Microcurrent Therapy
Microcurrent therapy is a type of a very light electrical stimulation. It uses a current that is million times weaker than the electricity used in our houses run our lights and our appliances. It is one thousand times weaker than a TENS unit. Microcurrent helps injuries heal quicker and normalize nerve function. It is also good for helping to control chronic pain.
Microcurrent stimulation has also been called bio-stimulation or bio-electric therapy because of its ability to stimulate cellular physiology and growth. Our body already has its own electrical charges. Our brain, nerves and muscles are constantly sending or receiving electrical nerve impulses. Microcurrent is a very similar type of electricity. It is kind of like re-charging a battery.
Microcurrent therapy can be applied using electrodes placed around an injured or painful area. Or microcurrent can applied using handheld probe with moistened cotton swabs at the end. I also use the microcurrent to stimulate acupuncture points to help control pain and balance the body’s energy. I my office I use the Acutron Mentor. The Acutron is the most advanced of all the microcurrent devices available. It is especially good treating injuries from auto and sports accidents.
Here is website for instrument I use in my practice:
http://www.eastwestmed.com/pain_control.php
There have been a lot of research studies that have shown improved healing and pain reduction. William Stanish, M.D., physician for the Canadian Olympic team, found that delivering 10-20 microamps of electrical current hastened recovery from ruptured ligaments and tendons. Using microcurrent stimulation, Stanish shortened the normal 18-month recovery period to only 6 months. (Stanish 1984).
In a study with important implications for microcurrent electrotherapy, Cheng et al (1982) studied the effects of electric currents of various intensities on three variables critical to the healing process: At 500 microamps (one millionth of an amp), ATP generation (or cellular energy production) increased about 500% and amino acid transport was increased by 30 to 40 percent above control levels using 100 to 500 microamps.
When currents were increased to the milliampere range (one thousand times stronger as in a TENS device), ATP generation was depleted, amino acid uptake was reduced by 20-73 percent and protein synthesis was inhibited by as much as 50%. These findings suggest that the higher milliamp currents inhibit healing whereas the lower microampere currents promote healing.
Additional studies with isolated tissue or cultured cells provided compelling evidence that the intracellular rates of ATP re-synthesis, protein synthesis and DNA replication are increased as a result of direct electrical stimulation of human fibroblasts. Weak stimuli increase physiologic activity and very strong stimuli inhibit or abolish activity. (Arnold-Shulz Law (Dorland 1985)
Other studies have demonstrated the effects of microcurrent in accelerating healing of bone, tendon repairs, and collagen remodeling. A Nobel prize went to two German scientists in 1991 for their work in detecting subtle electrical currents in all types of cell membranes throughout the body. This study opened the way for greater understanding of the mechanisms through which externally applied currents can affect organic functions.
Call me at my Novato, CA office to set up an appointment: 415-898-0889.