Frequently Asked Questions.
And
The Science Behind the Therapy.
What is the Electro Acuscope and Myopulse Therapy System?
The Electro Acuscope is a highly sophisticated electronic medical instrument which is designed to scan and treat many types of painful conditions. The Myopulse, companion instrument to the Acuscope, gently stimulates the muscles, tendons, and ligaments, reducing spasm, inflammation and strengthening tissue damaged by traumatic injury.
The treatment works by measuring and balancing the abnormal electrical resistance in injured tissue using the biofeedback technology. The abnormal areas of the injured tissue are examined, and then compared to numerical parameters for healthy tissue and cells. When the electrical conductance is outside the normal range (which happens in areas of chronic pain and inflammation), the Acuscope and Myopulse generates only the level of current required for damaged and deficient cells to return to normal electrical conduction and restore circulation, function, and promote healing and pain relief. This treatment is corrective and does not block nerve signals.
How is the Electro Acuscope different from other modalities such as TENS?
The Electro Acuscope stimulates tissue self-repair and promotes cell regeneration at an accelerated rate. Ordinary TENS floods and bombards the cells with a hi-amperage direct current energy and are only used to temporarily block pain signals from reaching and registering in the brain (like an analgesic drug or anesthetic). Both with many pain medications and most hi-amp devices prolonged use requires higher and higher doses and increased time to achieve desired pain reduction effect.
The body does not build up a tolerance to Acuscope treatments. Each Acuscope session becomes shorter and shorter and produces longer lasting effects, until treatments are no longer required. This is called the cumulative effect.
What is the cumulative effect?
Mild electro-current stimulation, at a level of 500 uA (microamps) or less, causes the cells of the body to increase production of the chemical ATP (which is responsible for cellular energy production) by 500%. It has also been shown to increase protein synthesis, the building blocks of tissue, which helps the cells to begin to repair themselves. This low level of current is known to improve certain cellular functions which pump ions (sodium, calcium, and potassium, etc..) into the cells, increasing the transport of waste products out of the cells, which flushes toxins out. As the chemical reactions build up with each treatment, the tissue repairs itself more completely. The "charge" on the tissues begins to hold and its ability to generate its own normal energy is restored. In most cases of neuromuscular pathology, a series of treatments leads to permanent relief.
How are the treatment performed? And how many treatments will I need?
The treatment is similar to having an ultrasound performed. A conductive electrolyte solution is applied to the skin to increase conduction from the stainless-steel pads and probes. A slight prickling sensation may be felt during treatment, but it is not painful.
The number of treatments required will depend on the severity and extent of the condition as well as the body's ability to heal itself, and your overall state of health. Somewhere between 5 and 15 treatments (which last about 30 minutes to one and a half hours per session) is the normal average over a 30 day or so period. This will be assessed at your first appointment.
Are there circumstances when a person should not do the treatments?
Yes. The following list are several conditions that are not currently approved to be treated with the Electro-Acuscope/Myopulse Therapy System:
-Cardiac patients who have a pacemaker
-Epileptic/history of seizures *
-History of strokes*
-History of blood clots and are on medication for the condition
-Active cancer or is being treated for cancer
-Any active infection (shingles, viruses etc..)
-Pregnant
* Indicates this is a condition that will not be treated, unless it is prescribed and under supervision of the ordering physician
Some History of the Acuscope/Myopulse
In 1978 the Acuscope and Myopulse were invented by Dr Nebrensky, a respected physicist who designed and helped create some of the well-known medical tools we know today, such as the EEG, EKG, and EMG.
In 1991 the Nobel prize in physiology was awarded to two German scientists, Dr Neher and Dr Sakmann, for their work in detecting subtle electrical currents in all types of cell membranes throughout the body. They were cited for discovering how tunnel like structures called ion channels control the passage in and out of cells of positively or negatively charged particles called ions (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium). Their technique called the "Patch Clamp" allowed the detection of incredibly small electrical currents that pass through a single ion channel (Altman. 1991).
Altman, L. (1991). Cell Channel Finding Earns Nobel Prize. NY Times.
Research Articles with links
An Elsevier published Clinical Investigation shows that three months of treatment with the Acuscope and Myopulse significantly improved range-of-motion and reduced the post-op pain and fibrosis resulting from head and neck Cancer surgery and radiation therapy. (See photos of treatments being given.)
https://www-bd.fnal.gov/ntf/reference/fibrosis.pdf
TMJ causes significant pain in the jaw and face. This study clearly shows the use of the Acuscope and Myopulse for pain relief. The article is well illustrated with many clear photos. The study concluded that there were significant results which warrant further investigation. Published by "The Harvard Society for the Advancement of Orthodontics," Boston, Massachusetts:
Pain Relief Utilizing Microcurrent Impedance Controlled Therapy
A study utilizing the Myopulse only. The results prove that muscle strength and sports performance in general can be significantly improved by this method of therapy:
An Informal Double-Blind Study to Evaluate Muscle Strength in Athletes Treated with the Myopulse - Picker-Scott
A published study on microcurrent treatment of Fibromyalgia associated with Cervical Spine Trauma. This study reports that "microcurrent provides physiologic current flow;" inflammatory cytokine changes and pain reduction result.
Cervical Pain Study 2004
The most often-quoted reference to the effects of micro amperage stimulation. This is the original published document:
The Effects of Electric Currents on ATP Generation, Protein Synthesis, and Cell Membrane Transport; Ngok Cheng, M.D., et al