What is Regenerative Electrotherapy?
Before we address that question let’s first off recognize that all functions of the human body involve electro-chemical processes in their operations. A cell, like all units comprised of atomic and molecular assemblies, has an electronic moment which results from the interaction of its electrochemical constituents.
It is important to note that medical science has established that there are extensive electrical fields at work in the body. The nervous system, for example, has long been known to work through both electrochemical and purely electrical signals. In fact, electrical bonding at the atomic level holds all molecules together. This knowledge has led medical scientists such as Dr. Robert Becker and Dr. Bjorn Nordenstrom (who served as Chairman of the Nobel Assembly) to propose new theories of physiology based on bioelectrical principles. A 1985 book called “The Body Electric,” by orthopedic surgeon Robert O. Becker, MD (with Gary Selden), revived interest in the concept of electricity as an “animating force” in physiology.
Over the ensuing years technologies have been developed and perfected to interact with the body from its electrical perspective (much like drugs have been developed to interact with the body chemically).
These technologies closely approximate the naturally occurring bioelectric currents in the body and therefore more effectively augment the body’s tissue healing and repair.
You may be familiar with some of the technologies. Common bioelectric devices include:
- Heart pacemakers – which use an electric impulse to regulate the hearts rhythm
- Bone growth stimulators – which are used to heal broken bones
- Deep brain stimulators – which use implanted electrodes to impart electrical pulses directly to the brain to control involuntary muscular tremors in Parkinson’s disease
- Biofeedback instruments which use electrical impulses to modify behavior and retain the nervous and muscular systems
- TENS units – which block pain signals from going to the brain so you don’t feel the pain
Pain Treatment Technologies
In the arena of pain treatment and injury repair the technology has now advanced beyond “pain suppression” with a TENS unit to actual acceleration of the body’s ability to heal itself.
These technologies, which we utilize in our clinic, include:
- Microcurrent Electrical Therapy – a low-volt pulsed microamperage stimulation (actually sub-threshold, i.e. barely felt) which stimulates the body’s natural processes to relieve pain, reduce spasms and edema, release muscle trigger points, tonify weak muscles and assist the healing process through soft tissue regeneration.
If you would like to further understand the physiology basis here is an SDPT_Article_Reprint you may find useful.
What is key is that studies indicate human tissue appears to heal more rapidly with microcurrent application and that has certainly been Dr. Lathrop’s experience over his 25+ years of clinical practice.
What are the healing effects of microcurrent electrotherapy?
They include:
- Rapid reduction and usually riddance of acute and chronic pain
- Increases in endorphin levels
- Reduction of inflammatory biochemicals in the body
- Rapid reduction of swelling and inflammation in the injured part
- Clearing of congestion
- Increases in cell energy (ATP)
- Boosts in protein synthesis – the process in which cells build proteins
- Enhancement of tissue repair
- Reduction of rehabilitation recovery time 50-75%
Fewer visits to resolve the injury demonstrated in UCSD sponsored clinical study
In a clinical study conducted by Dr. Peter Lathrop and sponsored by the University of California, San Diego and Industrial Medical Centers the use of micro-current treatment was evaluated as a method of improving healing time.
The study involved 283 patients with soft tissue injuries.
The results of this study, as well as others, demonstrated that the use of microcurrent therapy can significantly reduce treatment and worker down time. This translates directly to a reduction in medical costs, especially those related to physical therapy. Read the Fact Sheet with the study results.
Regenerative Electrotherapy Medical Devices
The regenerative microcurrent electrotherapy device of choice for Dr. Lathrop is the My-o-Matic. Dr. Lathrop actually worked together with Dr. Thomas Wing (the grandfather of microcurrent therapy) to develop the unit. (seen in this photo with Dr. Lathrop)
This medical instrument utilizes low voltage electrical current to treat pain and soft tissue injuries. The treatment is similar to acupuncture but utilizes electrical current (which you don’t feel) instead of needles. The treatment is completely painless and most patients experience pain relief after only one 15-30 minute session. Read some of our case studies.
S.C.E.N.A.R.
Another frequently used regenerative device in our clinic is the S.C.E.N.A.R.
Used in Russia for over 30 years SCENARs were originally developed by the Russian space program as a portable treatment device fitting for cosmonauts to take into space. This amazing technology has the ability to jump start the body’s own healing processes.
Dr. Lathrop is getting great results with a variety of patient indications. Here are just a few case study examples.
SCENAR’s reflex biofeedback uses interactive and intelligent energy-neuro-stimulation to reduce pain, increase functionality and activate healing fast.
Synaptic
This practitioner device is a favorite of Dr. Lathrop’s particularly for low back pain. He was also a co-inventor of the earlier version of the Synaptic. He has a long history of co-developing these technologies as well as using them in clinical practice.
The Synaptic is a non-invasive, FDA recognized electrotherapy developed to treat acute and chronic pain. It is next generation electrical stimulation, far superior to TENS units.
The technology employs comfortable high-frequency signals to reduce the brain’s response to pain. While old therapies like a TENS unit may stimulate the nerves at a frequency of 300Hz , the Synaptic stimulates the nerves at a frequency rate as high as 40,000 Hz. The continued and high rate of nerve stimulation leads to nerve fatigue and a decrease in the nerves ability to carry pain signals.
