Electro-Acuscope

The following is a brief description of some of the biochemical and biophysical mechanisms involved in the microcurrent therapy provided by an Electro-Acuscope:

Electric resistance of damaged tissues:

When tissues are damaged, the normal electric flow is disrupted, nutrients are unable to flow into the cells, metabolic waste products and toxins build up, resulting in increased electric resistance in the problem area. Unfortunately, the electric resistance in the area of involvement is so high that the body’s energy flow will not enter the area since it will always take the path of least resistance, which is around, rather than through the affected location.

Low energy flow and induction of pain:

When damage or trauma occurs, the cells may become exhausted and depleted; if so the result may be a measureable decrease in the flow of energy (increased electric resistance) in the absence of normal cellular self-repair mechanisms. This common occurrence generally results in chronic pain. Generally, tissue conductivity is very low in areas of chronic pain and abnormally high in area of inflammation. Increased local resistance will eventually lead into compression of capillaries, lowering of blood flow followed by local energy demand and ischemia.

Improvement in electric flow upon electric stimulation by Electro-Acuscope treatments:

The Electro-Acuscope measures and balances the abnormal electrical resistance in injured tissue. The electric conductance of injured tissues is examined by the machine, and compared to preprogrammed parameters for healthy tissue. By the process of microcurrent stimulation (application of 50-600 microamps) of damaged tissues, circulation is improved and mitochondrial activity toward production of ATP is triggered. In addition to ATP production, proteins, DNA and other important biological macromolecules are produced and more effectively utilized, thereby restoring the metabolic function and energy production pathways.  Proteins and DNA are highly charged conductive molecules, and any increase in their local concentration can cause further lowering of resistance. This will cause initiation of improved blood flow, and supply of nutrients toward restoration of all the required biological activities of a living cell. These events lead to the immediate pain relieving results, as well as the long term benefits of Electro-Acuscope treatment.

Improvements in circulation and continuation of pain-relieving events:

The treatment causes the body to improve circulation, produce and more effectively utilize proteins and other nutrients required for cell metabolism and repair. In addition, mild electric current causes the body to generate chemicals called “endorphins”, naturally occurring pain suppressors. The immediate pain relieving results, as well as the long term benefits of Electro-Acuscope treatment, may therefore be considered an electro-chemical response occurring in the involved area at a cellular level.

Improvements in cellular energy production and initiation of the healing process:

A number of published studies have demonstrated that application of microcurrent to damaged tissues may stimulate the body to produce chemicals which are responsible for cellular energy production and may be thought of as the fuel which allows the cells to begin to repair themselves. As these chemical reactions build up, the body’s response to each treatment becomes stronger and pain relief lasts longer. The application of electrotherapy to stimulate the body’s innate capacity for tissue repair and regeneration appears to be very critical for initiation of the healing process.  With each treatment the tissues are able to repair themselves more completely. In most cases a series of treatments lead to permanent relief or to a greater diminished level of pain.

Re-establishment of cell membrane potential:

As the general health of the cell improves, the capacitance (the ability of a system to store an electric charge) increases. Biologically, the capacitance of the cell is directly proportional to the concentration of ATP in the cell. Areas of the body which manifest pain are often deficient in ATP. ATP concentration serves a direct vital function in the active transport mechanism known as “sodium-potassium pump”. This system is responsible for moving (“pumping”) sodium and potassium ions across plasma membrane in opposite directions, against a concentration gradient (cells contain relatively high concentrations of potassium ions but low concentrations of sodium ions), therefore requiring ATP to provide the needed energy.

Re-establishment of the sodium -potassium pump occurs when the increase in intracellular current increases mitochondrial function. The ATP produced by mitochondria provides the energy for transmigration of metabolites and metabolic waste (such as lactic acid) across the cell membrane, and reestablishment of ionic concentration gradients and cell membrane potential.  This leads to the transfer of fresh concentrations of usable cellular metabolites into exhausted cells. At this point, the affected cells can enter the regenerative phase, pain levels are noticeably reduced and tissue regeneration functions are restored.

ATP production and restoration of synthetic pathways:

Introduction of gentle currents increases the electric activity of the affected tissue, so that cells begin the work of self-repair. By using electric current to help supply the inside of the cells with raw materials (amino acids, calcium, etc.) for synthesizing necessary proteins, and to encourage formation of ATP in order to provide the “power” for protein synthesis, one can then accelerate cellular repair.

Synthesis of almost any chemical compounds requires energy. The energy is provided by ATP (and other “high energy “molecules), critically important for synthesis of proteins, phospholipids, purines, pyrimidines and hundreds (if not thousands) of other substances. Microcurrent simulation between 50-600 microamps is a way of “supercharging” the tissue with ATP.  Increased production of ATP levels help the body perform whatever healing process it has undertaken in a greatly accelerated fashion.

Summary and Conclusions:

Microcurrent therapy provided by an Electro-Acuscope is a very safe and non-invasive pain management system without discomfort during treatment.  It offers a unique and proven healing mechanism for treating injury and painful conditions.  It overcomes the electric resistance in the problem area under treatment by inducing electric flow and thereby removing blockage. This process in continued toward “revitalization” of the tissue, enhanced production of ATP by mitochondria, thereby  providing the energy required for recovery processes and synthetic pathways. Protein expression is once again activated, and flow of essential nutrients is made possible, making the area increasingly conductive. Combined with these events, waste products such as lactate are removed and other pain-relieving events are initiated. These processes are continued with a cascade of other normal events typical of a healthy tissue, leading to restoration of full biological activity and recovery.

The therapy provided by an Electro-Acuscope is therefore the modality of choice for an effective tissue healing and restoration of cellular mechanisms to normal function.