Frequently Asked Questions

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.

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.

The amount of electricity generated by the instruments is measure in micro-amps (millionths of an amp), an 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.

Every treatment balances the cellular structure and normalizes cellular function so the body can initiate self repair.  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 there is a constant energy flow between cells through 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 with the involved tissue. 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 for metabolism and cellular 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 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 at a cellular level in the involved area.

     According to the manufacturer's literature, twenty-five percent of patients respond in 1-6 treatments, fifty percent of patients respond in 6-12 treatments, and twenty-five percent of patients respond in 12-24 treatments. 

     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.  
     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 higher amperage 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. By definition, this is called the "cumulative" effect. 

The Acuscope and Myopulse deliver a level of electricity that is below the threshold of perception.  Some horses will feel a tiny pulse, vibration, or an occasional gentle prickling sensation. The therapist monitors the intensity of the current for patient comfort which, in horses, is evident from chewing, yawning, and dozing during treatment. 

Unlike other modalities, the body does not build up a tolerance to treatments.  If fact, the opposite occurs and treatments become shorter and the benefits last longer. 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.

Dr. Anthony Nebrensky, a research physicist who assisted in developing missile guidance technology as well as the EEG, EKG, and EMG devices, developed the Acuscope and Myopulse therapy system. He established BioMedical Design Inc. in 1974. The animal calibrated instruments were developed in conjunction with Animal Therapy Systems, which is the only distributer of the animal calibrated instruments.  

Yes, studies have found that the Acuscope and Myopulse positively affect the production of ATP, thus enhancing the cell's ability to reproduce itself in a regenerative rather than degenerative phase (Cheng 1972). Dr. Erwin Neher and Dr. Bert Sackmann, two research scientists, won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1991 by detecting electrical currents of a trillionth of an ampere in the membrane, or surface of a cell. These findings support the use of the Electro-Acuscope and Myopulse over other fixed output microcurrent devices that use tremendously higher currents of a millionth of an ampere. In addition, the internal circuitry calibrated for animal tissue ensures there is never any electrical bombardment on the body.

The Electro-Acuscope and Myopulse are in the class of FDA approved devices called TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation). Unlike TENS devices that simply block a pain signal from registering in the brain via tissue bombardment, the Acuscope and Myopulse use microamperage, a significantly milder level of electricity that matches what the body naturally produces, to help tissue restore itself to a normal, healthy state. The internal circuitry, specifically calibrated to read animal tissue, monitors the tissue throughout treatment and delivers exactly those currents that will correct and return cells to a regenerative electrical state. Other electrical stimulation units do not scan and gather feedback and produce a simple fixed output according to the operator's preset specifications.