish this comment.
I don’t understand why or how it works, but I can’t see your criticism on such a novel product
Appreciate your straightforward analysis. It’s invaluable to people who suffer intractable pain.
Their return policy is not 100% guaranteed for first 30 days. The product has to be returned UNUSED AND IN ORIGINAL PACKAGING plus you have to get a return voucher and then THEY decide if they’ll return your money. Product is snake oil— it does not work. They should be reported for this scam product.
In other words: If you actually try it and it doesn’t work, they don’t have to return your money. Last time I checked, you would have to take the patch out of its packaging to use it. Hmm. A solid case of “Heads I win, tails you lose.”
Their return policy is not 100% guaranteed (yes it is) for first 30 days (not sure where you got that number as it’s actually 37 days). The product has to be returned UNUSED (not true as you have to try it to see if it works) AND IN ORIGINAL PACKAGING (with original packaging as just about everything else being returned in this world needs to be) plus you have to get a return voucher (doesn’t everything else need an RMA to be returned) and then THEY decide if they’ll return your money (if you followed the instructions then you’ll get your money back). Product is snake oil— it does not work. They should be reported for this scam product. (I am not questioning the products ability to work or not or if it should be classified as bogus but I am calling out your bogus return policy lies you are spreading. If I was a betting man I would bet that you have not even purchased this product before).
I can’t find a customer service phone number to call them. Anyone have the number. I want to return them but you first must call them. My email is
66bike _at_ gmail *dot* com
The phone number is on the front page of their website (bottom left) where it says “call or write”. I found it on my first look. You can email or call them as it is stated on all their literature.
Hi AJ, I can’t see “call or write” anywhere on the signal relief page.
I was not aware that they had a special page done up with the name of the product. I just went to the ncap’s pain relief page and it’s write on the bottom. I saw a picture of the patch so I thought that was the only page they had. You are correct that it is no where to be seen on the dedicated page for the product.
My apologies on the incorrect information I told everyone.
Thanks AJ, no stress. I was definitely a bit confused and thinking I might be going blind myself….!
More put off by your attitude (“*I* found it straight away, unlike you dummies!” — paraphrased) than the incorrect info, but it’s a start, at least.
I saw a phone number when I went to the web site. Easy to see on bottom of page.
After being rear-ended 26 times on Houston freeways in morning rush hour traffic (between 1975 and 1992), and having 28 back surgeries (subcutaneous rhyzotomies) to alleviate severe pain, I was finally introduced to the TENS System of pain relief. These units are the greatest pain reliever that I have ever come across, and easy to use. The next best are ice packs that shrink the swelling in the nerves, thereby eliminating the pain. Injuries started in 1975 (last was in 1991); after the last injury, I was hospitalized for 93 days: weights on my ankles, hips and head, lying flat on my back the entire time. Left hospital with a stainless steel and leather back brace (from shoulders to tailbone) and rigid neck brace. Still using ice packs to this day!
Unfortunately every year I see more and more scam online. But I very surprise why can’t people immediately recognize a totally blatant fraud?
Educated people can see the fraud after reading a couple sentences. But even if you don’t know anything about the subject and don’ know how your nervous system works, just go to Google and look at real reviews.
Don’t be lazy. Five minutes can save you a lot of money.
The trouble is, the people really want to believe that it’s real. That’s hard to overcome.
How can they claim that this is the “Same technology designed and used for the U.S. Military!” if this is not true?
Kailo (nCap) was initially developed for making flexible antennas, and marketed to the military. There’s a youtube video about it. Again they claimed miraculous performance of their antennas. However, “designed for” and “still in use today” are very different things… hint: that was a flop too.
Tried the Kailo and it DID NOT WORK. This is the same. You are right, Placebo effect.
I’m in constant pain & have been for more than 45 years. Now, due to other health issues, I cannot have hip & knee replacements. I doubt I’ll be walking at all within a couple of months.
I’m so disappointed. I cannot tolerate OTC meds, nor their prescriptions.
I take opiates & they dull it, slightly, but certainly not enough to make things bearable.
Years of meds have damaged my liver. Boy, that’s a fun thing.
We’re able to do many, seemingly miraculous things with science. Why can’t pain be conquered?
They lost me when I read that it doesn’t even have to touch your body but can just dangle from your clothes. What?!
I have chronic pain from long-term effects of scoliosis, arthritis and a worn out hip. I use a Quell unit, which is worn on either leg just below the knee, and, unlike the bogus Signal Relief, DOES work by blocking pain signals to the brain. I’ve used Quell for more than three years, and I couldn’t do without it. It’s a small (maybe 2×2.5×1/8 inches) light, rechargeable unit which fits into a leg band and snaps onto a gel electrode which sticks onto my leg. The pain relief varies from 60 to 100% relief, depending on the weather and my activity. Quell doesn’t cost much more than these bogus patches, with electrodes replaceable every 2 weeks.
I’m really angry that people are being duped by the charlatans putting out this bogus crap, and I mention Quell (just google it) because it’s something that does work. By the way, I’m just a happy user with nothing to do with the company.
Thanks!
I am really sorry this product is on the market. Just one month before I was to take my certification in addiction and pain control, I contracted bacterial meningitis and then had two strokes. This ended my medical career. I know of the 5 pain pathways the body uses chemically. The government tries to control the cabinoid system (the hemp plants, aka Marijuana) and the endorphin system (the narcotics). Then under the Cox1 and Cox2 systems are many of the non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). Some of the NSAIDS are government controlled many are over the counter. ACETAMINOPHEN is not a Cox1 or Cox2 but it is an NSAID. Aspirin loosely fits in the Cox1 and loosely fits in the Cox2 systems. Biochemists are still not exactly sure of aspirin’s exact mechanism of action upon my last reading. The last system is NOT government controlled for the most part. This is mainly because the understanding of it is fairly new. Psychiatry stumbled on to the anti depression medication that modulated the neurotransmitter serotonin actually helped with pain especially in people with fibromyalgia. The government controlled medication here are all the serotonin re-take inhibitors. A relatively unknown pain medication is a weed: Wild Lettuce. Be careful too much like any medication is dangerous and can kill. Wild Lettuce is in extract form and on Amazon.com from various companies. 50ml 4 times a day is the limit. It is not habit forming. It works on dopamine receptors and then through a feedback system increases serotonin (if one has enough magnesium in their body). This balances the serotonin and substance P . For people with fibromyalgia this is helpful since that imbalance seems to be the cause of the pain. But those people first need to get their magnesium up (which may decrease their pain substantially). I really liked discovering this 5th system.
Our national institution of health employed Israel’s scientists to study the hemp plant because no US Universities’ researchers can get published if they study the hemp plant- TY US Congress for breaking the US Constitution and making drugs illegal.
Because US Congress passed the federal law in 1994, any licensed physician must inform the reader that any medical information left does not make a doctor/patient relationship. Consider this a public service announcement.
Dear Barbara, thank you for your comment. Normally I remove comments that point to specific alternative treatments, as this is not the direct purpose of my posts. However thank you for generously sharing some insightful knowledge. I’m surprised to hear that it is not habit forming if it’s connected with dopamine receptors?
Cheers,
Sam
Administration, Wild Lettuce is not habit forming because it is involved with the peripheral dopamine receptors (those in the body) not the central dopamine receptors (those in the brain). The feedback increases the serotonin returning to the spinal cord; this is exactly where those with fibromyalgia need it most.
Only dopamine in the reward centers of the brain drive motivation, gambling and thrill have this habit forming due to tolerance. Tolerance is a “ring out” just like any other neuroreceptor that is over stimulated and prevented recapture of the neurotransmitters. Ring out refers to the wave form generated if one plots the release of the neurotransmitter against time each release because of signal. The neurotransmitter is supposed to go high on release and then be reabsorbed with the little left destroyed by enzymes so that it appears to be zero. This is a switching mechanism. To increase release and/or block re-take, keeps stimulating the next cell. However, the destruction enzymes do not stop. Some of the neurotransmitter will get back into first cell and the end result is the first cell has less of the neurotransmitter. The first go round is the ILLUSION felt of the intense thrill and motivation (dopamine). If it is cocain abuse, the illusion is one is just super fine and can do anything. This is as fast as the cell can transmit.
The next go around may be above normal. Third at normal. Forth, slightly below normal. Each go round is lower and lower because the cell has less and less. The transmission gets slower and slower. DEPRESSION always sets in! Neurotransmitters are time consuming to make and requires good nutrition and a healthy gut.
That is the chemical electronics of neurotransmitter drug abuse.
My first degree is Associate Electronic Engineering; second degree is BS Chemistry; third degree is Medical Doctor and my Speciality is Psychiatry. I am retired now.
My hope is some people wanting to know this will see it. They might even share and some one might stop harming themselves.
As always federal government requires any licensed physician to inform the reader the information given does not make a doctor/patient relationship. Please consider this a public service announcement.
how do we know you’re not tricking us
Short answer, you don’t! My goal is simply to get people to think critically, and demand proper proof from the makers of these “magic patches”. It should be demanded that before you spend a dollar, that they show credible evidence that they are more than a placebo. Talk to someone you trust, who is scientifically literate, like your doctor or your specialist. Best, Sam
Well despite your post about this product not working, I can tell you that after Cordal Block injections and Nerve ablation on 6 facet joints, I decided to buy one of these and I can tell you it’s the best damn decision I ever made !!! So, you can bad mouth this product all you like, but unless you’ve actually tried it, I suggest you keep your negative posts to yourself. I was so impressed by the difference in pain that I bought my Mother-in-law one as she was on heavy pain meds every day, which was probably killing her liver, she is 76 and now virtually pain free. Her friends commented on how she is now moving and they’ve bought them and loving them. SO, your statement may be based on scientific evidence as to why it shouldn’t work but I can tell you, when you are at a point in your life where the pain is making your life a complete misery, you will sometimes be willing to give any thing a go, and thank God I did! These patches really do work.
Hey Maree — I’m glad for you that it appears to be helping you — even when the pain patch itself is essentially just a inactive sheet of copper foil! As a scientist, I would truly love that these things were so effective that somebody could do a study of how well they work, and prove that they are not placebo. However, Signal Relief has not done that, and many people report in their reviews that they don’t work. Signal relief have provided zero scientific proof of how the patches work, so as such, I still cannot recommend them!
Bought this for my daughter who had persistent lower back pain. Didn’t help. “Scammers” returned my money and did not make me send it back due to being in a foreign country. Said they would not subject me to customs expense.
Gave it to another family member with several areas of pain and he said it helped.
I recently suffered a back injury, got the patch back from him, and it relieved my pain about 75% where 600mg. ibuprofen did not. They definitely have a product that works for some people and are not scammers. I graduated in chemical technology, was sceptic, now convinced it “can” work truth be told.
By the way is acupuncture a scam too? No power source there either.
I’m glad we agree then. The placebo affect does work for some people – skeptic or not!
As for acupuncture, I’m not going to weigh in on things that are outside of my realm of expertise, except to say that it is based on the concept of energy flow called Qi, and my understanding is that there is no medical evidence thay Qi exists.
Hey, Author, thanks for your well thought-out article. You put waaaay more thought into it than an article from sciencebasedmedicine.org, where I went off on the author a bit because of an extremely lazy investigation of a sister product, Jovi pain patch.
However, I think, respectfully, you’re wrong.
My wife received a trial of one of the Jovi patches (hence, the research). She has long had a lot of body pain, and now being six months pregnant has some really big hotspots of pain. She asked me about the patch because she was extremely skeptical, I researched it, and suggested she try it.
What can I say? I get curious easily, and I like to experiment.
I was also very skeptical, but I know that things sometimes work without me fully understanding them.
I certainly understand the placebo effect, but my wife’s sharp pain being wiped out is pretty convincing. She was able to rotate the patch between the different pain spots, and the relief would last for a while while another spot is being treated.
Again, very interested but still aware of the placebo- I gave it a try. My butt cheeks have had a near-constant dull burning sensation since before I got out of the Army in 2015 (probably all those sit-ups on asphalt they love making you do). The burning makes it very hard to sleep without nightly acetaminophen, ibuprofen, etc. Putting that patch on my butt has relaxed the pain and has allowed me to sleep great without any meds.
AND, since both butt cheeks hurt, it’s allowed me to conduct my own study. I created a placebo patch that’s similar enough that I can’t tell the difference against my skin. I have my wife help me place both patches on my butt cheeks, and randomize which position the real one is in.
I’ve been able to tell where the real one is every time, so far, based on pain relief. Now, I am going to continue to repeat this process a number of more times, but it’s a pretty compelling case so far.
“ Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” -Clarke’s Third Law
Or: in the modern skeptical world where we tend to think we already understand everything:
*any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a scam*
Now, I don’t have a PHD in any subject like you do, author. But I do know a few things. For one: the apparent simplicity of the thing on a microscopic level could be exactly why it works. The described origins of this product were in extremely sensitive signal/radio reception. With many types of electronic components, the smaller the part, the more efficient, effective, and powerful it can be. Think processors: the race between manufacturers is to develop new processes to make the circuitry smaller and smaller, and cram more of it in. The result is incredible- I don’t need to describe to you the computer advancements that have taken place just in the last 20 years, but it’s completely, continually changed the entire world.
So, I can absolutely see this working. A few arguments that may explain its function:
It not having to directly touch your skin is not a red flag: electricity 100% passes through the air and through materials like cloth or paper. The very wires and metals in those expensive sensitive testers you mentioned may be to their own detriment. Metal channels electricity, and having a lot of it nearby weakens signals.
If a small grouping of copper along with whatever semi-conductive material they’re using, which they’re calling nano-capacitor, is near an electrical field, it is conceivable to me that it could absorb very minute amounts of the energy (even if I don’t fully understand the exact technical aspects of it). With billions of these copper groupings present, the effect would be much more pronounced.
Pressure may create the same signals as pain, but at a higher intensity. That higher intensity electrical signal may be enough to radiate to the patch where the excess is absorbed. Like any capacitor, stored electricity dispels as heat after a time.
They don’t claim to be a cure for pain. They claim to alleviate it so you can live your life.
My understanding is that they are currently underway in getting approved by the FDA. Which is NOT an inexpensive, quick, or easy process. So it will be interesting to see if they get it in the coming months/years.
At any rate, I do appreciate your demonstrated knowledge and work you put into this article. I have come to believe that this patch does, in fact work, to my surprise. I will keep up my low-level study to let you know if I learn anything more.
Ugh… It didn’t maintain my formatting, which makes that post much harder to read.
Thank you for a thoughtful comment, I really appreciate it. I especially like that you have tried to do your own controlled blind study.
However, what I would say is that if the patches really do work, the *minimum* standard I would accept would be a randomise control double blind trial. Especially in a product category that is rife with placebos. The absence of evidence otherwise does not constitute guilt, but already casts a suspicious light towards a product and company, when they are making such strong claims.
I continue to call for this company to release independent and credible studies.
If the product worked, it would indeed be revolutionary – but not just in pain science, but also in physics, neuroscience, biosensing, and many other fields too!
If it was real, then the hype would be unstoppable. People would evangelise the product to their friends, and the success would propel them towards international acclaim.
If it was real, the few millions of sales they have had so far would pale to the multi-millions any medical device manufacturer would offer them for such a patent.
Even without a shred of investigation, Occam’s razor would suggest it is 100% bogus!
I certainly fully appreciate that FDA approval is hard to achieve – however that is not the bar I would set.
I have very recently put the previous generation of NCAP (the patent owner) patch under the microscope for a second close examination of this “technology” (after Kailo pain patch).
Regardless of their claims, what I can confirm is that my results do not show the presence of any “nano capacitors” in this product – it is a copper/silver alloy, of micron-scale particles in a plastic matrix. Perhaps that’s their only lie? Or perhaps not.
And thank you for the thoughtful reply, it’s refreshing! 😀
I agree on wanting to see information on studies, especially given the number of placebos- I would love to see that too. Perhaps they are working on it? We’re not likely to know until it’s complete, cleaned up; even peer-reviewed.
However, lack of evidence does not mean something is false, it just means that it hasn’t yet been proven. As a perhaps poor example: The moment Edward Jenner decided to deliberately infect someone with cowpox, he had a legitimate working vaccine against smallpox. It was legitimate before he infected his test subjects, and it was legitimate after he released his study findings- even though a huge portion of the medical field continued to ridicule him.
My point is not to say that these patches are like vaccines, but simply to say that a legitimate product is first conceived, then created, and then proven. And even then, there are likely to be a lot of people that dismiss it as phony.
The hype has become, from what I’ve seen, unstoppable. There seem to be countless people that swear by it.
Again, I get how placebos work, but even in this article’s comments, there are several people that read through your whole article and then proceeded to explain how much it has changed their handling of pain.
I do believe, however, that people are generally skeptical of a seemingly easy fix. So when they read a glowing review, they tend to try to research it. So they end up on a site like this that tells them do NOT buy it, do not believe it. I would wager that this has a huge effect on slowing the growth of such a product.
As far as the patents being bought up by a large medical company- perhaps. Maybe some have tried, but the patent-holder believes they can make more money and/or help more people this way in the long run? Not every inventor plays the short cash-in game.
Beyond that, knowing what I know of the economics of the medical devices industry, I think it’s just as likely that most of these companies will prefer to ignore, diminish, or bury an up-and-comer that may be significantly more effective, cheaper, and simpler than the methods they are currently profiting off off. IF they bought the patents, would they really start selling it at a similar (or lower) cost and undercut so many of their other high-cost products? Or would they be more likely to eliminate it? Perhaps the current patent owners fear this same thing.
I really love, again, that you’ve spent time looking at the device under an electron microscope. I’m not sure if you did it yourself, or if you accessed someone else’s analysis, but it really shows that you’re putting thought and effort into this. I wish I had access to such things. :b
But honestly, your updated description, in my opinion, lends MORE credit to their claims. Remember, in electronics, the simplest and smallest form of something is usually by FAR the more efficient and effective.
And you just described an extremely tiny, simple capacitor: https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/capacitors/all
I disagree. I am certainly not saying the absence of evidence means it is false, I’m saying that their absence of evidence that it is true, in the face of demands for said evidence, in spite of their bold claims, is damning. In addition to the back of envelope analysis I did debunking (IMHO firmly debunking) the plausibility of their claims. In addition to the people I tested it on who said it did nothing. In addition to my own testing to confirm the composition is not as advertised.
Please take my comment as trying to be open minded — I’m am not intended to leave any serious doubt on the table that I consider this a fraud.
I certainly hope that my site highlights the *major* red flags all over this product, so that people who are desperate for pain relief think twice before giving their hard earned to a company that makes bold claims with an absence of evidence. If that slows sales, then I believe that shows the lack of transparency in the information provided by the company.
I am quite familiar with both electronics, nanotechnology, abuse of the term “nanotechnology”, and the composition of capacitors. A capacitor is made up of atoms – atoms are subnanoscale, so does that make a capacitor a nanotechnology device? No. These particles in this product are also far too large to be fairly described as nanotechnology – we are talking here the equivalent kind of error as calling a school bus “pocket sized”. Yes, the device as a whole could be called a capacitor, but then so is a vending machine packet of chips with plastic outside and a metallised inner. But NCap do NOT get the benefit of the doubt from me, on the one part of their claims that I am able to definitively examine. I am fortunate indeed to have access to these amazing tools, and I hope that this usage helps people who do not have such access. I can go to a store and sit on a sofa and quickly get a sense of if it is made of Cotton or polyester… it’s quite a bit harder with claims of “nanotechnology” being used as some kind of purported benefit or advantage. I patently disagree with his hand-wavy “just trust me its tiny magic” kind of marketing chutzpah, and as such am doing my best to seek out and show the truth.
I have some good news!
https://www.biospace.com/article/pain-relief-technologies-and-clarity-science-release-interim-clinical-trial-results-for-the-kailo-pain-patch-results-show-a-significant-decrease-in-pain-severity-pain-interference-and-decrease-in-concurrent-medication-usage-including-opioids/
Michael, I have already seen this paper, I’m going to assume good faith in you posting this. This Kailo study is NOT credible. They did nothing right at all. There is no control group, and no placebo group. This study is EXACTLY the kind of study a placebo product manufacturer would make.
Frankly, I feel that this paper is evidence that Kailo does not want their product tested against placebo!
Toilet paper at best!
It’s been a handful of months since this comment was made, and Jovi still claims to not have had their clinical trials yet. Not a red flag at all.
I saw your responses on the other article from SkepDoc, you were the only voice of reason in the comments as far as I could see, they were being deliberately obtuse about the point you were making with your remarks.
The placebo affect is a proven phenomenon. I was taken in by the signal relief propaganda also, after dealing with back pain for years. With the expectation of a miracle product I did receive some benifit for a few days until I began to research the so called technology behind it. The mind plays an important pat in healing. Three months after a multilevevel fusion and addiction to pain meds I’m still in almost unbearable pain. Grasping at straws!!
Thanks for your research, time, effort and information. It’s greatly appreciated.
Thank you Andy, I’m glad you found it useful.
I appreciate your help for others but I have suffered hip pain none stop pain for two years straight. I’m here to tell you they worked for me. Within a matter of minutes, thank you placebo effect. 😂😂
Glad to hear it 😊 I only wish it did work for everyone!
Thank you for your article. I am desperate for relief but your information gives me pause in considering the Signal patch and others. I would think they would set the price point lower, all told, to get a wider audience. How do you set a price for snake oil? Does your research on pain relief solutions extend to other devices?
If people are desperate they will pay a lot of money. It’s a sad fact for many things in medicine, even those that aren’t scams. Most legitimate health products don’t offer a money back guarantee though, since their non-fake products do cost a lot of money to produce, and they have clinical evidence backing up their effectiveness, not just blind hope and sham studies that lack placebos….
Hey Sam, just curious have you tried the patch for yourself? I appreciate you giving your opinion but reading your comments it seems to me that’s all you have… as a person that would have agreed with you before I have seen the patch do some cool things and I’m interested to see what this company will do with their future lab tests and studies ahead. But to make a comment that makes such a claim on it being a scam I would like to see your own data and testing on the product. Because to me, it seems that you’re just making a bias opinion.
Hey Frank, thanks for the comment. Even if I tried the patch on myself and it “worked”, that would not be evidence that this is not a scam. You see, unfortunately, we are all susceptible to the placebo effect — no matter our qualifications.
So, I have not tried it. Does that make my opinion useless? I think certainly not! My goal here is to critically evaluate both the claims of Signal Relief, and all of the scientific evidence on offer to support those claims. As you will see – there is:
– No plausible method for how this patch could work
– No published scientific evidence showing that it works
– Nothing in the patch that is “nanotechnology” — it is simply made of fine copper powder embedded in a plastic sheet.
Thank you for taking the time to put this information out there. As a decently well-informed retired nurse I have a pretty good feel for the language of health scams. Yet as one experiencing a painful, progressive spinal condition, when the ad popped up on my social media I felt this little nudge of “maybe.” For that reason I was searching out information that was something other than an ad or a testimonial. You provided what I needed to know.
Thank you Norma. I wish you all the best on your health journey. I am sorry I don’t have more to add in terms of credible recommendations.
Uh-oh now Jim Bakker is selling it . 2 for $255…”nothing worse than a Crooked Crook” moe Howard 1938
This morning, Nov. 26th, the “Jim Bakker Family Show” rebroadcast it’s previous infomercial regards Signal Relief Patch. Intuitively, it had seemed to me to be an obvious scam. Why, then, have there been so many positive reviews but very little testing and reporting from reputable sources?
After this morning’s broadcast, I did come across the following which does at least explain that the supposed applicable science indicates that said patches can’t work:
https://painreliefpatchreviews.com/signal-relief-pain-patch/is-the-signal-relief-pain-relief-patch-a-scam/
“Their sneaky business strategy means that even if only a few people keep the patches and don’t return them, their high price means that they still make a massive profit of desperate people in pain.”
Amen. Amen! The author also writes:
“If the product worked, it would indeed be revolutionary – but not just in pain science, but also in physics, neuroscience, biosensing, and many other fields too!
“If it was real, then the hype would be unstoppable. People would evangelise the product to their friends, and the success would propel them towards international acclaim.
“If it was real, the few millions of sales they have had so far would pale to the multi-millions any medical device manufacturer would offer them for such a patent.”
My bias is to agree fully with that links author, Samuel Pinches. Great job, Sam! Furthermore, in my view, “Christians” and others who support or allow such nonsense ought to be ashamed of themselves and their “Sins of Omissions.”
What’s needed, it seems to me, is for scientists to come out of the closet, volunteer scientific explanations and see to it that objective research, randomized double-blind studies, etc, are done. The ongoing pandemic fiasco associated with masks, social distancing, and the importance of vaccinations demonstrates that society can no longer afford to allow scientists to hide their work in obscure papers and research journals. Especially when the public funds such research, the public needs to demand that it be at least as omnipresent in public awareness as advertiser’s claims long have been allowed to be.
When it comes to exposing scams in general, surely Ashley of KY3 TV’s “On Your Side” and other such consumer reporters are entirely inadequate. But then, researchers would be overwhelmed if a decision were made to expose the misinformation and lack of information provided by the ever repeated advertising which has long been “educating” the general public with it’s funding of “the vast wasteland,” TV.
One possibility might be to for we-the-people to require all advertisers and promoters to fund the research to have their claims verified by objective third parties.
Thanks Sam.
Dan, local transportation & systems guy. 😊.
Great comment, thanks Dan! Junk scientific journals are definitely a major issue in the science world. FYI — I’m a Christian too. 😉
The sole counter to the functionality remains, “Well, it doesn’t make sense to me, so it must be fake.”
Quoting the author of this article to support the claims of this article means very little.
Thanks for your comment Ryan, but your summary of my analysis is not accurate.
This article is from a while back but I’m just now researching this technology to look for a solution for my husband’s back pain. This is the second article “debunking” these patches as a scam that I’ve found, from so called experts. The first one she couldn’t even be bothered to determine the correct website to visit and so didn’t even bother because like the author here it “just doesn’t make sense and shouldn’t work”. I feel like this is so misleading and potentially as harmful as a real scam – people who stand in the way of something that can help people is quite honestly some of the worst exhibition of mankind. Even if it were only a placebo affect it’s certainly helping those people. I would think that gauging the percentage of negative feedback to positive (unbiased) feedback would be a good generic start on a control group, in its loosest of definitions. I haven’t tried the patches, and still may not but I’m definitely not going to base whether I do or not solely on an opinion that “Because it shouldn’t work means it doesn’t.” In 1918 they said bumblebees shouldn’t be able to fly according to everything they knew about aerodynamics. As for it being widespread if it really worked…the pharmaceutical industry is among the biggest business in this country, now I’m no conspiracy theorist but would an entity that started a nationwide opioid epidemic, and one that makes more money off of you being UNwell than healthy really want something like this to take over the market?? I have my doubts.
Jaci, it is the job of the manufacturer to prove their product works beyond all reasonable doubt. The established way to do that is double blind clinical trials, and to publish the results in peer-reviewed journals.
Sure, if the manufacturer has some “laws-of-physics-defying” bumblebee-powder secret-sauce that we are all missing then good for them, but if they can’t even prove the product works, you’re a desperate fool if you fall for their charade. There’s no conspiracy here — the placebo effect does work after all. At the end of the day it is your money and I stand to gain nothing either way. There are no ads on this site, and I’m not shilling any other alternatives.
All the best with your journey.
Initially, I was unsure of purchasing the patch but after reading Your condescending remarks and ‘holier than thou’ attitude toward anyone who found them effective, I’ve decided to buy two boxes. Great job on selling me to these patches! I’m sure that wasn’t your aim, but your ‘know it all’ comments have me sold on the patches just because you are so annoying.
It’s your money, not mine! You’ve clearly read my post, and that’s all I really hope for — to spread a little knowledge. Since you’ve decided not to engage in any intelligent discussion beyond name slinging, all I can say is — good luck. 🩹
Sam, thank you for your due-diligence done via your scientific investigation to enlighten the public on the discrepant technology and efficacy claims of Signal Relief. Your email stream was a timely event to happen upon as I was on the brink of getting caught up in the scam, but can now, sufficiently enlightened, reverse myself and save wasting $50. Glad I was astute enough to remember “If it seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t,” and to do some online searching for objective reviews. Reading through the comments, despite the clarity you’ve provided from a scientific factual basis, sadly, you’ve clearly taken some shots from those people who are not inclined to be convinced by the hard, cold truth of basic scientific facts and principles of physics (climate change is another disappointing example on a global scale). Anyway, in the final analysis, you are accounting for yourself and your factual evidence quite well in the face of the naysayers, so keep up the good work and it’s commendable that you’re putting the mission at hand, first and foremost, for the benefit of the public at large. Thank you, Sam!
Haha!, looks like this company is bombarding the comments with good reviews, sneaky tricksters!