Electric Muscle Stimulation

Electrical muscle stimulation is also known as neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) or electromyostimulation. While it is sometimes used for developing muscle control in athletes, electrical muscle stimulation, or the elicitation of muscle contraction using electric impulses, is also used as a form of therapy for chronic pain control.

The impulses are generated by a unit and then delivered through several electrodes. The electrodes are placed on the skin directly beside the muscles that need to be stimulated. Those electrical impulses then mimic the action potential that comes from the central nervous system. The electrodes are typically pads that adhere to the skin with tape or a gel formula.

Electric muscle stimulation can be performed in a physician or chiropractor’s office on their equipment, or your health insurance company may reimburse you for the cost of a unit for at home use. Such devices require a medical prescription and are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the following purposes:

* Muscle spasms relaxation;
* Retardation or prevention of disuse atrophy;
* Increase of local blood circulation;
* Re-education of muscles;
* Immediate stimulation post-surgically of calf muscles to prevent venous thrombosis;
* Increasing or maintaining range of motion.

If an electrical stimulation device is being market as a mean of losing weight, then it is highly likely that the medical device was not approved for use in the United States by the FDA. As such, it may not be a safe device and may be capable of causing burns, shock or other physical problems.

If you are interested in using an electrical muscle stimulator, then speak to your health care provider about your health goals, particularly related to pain management to determine what forms of therapy may best meet your needs.