Electroacupuncture
Treatment to further relax or reprogram tight muscles
Relieving Pain with Electricity
Electroacupuncture is a treatment that uses electrical stimulation to promote deep healing with focused treatments. It can reduce pain and speed up recovery time, making it an excellent choice for those seeking relief from their chronic conditions or injuries!
Electroacupuncture treatment
What is Electroacupuncture?
Electroacupuncture involves adding electrical stimulation to acupuncture needles. Depending on the frequency used and stimulation technique, it can activate different parts of the brain which in turn releases different neurotransmitters or pain relieving chemicals via the central nervous system. It does so via the body’s endogenous opioid system, which activates neurotransmitters to create analgesic effects (pain relief), as well as regulate the brain’s reward center and our response to stress.
Electroacupuncture can also stimulate muscles to contract and relax which can help reduce pain, improve muscle function, and increase range of motion.
Electroacupuncture for pain
The most common reason electroacupuncture is used is for the analgesic pain relieving effects. It can also be used for other conditions like stress and anxiety, insomnia, and digestive issues for example, where there is nervous system dysregulation that is contributing to the symptoms.
Studies have shown that different frequencies activate different neuropeptides (opioid peptides) in the body that affect our perception of pain. These are are mediated by different opioid receptors. Lower frequencies (2 hz) activate enkephalin, b-endorphin and endomorphin, while higher frequencies (100 hz) activate dynorphin. Combining the two frequencies in alternating pulses causes the body to release all four neuropeptides which results in the maximum therapeutic benefit for pain.
Another neuropeptide, Substance P, has been found to affect the body’s inflammatory process by impacting the immune response. Substance P has been found to be activated at 10 hz which can also be used to help with pain and inflammation in the body.
Motor point acupuncture
Motor point acupuncture involves using electroacupuncture at specific points on the body where muscles are innervated by nerves. The main goal is to make the local muscle contract which happens from activating the motor neurons that control that muscle’s function. Identifying the correct motor point area is very important since this area requires less electrical input to stimulate a muscle contraction which makes the treatment more effective and tolerable for the patient.
For more information about motor points see this paper in the Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation titled Muscle motor point identification is essential for optimizing neuromuscular electrical stimulation use.
Combining electroacupuncture with acupuncture and dry needling
We often use electroacupuncture along with traditional acupuncture and dry needling to provide a more comprehensive treatment to address acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain. By doing so we are addressing pain on multiple levels because we are needling the muscle locally as well as addressing the underlying nervous system dysregulation that may also contribute to the pain.
Accessing the body’s endogenous (natural) pain relieving system and releasing muscle tightness via acupuncture and electroacupuncture offers a drug free approach to managing acute and chronic pain.
More information
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