ELECTRICAL STIMULATION AN OVERVIEW

Electrical stimulation has been widely used over the years and is known to help
certain nerve muscle problems.

The stimulation techniques in the past were always focused on making the muscle
move with the electrical impulses hoping that this would promote recovery (Faradism)

Whilst this approach was initially useful in increasing our knowledge of the relationship
between nerve and muscle, with new advances in technology, it is now possible to
embark on a more specific conditioning of the system involved.

DEFINTION OF TES

The word ‘trophic’ is about good health and systems that thrive. TES basically copies the underlying signals which nerves in normally functioning systems feed to the muscle to keep it in good health. The repeated signal is the impetus for the muscle to rebuild itself and it will do this according to exact specifications. By copying the healthy nerve signals and playing them back into a system that is dysfunctional we can gently guide it back to good health. Though the dose of TES may seem rather weak in nature as a copy of the nerve signals it is really rather like a homeopathic dose of medicine. Coming in this way it has no side effects but because it is so accurate it is in fact very potent.

TES is applied to the muscle with the specific purpose of influencing the metabolic pathway aiding the nutritional development and the growth of muscle. It takes time however for the muscle to reinstate its supply of fresh blood through the capillary beds and to redesign the building blocks of the protein to healthy blueprints. The use of TES can compliment many of the conventional physiotherapy techniques.

Feeding the muscle and enhancing the blood supply is in fact an electronic way of warming up. The athletes amongst you will verify the importance of warming up muscle prior to exercise particularly where it will be under load. It therefore can reduce injury by warming up very difficult to target muscle like the hamstrings.

Unlike the beauty machine, this machines derives its medical applications from the fact that it targets the deep red muscle. It achieves long lasting results that are maintained after treatment by correct usage of the muscle groups and exercise.

A plan of TES usually starts by rebuilding the deep base layers of muscle (the red muscle fibres). This muscle is aerobic in nature meaning that it relies on oxygen to function. This muscle is the first type to breakdown in situations of pain, swelling (e.g. arthritis), lack of use (e.g. athletes unable to train) or in cases of complete disruption of the nerve supply (i.e. peripheral nerve injury)

It is the deep layer of the muscle that holds the key to the protection of our joints, ligaments and tendons to prevent injury. The red muscle is designed to work all day and night and in health is resistant to fatigue.

To stimulate this muscle it is necessary to place the treatment pads on the nerve at two points in such a way that the nerve carries the health giving signals down to the deep layers of muscle.

The signal that this muscle is used to receiving from healthy nerve starts as low as 5 pulsings every second building upto 15. With the microchip technology now available this train can be copied much more accurately than ever before and this coded pattern is the key to successful treatment.

TREATMENT

The signalling should be felt on the skin as a series of gentle taps there is never any indication for it to be painful.

The units are designed to be used daily at home. Pre-programmed treatment cards are available for a whole range of conditions and give you a correct ‘dosage’ or amount of stimulation.

Treatment can be expected to take several months. However, the improvements are gradual and build up over that time. Think how long it took for the muscles to get to the condition they are in now, in the case of arthritis it may be years, you cannot expect to reverse the process over night. Things will get progressively better.

Before & after treatment.

We have treated patients of all age groups from 7 months to 97 years. Even the little babies find the treatment acceptable and usually sleep through it. Although toddlers go through a phase where they remove the electrodes because they can, suspending treatment for a short while does not loose any of the ground gained.

We would always recommend treatment under the guidance of a physiotherapist or appropriately trained medical health professional.

Patients to Diana’s clinic can expect to attend 3 times a year and carry out the prescribed treatment at home on a daily basis. Reviews are primarily to consider progress and any necessary changes to the regime and/ or the exercise programme.

Postal consultations are possible in some cases for non-UK residents.