KitoTech Medical is a Seattle-based healthcare device company dedicated to developing innovative cost saving consumer products to treat unmet healthcare needs. The company’s product PainPause is a drug-free patch designed to treat a broad range of painful musculoskeletal conditions. 

THE PAINPAUSE STORY

PainPause emerged from KitoTech’s core Micro-Point technology, which was initially used to develop its marketed microMend® wound closure product. One of our colleagues, an orthopedic surgeon with chronic back pain, discovered that this same device could be used to relieve his pain. This led to the development of PainPause, which is an identical device to microMend but used to treat pain. PainPause has shown significant effectiveness in treating many types of pain throughout the body. It is remarkably effective in treating both chronic and severe pain.

THE PAINPAUSE PRODUCT

PainPause is a drug-free non-prescription over the counter (OTC) consumer product for treating pain. It is a small device which is the size of a Band-Aid® making it easy to use and convenient to wear for extended periods of time. It consists of tiny Micro-Points in an array that are attached to an adhesive backing making it easy to apply like a bandage. The Micro-Points are responsible for its pain-relieving effects. They also provide secure attachment of PainPause to the skin for up to a week to achieve long-lasting pain relief. In contrast, other over-the-counter (OTC) products like pills, patches, ointments, gels, and creams contain potentially harmful chemicals and medications, are not powerful enough to treat severe pain, and only provide temporary pain relief for a few hours.

PainPause can be used to treat pain due to musculoskeletal disorders that occur just about anywhere in the body (e.g., back, neck, knee, hip, and shoulder pain, not only carpal tunnel syndrome, and tennis elbow). As demonstrated in clinical studies, it is able to effectively treat mild to moderate pain, but also severe pain that is difficult to treat with other consumer products (see Clinical Studies). It has also been demonstrated to provide continuous pain relief for a week with a single treatment. 

PainPause works by a unique neurological mechanism to provide pain relief. It harnesses the body’s own natural pain-relieving abilities right at their source in the body. When the patch is applied, its Micro-Points penetrate the skin surface where they activate receptors that transmit signals that shut down pain.

PainPause is protected by strong intellectual property including a recently issued U.S. patent (US Patent no. 11,986,613).

PainPause is registered as Class 2 510(k)-exempt medical device. Sales of the product began in 2025.

PAINPAUSE - A PREMIUM PAIN RELIEF PRODUCT

PainPause has been demonstrated to be effective in treating a broad range of painful musculoskeletal conditions. Although it can be used to treat all kinds of pain, where it really stands out as a premium product is in its ability to treat serious pain including severe pain and long-standing chronic pain. These are conditions where over the counter (OTC) treatments are rarely used due to their short-term action measured in hours and limited therapeutic effects. In contrast, PainPause works through one of the most powerful natural pathways to relieve pain and is effective in treating even the most severe pain. In addition, it is designed to stay on the skin for 7 days to provide reliable and continuous long-lasting pain relief. It is free of drugs eliminating the risks of side effects and addiction.