Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Electro-Acuscope/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. It is one of a class of electrical stimulators called TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation). TENS means that the instrument uses electricity to reduce pain by stimulating the nervous system of the body without puncturing the skin in any way. The Myopulse, companion instrument to the Acuscope, gently stimulates the muscles, tendons and ligaments, reducing spasm and inflammation, and strengthens tissue that has been damaged by traumatic injury. Together they comprise the most technologically advanced and effective electronic physical therapy equipment available in health care today.
How do these instruments work?
The Acuscope and Myopulse establish a two-way communication between their own circuitry and the electrical signals from the area of the patient's body being treated. Using biofeedback technology, they measure such things as tissue conductivity and cell capacitance (the capacity of cells to hold an electrical charge). Generally, tissue conductance is very low in an area of chronic pain and abnormally high in areas of inflammation. In order to correct abnormalities, the treatment introduces gentle currents in waveforms similar to the body's own electrical signals. The Acuscope is programmed to generate the current pulse which damaged nerve tissue requires in order to return to a normal, pain free state. The Myoscope sends corrective signals specific to muscle and other connective, contractile tissue so that the cells can begin the work of self-repair.
How much electricity does the Acuscope or Myopulse produce?
The amount of electricity generated by the instruments is measure in micro-amps (millionths of an amp), and extremely tiny amount of current that is equivalent to what the body produces naturally. It has been scientifically proven that this low level of current produces the most beneficial effect on the body's cells. Both instruments produce electrical signals in patterns similar to and compatible with that which is produced by the body's own normal, healthy cells, the level of energy which is constantly flowing through every living person and animal.
May I have an in-depth explanation of how the Electro-Acuscope reduces pain?
Every living body is made up of a vast number of cells which store and release energy. Each cell has a measurable electrical charge and therefore there is a constant energy flow maintained between cells throughout the electrical circuitry of the body.
When damage or trauma occurs, there is a disruption in the production of electricity and a measurable decrease in the flow of energy through the tissues involved. This condition is called electrical resistance and is generally accompanied by a sensation of pain in the area.
During treatment, the Acuscope introduces mild electrical current into the cells of the body in order to return the tissue to a normal level of electrical activity. While providing beneficial electrical current, the treatment causes the body to improve circulation, produce and more effectively utilize proteins and other nutrients required to cell metabolism and repair. In this way, the instrument assists the body in accelerating the natural self-healing processes. In addition, mild electrical 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 an Acuscope/Myopulse treatment, may therefore be considered an electro-chemical response occurring in the involved area at a cellular level.
How many treatments will a patient need?
The pain relief that follows each treatment of a given area will last longer and longer, and each successive treatment will require a shorter amount of time to be effective.
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. Age, general state of health, habits, and even state of mind may influence the length of time required for complete recovery. Somewhere between five and fifteen treatments is the normal average.
Unlike other forms of pain relief, such as therapy with certain drugs or higher amperage electrical stimulators, the body does not build up a tolerance to Acuscope treatments. Both with many pain medications and most hi-amp devices, prolonged use requires higher and higher doses of medications or increased time and amounts of electricity to achieve the desired pain reduction effect. With Electro-Acuscope/Myopulse treatments, sessions of shorter and shorter duration produce more dramatic and longer lasting effects, until treatment is no longer required. By definition, this is called the "cumulative" effect.
Please explain why the results from an Acuscope treatment are cumulative
Mild current stimulation, ideally at the level of 500uA (micro-amps) or less, has been proven to cause the cells of the body to increase production of the chemical ATP which responsible for cellular energy production. It has also been shown to increase protein synthesis, the building blocks of tissue, which allows the cells to begin to repair themselves. This low level of current is known to improve certain cellular functions which pump ions (such as sodium, calcium, potassium, etc.) into the cells, and to increase the transport of waste products out of the cells thereby assisting in the flushing of toxins out of the tissue.
As these chemical reactions build up with each treatment, the tissue is able to repair itself more completely. The "charge" on the tissue begins to hold and its ability to generate its own normal energy is restored. In most cases of neuro-muscular pathology, a series of treatments leads to permanent relief.
How important is to have Acuscope calibrated for animal use?
The instrument calibration is very important factor due to remarkable differences which exist within the distribution of the electrical current between human and animal subjects.
In the collected measurement of bio-impedance from cross sectional area of excitation points can show up to 30%-90% in difference (depending on the breed of animal) caused by dynamic changes in pulsatile blood flow to organs, arterial pulse waveforms and respiration. This means that if the instrument is not calibrated for animal use, the impedance window becomes too large and the constant current stage of the excitation source will not be able to supply enough voltage to keep the signal constant. This will result in lower than expected values, noisy "pulsatile" imprecise and indistinct data signals. We recommend Acuscope users to calibrate instruments for use in animal therapy.
How do I find out if my instrument is animal calibrated?
If you are buying used instruments you should verify by serial number of the device if the instrument was calibrated for animal use. Contact Animal Therapy Systems for verification. Arrangements can be made if calibration is found necessary.
How much it will cost to have Acuscope calibrated for animal use?
When purchasing new equipment there is no additional charge for animal use calibration. Used equipment charge will depend on the condition and age of the equipment. Some instruments in the marketplace can be over 25 years old.
Why is conductive solution important?
Special characteristics of conductive solutions are very important because they reflect the type of treatment benefits your client will receive. Often miss-understood, the ion composition of solution materials merit special consideration. The solutions developed for animal therapy have a multi purpose task.
- stability of electrode potentials,
- ability to reject "noise" under the electrodes,
- ability to match the input amplifier impedance,
- ability to eliminate distortion due to phase shift difference at various frequencies and conditions etc.
How are ingredients able to penetrate the skin in order to work?
EquiSol type solutions were developed based on micro-ion technology with selected polar ingredients to match mutual attraction effect between positive and negative ion. The conductive solution is used simultaneously under the direction of the instruments signal to insure penetration and absorption down to the blood vessel to nourish and repair tissue as well as regulating stability of electrode potentials.
Can other conductive electrolytes such as EKG, EMG, EEG or Ultrasound high velocity compounds be used to substitute conductive solutions specially developed for Acuscope animal therapy?
Absolutely not if you are concerned about your client's short and long term rehabilitation treatment benefits. The electrode to solution interface is one of the most critical areas of concern.
Unmatched electrolytes can overproduce or diminish the average response magnitude and even produce unwanted voltages, therefore causing waveform distortions and thereby canceling the intended tissue restoration benefits.
For example when you use other conductive compounds, loading of electrode current density is increased and the resistive and reactive components of the electrode-electrolyte impedance become non-linear.
Because of this non-linearity, the magnitude of the electrode impedance becomes a function of the amplitude of the bioelectric event. Thus small and large-amplitude signals will encounter different impedance; therefore creating conflicts with undesirable or counterproductive therapeutic yields. Each electrolyte will produce its own physiological effects.
The conductive solution compounds such as Equisol 2000 and other manufacturer suggested products specially developed for animal therapy are essential and the only suitable choice.