Equicurrent Deluxe MicroPulsed MicroStimulation Therapy Unit for Horses and Dogs

Equi-Current Deluxe MicroPulsed Therapy Unit

EFFECTIVE • VERY WELL TOLERATED • EASY TO USE

• The Equi-Current accelerates healing by stimulating acupoints and meridians associated with the appropriate organ or area of injury. A unique therapeutic waveform restores ion transport to the appropriate area of injury or organ. It promotes movement of toxins from and nutrients to the cell which results in a dramatic reduction in inflammation.

   

• The Equi-Current stimulates blood flow. We have found that stimulating the ting points and meridians. Ting Point treatment has a positive effect on healing and is a foundation for many of our treatments.

   

• Equi-Current Microcurrent jump starts the healing process and increases healing by 50% with the production of ATP (the energy within a cell) Application of microcurrent has been shown to help cells overcome a damaged state and begin forming ATP again. Once a cell can again produce ATP, it can start up its own healing process.

   

• Equi-Current Microcurrent device reduces the stress on the body from free radicals at the same time maximizing the energy production of your body enabling it to heal at a much faster rate. 

• There are no known conditions that are contraindicated for using Equi-Current Microcurrent device on equines or canines.  The device is an FDA approved device. Scientific evidence to date is in wound healing and pain relief and that everyone that follows the treatment programs gains some benefit.  This is possible as we are treating the body, not the condition.

   

• The result of this is increased circulation to the area, as well as decreased inflammation, swelling and pain. Depending on the underlying cause, this may allow the body to completely repair the problem without the unhealthy side-effects of some forms of treatment.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the main attributes of the Equicurrent is the versatility of the application of the device. The Equicurrent has been designed to work for all injured areas that may need treatment. In our instruction manual we cover specific placement patterns and treatment avenues.

BENEFITS

• Can help expedite the healing process
• Reduces swelling and edema
• Releases muscle trigger points
• Improves soft tissue regeneration
• Reduces acute and chronic pain
• Increases performance and stamina
•  Helps prevent injuries i.e. tendons, fractures & hoofs.
• User friendly operation; and hands free treatments
• Non-invasive, and is safely holistic.
• Lowest cost option

Always consult with you veterinarian when you have a problem with your horse. The Equicurrent should be used only with the full knowledge and participation of your Veterinarian.

 

The Deluxe EquiCurrent kit Includes:

 

 (1) Equicurrent Micro pulse device view picture
(2) Equi-sleeves (full silver sleeve – 1 fluent electrode) view picture
(2) Equi-sleeves (dual silver sleeve - 2 electrodes) view picture
(4) Equi-patches (2” wide by 6” long) view picture
(2) Equi-patches (4” wide by 7” long) view picture
(2) Long belly wraps (45” long)
(6) Short versatile wraps (22.5” long)
(4) Splitter cables view picture
(2) Lead wire extenders (18")
(4) Lead wire extenders (36")
(2) Lead wire extenders (6")
(1 pair) Lead wires view picture
(2) Rechargeable 9volt batteries view picture
(1) Battery charger view picture
(1) Conductive Spray
(1) Body glove device protector
(1) Device Carrying case
(1) Complete System Carrying case
(1) User Manual
(1) Laminated instruction card
(2) Equi-Massage Gloves

Click HERE for more info or on any of the above tabs

 

Microcurrent therapy offers a solution to both chronic and acute pain by promoting soft tissue healing, reducing soft tissue swelling & inflammation, strengthening the immune system and alleviating pain.   

Please note that the use of this equipment is not intended to replace competent professional advice and diagnosis. Any problem your horse may have must first assessed by a qualified vet and we strongly recommends that one follows their treatment protocol, you can use microcurrent in-between veterinary visits as long as you discuss your plan of treatment have their acknowledgement of including it within the treatment protocol.

 

Specifications:
Output Current
0 - 5 mA adjustable
0 - 1000 µA adjustable
Intensity dial corresponds numerically
(See below for amplitude output chart)
Polarity: Positive, Negative or Alternating
with 1, 2, or 3 second pulse adj.
Output Voltage 0 - 2.5 Volts DC
Pulse Rate (Frequencies)
0.5 - 1.3 - 10 - 80 - 120 Hz selectable
Wave Form: Square
Power Source : 9 Volt Battery
Battery Life Approx.: 18 Hrs.
Size 3.9" x 2.75" x 1"
(9.90cm x 6.98cm x 2.54cm)
Weight 4.6oz (132 grams)
Carrier Freq. 14,000 cycles (Hz)
Tolerances + / - 10%
Output parameters are across a
15,000 ohm resistance (load).
Unit Comes With:
Soft carry case
Package of self adhesive electrodes
9 volt battery and instruction booklet

Warranty Terms(Please Read):
The warranty for this product covers the device itself.  The warranty does not cover damages caused by normal wear and tear, misuse, or abuse of the device or any of its components. Please keep in mind that Lead Wires (the wires that connect the device to the electrodes) are not covered under the manufacturer’s warranty for this device. The periodic replacement of lead wires and disposable electrodes is part of the upkeep of any electrotherapy device.

20% restocking fee will be charged on all returns of this device in new condition.  

Please note that the use of this equipment is not intended to replace competent professional advice and diagnosis. Any problem your horse may have must first assessed by a qualified vet and we strongly recommends that one follows their treatment protocol, you can use microcurrent in-between veterinary visits as long as you discuss your plan of treatment have their acknowledgement of including it within the treatment protocol.

1. What is MicroCurrent Therapy?

MicroCurrent Therapy is a form of electric medicine used to naturally and safely stimulate cell growth, renewal and healing. It uses extremely low amounts of electricity measured in millionths of an Amp that most people can hardly feel.

 

To give you an idea of exactly how low this is, it would take one million times the units of electricity used in this therapy to light up a one watt light bulb. As most light bulbs used in the home are 60 watts, you would need to multiply this low level of electricity by sixty million times to light up an everyday household bulb.

The body’s batteries
Think of the cells in your body as being a bit like a dry cell battery in your car. When the battery is fully charged, the car starts and everything works fine. When the car battery is discharged or flat, sometimes all its needs is a “jump start”, a small amount of electricity, and everything is fine again.

 

Sick cells are merely like discharged cells: This may be an oversimplification, but is the best way to explain the technology of MicroCurrent Therapy in lay person terms.

 

Scientists have found that different microcurrent frequencies have different effects meaning this revolutionary medicine contains infinite applications and possibilities, especially in the areas of healthy new cell renewal and stimulation. The applications of MicroCurrent Therapy appear to be endless!

 

2. MicroCurrent Therapy – what is it and how does it work?

 

Introduction

In order to understand how MicroCurrent Therapy is able to achieve such amazing results, we need to explain a bit about how cells get their energy. In layman’s terms, here goes…..

 

Cell energy – the most important factor in keeping the body well

The cell is the basic component of all living things and they work ceaselessly to nourish, repair, and renew themselves. This ongoing activity, called "cell metabolism", requires energy which is provided by a substance created within the cell called ATP (adenosine-triphosphate).

 

Cell metabolism generates wastes that the body must get rid of. As well as eliminating these worn-out or dead cells, the body also needs to get rid of undigested or partially digested foods, chemicals taken in from water, cigarette smoking, alcohol and caffeine, the environment, and medications.

 

When waste products build up, they impede microcirculation to cells and tissues, decreasing the amount of oxygen and nutrients carried to the cells which, in turn, slows cellular activity reducing the amount of wastes eliminated from the cells. As a result, even more waste builds up so the cells function even less. This vicious cycle continues and can eventually lead to very serious health problems and, in severe cases, even death.

 

 

Cells and microcurrents

One of the key mechanisms within the cell that eliminates the waste is the “Sodium-Potassium Pump”. This keeps the cell in balance by pumping excess Sodium out of the cell and bringing Potassium into the cell. This pumping action needs a minute amount of electricity which can be measured in microamps (a millionth of an Amp).

 

When a cell does not function properly it does not generate sufficient electricity for the pump to work – a bit like a torch battery that only has enough energy to make the bulb glow rather than give off a bright beam of light!

 

In effect, MicroCurrent Therapy is able to ‘jump-start’ the cell by giving it the amount of energy needed to start functioning at the correct level. It should be stressed that the levels of current required are so small that they can not be felt.

 

As a result of adding low (microamp) levels of electric current, MicroCurrent Therapy mimics the body's own electrical impulses (also in microamps) and can therefore help the body recuperate, promote pain relief, relax muscles, dissolve scar tissue and improve healing, all at greatly accelerated rates.  In fact, animal experiments have shown that these benefits can occur up to 5 times faster with MicroCurrent Therapy than in control subjects.

 

What’s more, once the body has been ‘recharged’ it is able to continue to work at the correct rate, so the ability of the body to repair itself continues long after the therapy session has finished.

3. Don’t Go Blind!

It is believed that micro-current stimulation restores cellular electrical balance by changing potentials across cell membranes. This may alter the levels of certain ions and molecules toward a desirable equilibrium. Other physiological effects are believed to be produced: reduction of alkalinity proximate the passage of electrical current and the production of low levels of hydrochloric acid which can scavenge free radicals; attraction of oxygen to the region; localized vasoconstriction and vasodialation; reduction of local hemorrhage; sedation; increased tonicity of local tissues; antisepsis; production of desirable fibroplasia; and reduced neuromuscular irritability

 

Stimulation through the eyes allows access to 25% of the total blood volume of the body in a typical 20 minute treatment session. The blood consists of many cells which exist to capture electro-magnetic energy to control and direct biochemical reactions. This also includes animating and mineralizing the blood by adjusting the ph. Also, with blindness producing disease, inflamed retinal cells eventually lose cell function. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels drop, protein synthesis drops, the electrical resistance goes up, and cell membrane electrical potential goes down and cellular waste management diminishes. Basically, the cells seem to go dormant for a time before they die.

So, it is believed that, if electrical stimulation is provided to the cells before they die, blood vessel permeability is increased, a more normal cellular electrical potential will be achieved, the ATP levels will increase, and protein synthesis will occur again. This has important implications also for increased nerve conduction. By increasing the flicker fusion resolution and refresh rates Micro-current therapy increases signal strength to the brain. The macula has 128 million pixels or 100 million more than a high resolution TV monitor. As the action potentials increase from increased ATP production there is an increase in signal strength, conduction, and transmission serially to facilitate rod and cone re-polarization, regeneration, and visual processing.

As mentioned above, MCS Therapy works by increasing intracellular ATP (adenosine triphosphate) concentrations, enhancing protein synthesis, and stimulating the cells ability to absorb nutrients (Ngok Cheng, M.D.). It is theorized that through these mechanisms, MCS Therapy improves RPE efficiency and thereby may restore and/or improve macular function. In a 20 minute exposure to 500 micro-amps of stimulation ATP production is increased by 500%. ATP is synthesized in the mitochondria process known as the Krebs Cycle, the sequence of reactions in the mitochondria that complete the oxidation of glucose in respiration.

 

Kroll and Guerrieri have shown age related changes in mitochondrial metabolism resulting in a decrease of the ATP synthase activity. Guerrieri has gone further to show functional and structural differences of the mitochondria F0F1 ATP synthase complex in aging rats. It is theorized that many retinal diseases, at least in part, are due to a decrease in mitochondria function and the subsequent decrease in intracellular ATP. This decrease in mitochondria function results from free radical damage and the mutation of mtDNA (mitochondria DNA). It is interesting to note the genetic link between ATP and retinal disease. ATP Synthase (ATPase) is an enzyme which catalyzes the synthesis of ATP. A genetic defect in the ATPase 6 Gene has now been implicated in Retinitis Pigmentosa.

 

 

Joseph M. Mercola and Daniel L. Kirsch (1995) coined the term “microcurrent electrical therapy” (MET) to define a new form of electromedical intervention using biocompatible waveforms.

 

Patrick DeBock (2000), a physiotherapist at the University of Antwerp in Belgium, recently compared MET with TENS based on the Eight Parameter Law which covers every possible influence in electrotherapy.

 

In his conclusion, DeBock states, “MET has a completely different mechanism, which at this time is not fully understood, but works on a cellular level…It looks as if TENS is going to lose this competition…MET will, in most cases, be much more satisfying than TENS because of the longer lasting and more intense effects.”

 

A growing body of research shows the effectiveness of MET to do more than control pain. It can actually accelerate and even induce healing. When a wound is dry, its bioelectric current flow is shut off. Eaglstein and Mertz (1978) have shown moist wounds to resurface up to 40% faster than air-exposed wounds. Falanga (1988) found that certain types of occlusive dressings, like Duoderm, accelerate the healing of wounds. It is probable that these dressings achieve their effects by promoting a moist environment (Kulig, Jarski, & Drewek, 1991). The moisture may allow endogenously produced current to flow more readily through the injury, and thus promote wound healing. Electrical stimulation of the wound has a similar effect, and also tends to increase the amount of growth factor receptors which increases the amount of collagen formation (Falanga, 1987).

 

Electricity was first used to treat surface wounds over 300 years ago when charged gold leaf was found to prevent smallpox scars (Robinson, 1925). There are several recent studies supporting the beneficial effects of treating wounds with an artificial current (Goldin, 1981; Jeran, 1987; Ieran, 1990; Mulder, 1991). Experimental animal wound models in the 1960’s demonstrated that electrical intervention results in accelerated healing with skin wounds resurfacing faster, and with stronger scar tissue formation (Carey & Lepley, 1962; Assimacopoulos, 1968).

 

Assimacopoulos (1968a) published the first human study using direct current for wound healing. He documented complete healing in three patients with chronic leg ulcers due to venous stasis after six weeks of electrical therapy. One year later Wolcott and Wheeler (1969) published the most frequently cited work in the history of electrical wound healing.. They used direct currents of 200-1,000 microamperes on 67 patients.

 

Gault and Gatesn (1976) repeated the Wolcott and Wheeler protocol on 76 additional patients with 106 ischemic skin ulcers. Rowley et al. (1974) studied a group of patients having 250 ischemic ulcers of various types. These included 14 symmetrical control ulcers. The electrically stimulated ulcers had a fourfold acceleration in healing response compared to the controls. Carley and Wainapel (1985) performed one of the only studies on this subject published with equal and randomized active and control groups. All of these studies documented significant accelerated healing from electrical stimulation.

 

One additional consistent observation in these studies was a reversal of contamination in the wounds. Wounds that were initially contaminated with Pseudomonas and/or Proteus were usually sterile after several days of MET. Other investigators have also noticed similar improvements and encourage the use of this therapy as the preferred treatment for indolent ulcers (Kaada, Flatheim, & Woie, 1991; Barron & Jacobson, 1985; Lundeberg, Eriksson, & Malm, 1992; Alvarez et al., 1983). Additionally, no significant adverse effects resulting from electrotherapy on wounds have been documented (Weiss, 1990). A review of the literature by Dayton and Palladino (1989) shows that MET is clearly an effective and safe supplement to the non-surgical management of recalcitrant leg ulcers.

 

Some of these studies used unipolar currents that were alternated between negative and positive based on various criteria. Some researchers initially used negative current to inhibit bacterial growth and then switched to positive current to promote healing. To date no study has compared this variable of MET. However, there is some compelling basic science research, and one animal study suggesting that a biphasic waveform, which provides both negative and positive current, may be better in that it both sterilizes the wound and promotes wound healing (Stromberg, 1988; Windsor, Lester, & Herring, 1993).

 

In the 1960’s Robert O. Becker (1985) demonstrated that electrical current is the trigger that stimulates healing, growth, and regeneration in all living organisms. He found that repair of injury occurs in response to signals that come from an electrical control system, and suggested that this system became less efficient as we age. Becker developed his theory of biological control systems based on concepts derived from physics, electronics, and biology. He postulated that the first living organisms must have been capable of self-repair, otherwise they never would have survived. The repair process requires a closed-loop system. A specific signal is generated, called the current of injury, which causes another signal to start repair. The injury signal gradually decreases over time with the repair process, until it finally stops when the repair is complete.

 

Such a primitive system does not require demonstrable consciousness or intelligence. In fact, many animals actually have a greater capacity for healing than humans. Science has amassed a vast amount of information on how the brain and nervous system work. Most of this research involves the action potential as the sole mechanism of the nerve impulse. This is a very sophisticated and complex system for the transfer of information. It is helpful to compare this conceptualized concept of the nervous system to a computer.

 

The fundamental signal in both the computer and the nervous system is a digital one. Both systems transfer information represented by the number of pulses per unit of time. Information is also coded according to where the pulses originate, where they go and whether or not there is more than one channel of pulses feeding into an area. All our senses (e.g., smell, taste, hearing, sight and touch) are based on this type of pulse system. Like a computer, the nervous system operates remarkably fast and can transfer large amounts of information as digital on and off data.

 

It is unlikely that the first living organisms had such a sophisticated system. Becker believes they must have had a much simpler mechanism for communicating information because they did not need to transmit large amounts of sophisticated data. Accordingly, they probably used an analog system. An analog system works by means of simple DC currents. Information in an analog system is represented by the strength of the current, its direction of flow, and slow wavelength variations in its strength. This is a much slower system than the digital model. However, the analog system is extremely precise and works well for its intended purpose.

 

Becker theorizes that primitive organisms used this analog type of data-transmission and control system for repair. He postulates that we still have this primitive nervous system in the perineural cells of the central nervous system. These cells comprise 90% of the nervous system. The perineural cells have semiconductor properties that allow them to produce and transmit non-propagating DC signals. This system functions so vastly different from the “all or none” law of propagation of the nerve action potentials that Becker called this the fourth nervous system.

 

This analog system senses injury and controls repair. It controls the activity of cells by producing specific DC electrical environments in their vicinity. It also appears to be the primary primitive system in the brain, controlling the actions of the neurons in their generation and receipt of nerve impulses. Accordingly, as knowledge of this aspect of our nervous system is uncovered, another mystery of brain physiology may be explained, including the regulation of our consciousness and decision-making processes. Given this understanding, the application of the correct form of electrical intervention is a powerful tool for treating pain, initiating the endogenous mechanisms for healing, and altering states of consciousness.

 

Chang (1982) proposed another mechanism for MET. His research showed that microcurrent stimulation increased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generation by almost 500%. Increasing the level of current to milliampere levels actually decreased the results. Microcurrent was also shown to enhance amino acid transport and protein synthesis in the treated area 30 to 40% above controls.

 

It would be helpful to review the cellular nature of an injury to fully appreciate the importance of Chang’s research. Becker (1985) has shown that trauma will affect the electrical potential of cells in damaged tissues. Initially the injured site has a much higher resistance than that of the surrounding tissue. Basic physics dictates that electricity tends to flow towards the path of least resistance. Therefore endogenous bioelectricity avoids areas of high resistance and takes the easiest path, generally around the injury. The decreased electrical flow through the injured area decreases the cellular capacitance ( Windsor, 1993). As a result, healing is actually impaired. This may be one of the reasons for inflammatory reactions. Pain, heat, swelling, and redness are the characteristics of inflamed tissues. Electricity flows more readily through these hot inflammatory fluids.

 

The correct microcurrent application to an injured site augments the endogenous current flow. This allows the traumatized area to regain its capacitance. The resistance of the injured tissue is then reduced allowing bioelectricity to enter the area to reestablish homeostasis. Therefore microcurrent electrical therapy can be viewed as a catalyst helpful in initiating and sustaining the numerous chemical and electrical reactions that occur in the healing process.

 

When a muscle experiences trauma it goes into spasm to protect itself. This decreases its blood supply reducing the amount of oxygen and nutrients that reach it. The decreased circulation causes an accumulation of metabolic waste products. This acts as noxious input resulting in pain.

 

Adenosine triphosphate is an essential factor in the healing process. Large amounts of ATP, the cell’s main energy source, are required to control primary functions such as the movement of vital minerals, like sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium, into and out of the cell. It also sustains the movement of waste products out of the cell. Injured tissues are deficient in ATP. As MET restores circulation and replenishes ATP, nutrients can again flow into injured cells and waste products can flow out. This is necessary for the development of healthy tissues. As ATP provides the energy tissues require for building new proteins, it also increases protein synthesis and membrane transport of ions.

 

Chapter Reprint: A Practical Protocol for Electromedical Treatment of Pain in Pain Management: A Practical Guide for Clinicians. by Daniel L. Kirsch, Ph.D., D.A.A.P.M., Mineral Wells, Texas. Copyright 2001

Microcurrent can also be used for Iontophoresis - the ability to deliver medications directly to a site using current. Although traditional means of iontophoresis have been restricted to that of galvanic devices, recent studies indicate modern microcurrent devices using alternating current to be far superior and include cumulative results of improved ATP levels, collagen and elastin production and blood circulation.

 

Please note that the use of this equipment is not intended to replace competent professional advice and diagnosis. Any problem your horse may have must first assessed by a qualified vet and we strongly recommends that one follows their treatment protocol, you can use microcurrent in-between veterinary visits as long as you discuss your plan of treatment have their acknowledgement of including it within the treatment protocol.

Microcurrent has also shown stimulatory effects on glycosaminoglycan synthesis in articular chondrocytes. Research by Thomas, M. and colleagues (1995), on osteoarthritis, has demonstrated significant effect for treating OA of the horse’s knee.

There are a number of reasons for employing a device which uses high frequency combined with specific modulated frequencies and microcurrent.

There are four primary factors which create that outcome;
1. ease of application,
2. patient comfort,
3. speed of response and
4. effectiveness of the therapy.

The Equicurrent is a well designed device that has few controls making it easy for the practitioner  to understand and manage. To use the EquiCurrent effectively, the patient has to manipulate only two controls - frequency and current level.  It is easy to learn to use it correctly and effectively in only a few minutes. Microcurrent therapy generally requires much shorter treatments that the millicurrent devices. Often five to twenty minute treatments give relief for hours to days. One to three short daily applications are generally sufficient. Finally, comfort is assured because microcurrent devices seem to function best subliminally, that is, below the level of the patient’s threshold of sensation.

Equicurrent delivers electrotherapy current through the skin via the meridian points to the injured tissue or can be applied to any injured site on a horse or dog.

The Equicurrent provides electric current in millionths of an ampere. The Micro-current waves will relieve pain, increase the rate of healing, increase protein synthesis, stimulate the regeneration of injured tissue, stimulate lymphatic flow and relieve myofascial trigger points. Because the current flows at one millionth of an ampere it is delivered on the same scale as the current naturally found in each cell of the living horse, it is therefore physiologic.

The ATP provides the energy for the movement of metabolites and metabolic waste across the cell membranes as well as the re-establishment of cellular bio-electronic ionic concentration gradient. What this means is that nerve cell membrane potentials, which normally are about -85 milli Volts in healthy tissue, are re established by microcurrent stimulation. Levels of intracellular metabolic waste (i.e. Lactic Acid) are reduced and fresh concentrations of usable cellular metabolites are introduced unto the exhausted cell. At this point, the cell can enter its regenerative phase, pain levels are noticeably reduced and tissue regenerative functions can be re-established.

This may be part of the reason that microcurrent appears to be of value in the acceleration of wound healing. A 1985 article that appeared in the Archives of Physical Medicine, reported a 150 to 250% enhancement of wound healing using microcurrent therapy. The limits of microcurrent therapy are yet to be probed. Currently, Dr. Margaret Naesar, associate research professor of neurology at Boston University School of Medicine, is conducting research using a combination of low energy laser and microcurrent for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. Although her work is in the preliminary stages, the initial results appear to be very promising.

In her recent clinical experience with stroke patients who have only mild hand paresis, she has observed some improvement in had movement and some reduction in spasticity. Dr. Naesar is interested in expanding her research with carpal tunnel syndrome and is currently seeking sources for research funding.

Alternative Medicine, A Definitive Guide, from Future Medicine Publishing, reports that microcurrent can be used for a broad range of conditions including muscle spasms, migraines, TMJ, bursitis, surgical incisions, sprains, strains, neuralgia, Herpes Zoster, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, bruises and even infections. As far as I am aware at this time, the only indications for microcurrent which have cleared the FDA are for the treatment of acute and chronic pain. Possibly the future will bring us an enlarged list of approved indications. The future of electrical stimulation is already written. Devices with currents which more and more closely simulate the body’s natural currents will be developed. Each generation will replace the precious one as effectiveness is enhanced by further sophistication. Current will probably be enhanced and combined with light and electro-magnetics to create hybrid devices which combine the benefits of many realms. The ultimate goal is to establish consistent and reproducible communication between the therapist and the body’s pain and healing management systems. When this communication has been achieved, the management of pain may be as simple as flipping a switch.

Equicurrent is sub-sensory and cannot be felt while it is being delivered because there is not enough current to stimulate the sensory receptors. Traditional electrotherapy currents such as TENS, Interferential and Galvanic deliver current in milliamps, which is a higher level of current. They can cause muscle contraction as a result; which is not what you want for healing.

The Equicurrent increases ATP production by 500%.   ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate) is the primary molecule from which the body produces energy, and it is found in every cell of the body.      In a study done by Ngok Cheng, M.D. entitled “The Effects of Electric Current on ATP Generation, Protein Synthesis and Membrane Transport.”, it was demonstrated that ATP production increased five times with currents from 50 uA to 1000 uA. With currents exceeding 1000 uA, which is the milliamp range, ATP production leveled, and with 5000 uA ATP production was reduced slightly.

The Equicurrent has also shown to increase protein synthesis and amino acid transport in the horse. When the Equicurrent is applied to injured tissue it helps supports the natural current flow in the tissue, allowing cells in the traumatized area to regain their flow of electrons.  Any trauma to the body damages cells and affects the electrical potential the cells.  The injured area will have a higher electrical resistance than the surrounding tissue. This decreases electrical conductance through the injured area, and decreases cellular capacitance, leads to an impairment of the healing process.   This impairment is often seen as inflammation.  

When the Equicurrent is applied to the horse, resistance is reduced, allowing bioelectricity to flow through and reestablish normal function. This process helps to initiate and perpetuate the many biochemical reactions that occur in healing. In Frequency Specific Microcurrent, specific frequencies are used for varying tissues and conditions, often providing softening of the tissue and decreased pain. This softening and the pain relief seems to be long lasting and in many cases permanent for the horse.

A more in depth explaination of what happens when MicroCurrent are applied to the body.   Stimulation by MicroCurrent produces a gradient when the electrons at the cathode react with water molecules to form hydroxyl ions, while at the anodic side, protons are formed. As a result, a proton and voltage gradient are established across the intervening tissues between the electrodes. The influence of the electric field and the concentration difference produce a proton current that moves from anode to cathode. Since the rate of proton formation at the anodic interface is equal to the rate of proton consumption at the cathodic interface, the net pH of the system, medium and tissue, remains undisturbed. As the migrating protons reach the mitochondrial membrane-bound H+-ATPase, ATP is formed.

Even more important than comfort and compliance is effectiveness.                                          

A double blind study by Paul Meyer, MD used microcurrent stimulation on 40 patients with low back pain for a total of 16 treatments each. Follow-up eight weeks after the completion of therapy showed a 75% reduction in pain in the treatment group as compared to only a 6% improvement in the placebo group. The extraordinary effectiveness of microcurrent seems to be explained, at least in part, by a 1982 study by Ngok Cheng MD on the effects of electrical stimulation on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentrations and protein syntheses in mammalian skin.

ATP deficiencies are common in areas of chronic pain, and sufficient ATP is essential to power the processes of cell respiration. ATP supplies the energy to the sodium pump, the active transport mechanism that removes metabolic waste from the cell’s interior and imports metabolic substrates (food) from the bloodstream into the cells. In Cheng’s study, he demonstrated that the ATP concentrations were increased by as much as 300 to 400 percent in cells stimulated with currents between 25 microamps and 1000 microamps (the microamp range).

The following is an explanation for some of the electronic phenomena involved with the reduction of pain and the relationship to the healing process as it related to ATP concentrations in the cells.       

It appears that;

1.) The electrical resistance of tissue with chronic pathology is higher than that of the immediately surrounding normal or less pathological tissue. Acute injuries generally have a combination of abnormally high and abnormally low resistance, and 

2.) Regeneration is a series of endothermic electrochemical reactions. This means that electricity is used in miniscule quantities by cells to provide the energy to fuel the regenerative process.

 

What is the combined effect of these two pieces of information?

Consider the predicament: The tissue in the area of involvement needs energy in the form of electricity. The patient’s body contains more that an adequate quantity of energy to produce the desired effect. Unfortunately, the electrical resistance in the area of involvement is so elevated that the body’s energy flow cannot enter the area because the laws of physics require that energy travel only via the path of least resistance. The result, energy traveling in the body will circumvent the area of pathology because it always takes the path of least resistance, which is around, rather than through, the area of pathology. If there is an inflammatory process in the area of involvement, the inflamed tissue, which naturally has a very high electrical conductance, takes the body’s energy and transforms it into heat. (Like a toaster’s elements heat up and turn red when electricity is applied) The heating process is like a constant energy leak and can easily drain the body of massive amounts of critically needed energy similar to a slow drip in the bathroom using up many gallons of water.

Since we can’t change the laws of physics, we must enable the energy to pass into the area of pathology while obeying the laws. In addition, we can aid our cause by increasing the body’s ability to actually produce and store energy in the area of involvement. This is done by charging the tissue in a manner comparable to charging a battery. Tissue cells, like battery cells, have the ability to hold an electrical charge. The greater the charge on the cell the lower the resistance to the flow of electrical energy. The term for the quantity of charge a cell can maintain is called capacitance. As the health of a cell improves, capacitance increases. The capacitance is directly proportional to the concentration of ATP in the cell and ranges from about 1 to 3 microfarads (units of charge). It has been demonstrated that areas of the body which have pain, often have deficiencies in ATP and high electrical resistance. The charge in those areas is generally low because the body’s natural electrical currents cannot penetrate the resistance.

ATP serves a direct vital function in the active transport mechanism known as the sodium pump. This molecular and ionic transport system is directly responsible for the movement of sodium, potassium, and calcium across the cell’s membranes. Large amounts of energy is required to move ions in and out of the cell.

When the pump is not functioning, cellular metabolic waste builds up in toxic concentrations. What we have when the sodium pump is not functioning is a hypo-polarized, toxic, starving cell, not a pretty sight. Re-establishment of the sodium pump occurs as ATP concentrations rise. The work of Cheng has shown that under the influence of microcurrent electrical stimulation, ATP concentrations increase when the applied electrical flow is in the 25 to less than 5000 microamp range. Old type millicurrent tens devices operate in the 20 to 80 milliamp and higher ranges. Far into the levels which have been shown by Cheng to deplete the cell’s ATP concentrations and metabolic processing capabilities.