Newsletter
LAHOOD CHIROPRACTIC
Injury Care • Nutrition • Rehabilitation
Electrical Muscle Stimulation – also known an EMS
A therapeutic type of electrical current is applied directly to the body and is used for the relief of pain, swelling and inflammation, muscle spasm and to heal injured tissue.
You will feel a mild tingling sensation at first, as if you are getting an “electrical massage”. Then as your body adapts, you will relax into a comfortable sensation of restfulness---without pain!
Electrical Muscle Stimulation is used by Chiropractors, Physical Medicine Doctors, Physical Therapists, Sports Team Trainers, as well as complementary Health Care Professionals.
This therapeutic process safely reduces pain, releases muscle spasm, strengthens muscles, and helps to return the injured tissues to their healthy pre-injury status.
How EMS Works:
For Pain:
Very low current electrical energy is directed into the painful tissues. EMS prompts your body to produce endorphins which helps to block the awareness of pain under this energy field. Also, since skin sensation and deeper nerve impulses travel on different nerve pathways, your pain is distracted by the EMS.
For Spasm:
A Spasm is a disorganized involuntary partial muscle contraction. They often materialize with injury or overuse of our muscles, but can also occur from tension, stress, other illness, or even just from “sleeping wrong”. These contractions constantly tug at the surrounding tissues and bones interfering with the healing process and cause pain. Constant prolonged spasms also produce pain producing substances in the muscle, such a lactic acid, much like when you get a “stitch” in your side when your running.
EMS works directly on the painful muscles that are spasm. Since EMS is controlling the muscle contraction, the cycle can be broken and the spasm may release, thus reducing pain and tension.
For Swelling:
EMS current stimulates the body to dilate blood vessels allowing for increased circulation to enter the damaged areas. Fresh blood carries the immune systems tools for tissue repair. Also, since the EMS is taking control of the muscle contractions, the waste products of injury can be washed away and replaced by nourishing fluids.
Benefits of EMS:
- Reduces pain and swelling
- Eases muscle spasm
- Reinforces healing of painful, stressed and injured tissues
- Restores muscle tone, thus restoring normal muscle function.
