Microcurrent Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation

Original Editor - Yahya Al-Razi Top Contributors - Yahya Al-Razi and Angeliki Chorti

Original Editor - User Name

Top Contributors - Yahya Al-Razi and Angeliki Chorti  

Introduction

R - Microcurrent Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation - Physiopedia (physio-pedia.com)

Microcurrent Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation (MENS) was developed as a physical therapy modality delivering current in the microampere range. It has been reported that MENS has several physiological effects such as pain relief (Larner and Kirsch, 1981) and facilitation of tissues repair including tendon injuries (Nessler and Mass, 1987; Owoeye et al., 1987) and skin ulcers (Gault and Gatens, 1976; Wolcott et al., 1969), wounds (Byl et al., 1994; Huckfeldt et al., 2007), bedsores (Carley and Wainpel, 1985) .

A type of low voltage current but with  stimulus intensity less than 1 milliamp  or 1000 microamps.

Low intensity stimulation

Act at the subsensory or very low  sensory level

KEY POINTS:

• Microcurrent electrical neuromuscular stimulation (MENS) facilitated the recovery of the relative muscle dry weight, the relative muscle protein content, and the mean cross-sectional areas of muscle fibers of injured TA muscle in mice.
• The number of satellite cells was increased by MENS during the regenerating phase of injured skeletal muscle.
• Decrease in the percentages of fibers with central nuclei was facilitated by MENS.
• MENS may facilitate the regeneration of injured skeletal muscles.

Current specification

Type: Direct or Alternating current.

Waveform: A variety of waveforms from  modified monophasic to biphasic square  waves.

Frequency: Range from 0.3 HZ to 50 HZ.

Pulse duration: may be prolonged at the  lower frequencies from 1 to 500 milliseconds.

Biophysical effects

Currents below 500 microamps increase  the level of ATP passing low amperage electrical current through the  tissues, creates an imbalance in the number of  protons on either side of the mitochondrial membrane.  As the protons move from the anode to the cathode, they cross the mitochondrial membrane causing adenosine triphosphatase to produce ATP.

Therapeutic effects

PromotionTissues healing:

Tissues trauma or injury affects the  electrical potential of the involved cells  which is called injury potential or current of injury and as a result the bioelectrical activity within the injured area is diminished and the cellular function is  disrupted so, re-establishing the body's natural electrical balance which allows cell function and increases ATP supply, thus  providing the metabolic energy for  healing to occur . Cells are stimulated to increase their normal proliferation, migration, motility as well as Stimulation of DNA synthesis and  collagen synthesis and Increase receptor level for growth factors.

Analgesic effect:

Make the nerve cell membrane more receptive to neurotransmitters that will block transmission of pain and create or change the constant direct current flow of the neural tissues that  may have some way of biasing the transmission of the painful stimulus then restore the biological electrical balance to facilitate tissues healing and subsequent pain control.

Indications

• Acute and chronic pain
• Acute and chronic inflammation
• Sprains
• Strains
• Superficial wound healing
• Fracture healing
• Tendon and ligament healing

Contraindications

• Pain of unknown origin or undiagnosed pain
• Osteomyelitis
• Exposed metal implants as in external fixation of fractures.

Neurostim Device

Neurostim is a device that uses microcurrent stimulation to reduce pain and scar tissue (fascial distortions) by applying it to specific points on the body. It is a needleless form of acupuncture that relaxes muscles. This is very important to re-establish motor control to that area and to deal with the consequences of surgery.