The Electro-Acuscope
Therapy System has
been referred to as
"the best kept
secret in equine
therapy". The
instruments have
successfully treated
common equine
problems such as
pulled muscles,
strained
 tendons
and ligaments,
inflammation,
abscessed feet, and
nerve paralysis. It
is particularly
successful in
relieving or greatly
reducing the
swelling and pain of
tissue damage
occurring from
athletic injury. In
addition, the
Acuscope has proven
effective in the
treatment of
conditions thought
to be life
threatening or
crippling, such as
laminitis, navicular
problems, deep
puncture wounds, and
deteriorating coffin
bones.
The Acuscope
assists the body
in healing
itself by
improving the
circulation of
blood and oxygen
in the involved
area, and
normalizing the
electrical
circuitry in the
nerves and
muscles of
damaged tissue.
The body is made
up of a vast
number of cells.
In many ways
these cells act
like tiny
batteries
storing and
releasing
energy, doing
their work of
taking in
nutrients,
releasing waste
products,
repairing and
reproducing
themselves, etc.
Each cell has a
measurable
electrical
charge which
must be
maintained in
order to
function
properly.
Energy flows
constantly
between all
cells throughout
the electrical
circuitry of the
body. When
damage or trauma
occurs to living
tissue, there is
a disruption in
the electrical
capacity of the
involved cells
and after an
initial surge,
there results a
measurable
decrease in the
production and
flow of energy
through the
electrical
network of the
involved
tissues. This
condition is
generally
accompanied by
pain in the area
and often
results in the
body's inability
to completely
repair itself.
Thus, lengthy
rest periods and
inactivity are
often prescribed
in order to
attain eventual
restoration of
normal function.
The Acuscope and
Myopulse has
both feedback
and therapeutic
functions, it
actually
provides
auditory and
numerical
readouts which
indicate the
locations where
tissue is
damaged and
unhealthy. Once
abnormal areas
are located, the Acuscope can
then treat the
tissue according
to its needs. An
experienced
therapist can
interpret the
sounds and
numbers which
reflect the
amount of
conductivity
passing through
the tissue
between
treatment probes
and can
determine a
course of
therapy based
upon these
readings.
Swelling and
inflammation are
translated into
high numbers on
an LED display
along with
corresponding
high-pitched
tones. The
Acuscope
readings tell
the therapist
where the
problem is most
severe, and it
can pinpoint
precise areas of
excessive heat
and fluid in
acutely damaged
sites. It can
also identify
tissue which has
become chronic,
i.e. an area of
deficiency in an
energy-depleted
state. Low
numbers and
tones reflect
tissue which is
unable to
complete the
healing process
and incapable of
returning to a
normal, healthy
condition
without
assistance. In
addition, the
Acuscope can
help locate
problem areas in
other parts of
the body which
have become sore
or painful as a
result of
compensating for
the original
cause.
For example, an
all too common
condition such
as a bowed
tendon will
initially cause
the horse to
refuse to bear
weight on the
injured leg.
Acuscope
readings will
initially
reflect the
excessive
electrical
activity in the
area resulting
from the heat
and inflammation
in the
traumatized
tendon.
Immediate
treatment to the
involved site
can help
accelerate the
healing process.
A horse with a
bowed tendon
which has not
received
Acuscope
treatments will
spend a
prolonged amount
of time with
opposite leg
bearing the
majority of the
weight, which
can cause
secondary
conditions from
overcompensation
where the
muscles/tendons/ligaments
of that leg will
become strained
and sore. With
Acuscope
treatments,
these secondary
complications
can be prevented
by keeping the
body balanced,
comfortable, and
in a healthier
state.
Acuscope therapy
is a modality
applied
primarily for
pain relief, to
improve soft
tissue function,
and to increase
range of motion.
The Acuscope
differs from
other electrical
stimulation
devices in that
it delivers its'
treatments in
micro-amps. Most
nerve
stimulations
devices (TENS)
produce milli-amperage
current designed
to bombard the
tissue and
simply block
pain signals
from reaching
the brain. The
Acuscope, in
contrast,
generates only
the level of
current required
to gently
encourage nerve
and muscle fiber
to return to
conduction of
normal
electrical
impulses. Also
in contrast,
ordinary TENS
devices provide
only temporary
relief, whereas
a series of
Acuscope
treatments have
a cumulative,
long-term
healing effect.
The advanced and
sophisticated
technology of
the Acuscope has
been used
extensively over
the past twenty
years, by and
under the
supervision of
many
veterinarians to
deal with the
most serious
injuries and
acute life
threatening
conditions of
the equine
athlete.
In numerous
recent
scientific
studies,
micro-current
therapy has been
proven to have a
profoundly
beneficial
effect on living
tissue.
Micro-amperage
(below 1
milliamp) is the
naturally
occurring level
of current
generated by
cells throughout
the body. In
technical terms,
some of the
benefits of
micro-current
therapy at the
cellular level
are: opening of
voltage-sensitive
calcium ion
channels,
normalizing cell
membrane
potential,
restoring the
sodium pump
function,
enhancing
protein
synthesis, and
increasing ATP
production. With
this in mind, it
is easy to
understand why
supplying the
kind of current
that naturally
occurs in
healthy tissue
promotes
regenerative
metabolic
activity.
Another unique
feature, which
sets the
Acuscope apart
from other
electrical
stimulation
devices, it
utilizes an
internal
micro-chip
circuitry that
is designed to
scan and monitor
the tissue
constantly.
Other electrical
stimulation
units gather no
feedback and
produce only a
simple fixed
output according
to preset
specifications.
The Acuscope
reads
neurological
impedance
(resistance) in
the circuit
created through
the tissue
placed between
the two probes
or electrodes.
Based on the
information it
gathers, the
unit is
programmed to
calculate
appropriate
corrective
waveforms.
Acuscopes used
on horses are
specially
calibrated to
take into
account their
higher metabolic
rates than those
found in humans.
Computerized
circuitry picks
up abnormalities
in the nerve
fiber impulses
(input), and
modifies its
infinitely
variable square
wave signal
(output)
appropriately.
Its'
self-correcting
mechanisms
continually
adjust the
current until
normal patterns
are being
conducted
without
resistance
through the
tissue between
the probes. The
readings then
tell the
therapists when
an area has been
successfully
treated and the
probes can be
moved to another
location. This
feedback
modulated
procedure
eliminates the
possibility of
over-treatment
or harm to the
cells.
Remarkably,
results are
usually
noticeable
immediately,
with continued
improvement over
the following
few days. Within
a week, most
conditions will
have progressed
dramatically.
Chronic
conditions may
take several
treatments
before initial
results are
observed, yet
Acuscope
treatments are
known to resolve
serious
conditions which
would otherwise
never improve.
Enhanced
alertness,
calmness,
definite gait
changes,
coordination,
and balance are
typically some
of the immediate
results along
with reduction
of pain,
swelling, and
relief from
muscle
tightness. It
has been
consistently
observed that
the animal
becomes
extremely
relaxed from
this
non-invasive
procedure.
Horses are often
observed
relaxing through
a treatment by
lowering their
head, giving a
deep sigh of
relief, bending
a rear leg,
licking and
chewing, and
yawning.
Horses are
started with an
initial series
of three
treatments
within a 72-hour
period. This is
to ensure a
proper
introduction to
the Electro-Acuscope
Therapy System,
as well as
create a strong
base for
long-term
results. After
the initial
treatments are
completed a
follow-up
program is
suggested
depending on the
needs of the
individual
horse.
Electro-Acuscope
Therapy
compliments
traditional
veterinary
procedures to
ensure a quicker
recovery for the
animal, but is
not intended to
replace proper
veterinary care.
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
How many treatments will a patient need?
The pain relief that follows each treatment of a given area
will last longer and longer, and each successive treatment
will require a shorter amount of time to be effective. The
number of treatments required will depend on the severity
and extent of the condition as well as the body's ability to
heal itself. Age, general state of health, habits, and even
state of mind may influence the length of time required for
complete recovery. Somewhere between five and fifteen
treatments is the normal average. Unlike other forms of pain
relief, such as therapy with certain drugs or higher
amperage electrical stimulators, the body does not build up
a tolerance to Acuscope treatments. Both with many pain
medications and most hi-amp devices, prolonged use requires
higher and higher doses of medications or increased time and
amounts of electricity to achieve the desired pain reduction
effect. With Electro-Acuscope/Myoscope treatments, sessions
of shorter and shorter duration produce more dramatic and
longer lasting effects, until treatment is no longer
required. By definition, this is called the "cumulative"
effect.
Please explain why the results from an Acuscope treatment
are cumulative.
Mild current stimulation, ideally at the level of 500uA
(micro-amps) or less, has been proven to cause the cells of
the body to increase production of the chemical ATP which
responsible for cellular energy production. It has also been
shown to increase protein synthesis, the building blocks of
tissue, which allows the cells to begin to repair
themselves. This low level of current is known to improve
certain cellular functions which pump ions (such as sodium,
calcium, potassium, etc.) into the cells, and to increase
the transport of waste products out of the cells thereby
assisting in the flushing of toxins out of the tissue. As
these chemical reactions build up with each treatment, the
tissue is able to repair itself more completely. The
"charge" on the tissue begins to hold and its ability to
generate its own normal energy is restored. In most cases of
neuro-muscular pathology, a series of treatments leads to
permanent relief.
MANUFACTURER'S ACUSCOPE FAQ
(FAQ reproduced with permission from BioMedical Design
Instruments)
How important is to have Acuscope calibrated for animal
use?
The instrument calibration is very important factor due to
remarkable differences which exist within the distribution
of the electrical current between human and animal subjects.
In the collected measurement of bio-impedance from cross
sectional area of excitation points can show up to 30%-90%
in difference (depending on the breed of animal) caused by
dynamic changes in pulsatile blood flow to organs, arterial
pulse waveforms and respiration. This means that if the
instrument is not calibrated for animal use, the impedance
window becomes too large and the constant current stage of
the excitation source will not be able to supply enough
voltage to keep the signal constant. This will result in
lower than expected values, noisy "pulsatile" imprecise and
indistinct data signals.
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