Are you experiencing muscle pain? Too sore to even be touched?
If your muscles are so inflamed and too tender to touch, do not worry. We have Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS).
Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS).
Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) is a treatment method being used to reduce pain, swelling, and recovery time. This increasingly popular treatment works well for soft tissue injuries, muscle spasms, and even for athletes who want quicker recovery from workouts.
How Does Electrical Muscle Stimulation Work?
This treatment is performed here in our office, and usually only takes a few minutes. Electrodes are placed on the skin over the affected area, and the machine is turned on. An electrical current is then transmitted into the soft tissue or muscle. The level of current used depends on the injury, its location, and how deep the therapy will be. This electrical current causes the muscles to experience very small but quick contractions. During the treatment, patients may feel a prickly or tingling sensation; however, these sensations will subside after the machine is turned off, or shortly afterward. Many patients enjoy the sensation.
Electrical muscle stimulation creates tiny contractions in the muscles so they become tired and relax, relieving pain and muscle spasms. In addition, it triggers the release of endorphins, which are our body’s natural pain reliever. The process is also said to clear metabolic waste so nutrients can be better delivered and soft tissue can heal more quickly.
Back muscles and neck muscles are common locations for EMS; however, there are many areas of the body that can experience the benefits of this treatment.
Electrical muscle stimulation works well for both acute and chronic pain. If you have been struggling with pain or have recently suffered an injury, ask your chiropractor if electrical muscle stimulation is right for you.
Our electrical muscle stimulation uses Interferential Current Therapy. Interferential Current Therapy is an effective therapy method used to relieve pain and accelerate the self-healing process. It is essentially a deeper form of electrical stimulation. To perform this method of treatment, electrodes are placed on the skin around the injured body part. An Interferential Current device is then used, which transmits electrical impulses in minute quantities throughout your skin. Underlying tissue and nerves become stimulated which begins the healing properties. These impulses are not painful, and can be described as a minor prickle on the skin.
Interferential Current Therapy is used to treat:
Circulatory and muscle disorders
- Stiff joints
- Joint injuries
- Edema
- Inflammation
- Muscle spasms
Advantages of Interferential Current Therapy include:
- Reducing or eliminating pain in a safe manner
- Noticeable decrease in swelling and inflammation
- Restoring lost movement and improving range-of-motion
- Stimulating the natural hormones which can help the body heal faster
Additionally, Interferential Current Therapy also assists in blood circulation and rushes recovery by stimulating endorphins.
Looking for a home remedy for your muscle pain?
Ask us to see if a TENs Unit is appropriate for your specific condition:
A TENS unit is a portable electrical stimulation unit that a patient can wear all day. It consists of a small electrical unit attached to electrodes in the form of sticky pads. You place the electrodes around the body part that hurts (at least a pad width apart). The figure above illustrates placement of the pads for tension neck pain: on the neck and at the base of the skull.
The electrical signals from the electrodes close the pain gates, diminishing the pain signals that are sent to the brain, and you feel the electrical pulse over the sensation of the pain. This is a passive, palliative treatment. I like these as an alternative to taking pain relievers because TENS units are very safe (the risks are nothing compared to pain pills).
TENS units are available at drugstores and online for less than $100. After the initial cost of the unit, you just need to replace the batteries and the sticky pads (they lose their stick after multiple uses).
How else can we treat muscle pain?
Once you are feeling well enough to handle myofascial release (muscle work with the hands) we have stretching and massaging techniques to facilitate healing.
ART: active release technique involves pinning and stretching tight muscles through movement patterns to decrease muscle tension.
Cupping: treatment using suction cups to lift the skin to allow metabolic waste to clear from the muscle.
Functional Movement Assessment: series of movement patterns to find compensations that may be causing your pain or hindering your performance in a certain activity.
Movement Specific Rehabilitation Exercises: specific stability, mobility, or strengthening exercises designed for whatever movement or activity goals you may have. To learn more about how exercises can help, Click HERE
To learn more about the Graston Technique for muscle pain, Click HERE
To learn more about dry needling for pain and myospasm, Click HERE
To learn more about Rapid Release Therapy, Click HERE
To learn more about how chiropractic manipulation can help, Click HERE
Drummond Chiropractic, LLC
You Downtown Pain Specialist Chiropractors
565 North Walnut Street
Bloomington, IN 47404
(812) 336 - 2423