What is Frequency Specific Microcurrent?
WHAT IS FREQUENCY SPECIFIC MICROCURRENT (FSM)?
Frequency Specific Microcurrent works off the premise that every tissue in the body has its own resonant frequency, and every condition (or pathology) in the body also has its own resonant frequency.
When we combine these frequency pairs, we elicit cellular changes that can significantly reduce inflammation and promote tissue healing (McMakin 2005).
For example, your FSM Practitioner will input specific frequencies into a programmable microcurrent device to provide instructions, measured in electrical pulses per second (Hz). It's like sending an instruction to a specific tissue; for example: "reduce inflammation" + in the "nerve" will predictably and repeatedly reduce pain (so long neural inflammation is, in fact, causing the pain). It works as long as the correct tissue is being targeted with the appropriate instruction. And yes, it's that specific.
Damaged tissue has some disruption to its electromagnetic field and is not resonating at its optimal resonant frequency. We utilize frequency specific microcurrent to input the optimal frequencies (or "instructions") which entrain that specific tissue back to its optimal state.
WHAT ARE SOME MEASURABLE EFFECTS OF MICROCURRENT?
We know that microcurrent alone, without the specific frequencies, can evoke a
- 500% increase in ATP production,
- 70% increase in protein synthesis,
- 40% increase in amino acid transport,
- 14% increase in collagen synthesis,
- 39% increase in blood supply, and
- 48% increase in elastin
when we keep the microamps between 10µA and 500µA (Cheng 1982, Seegers 2002 & 2002).
There is also data to support specific, statistically significant changes in blood markers with FSM, including
- decrease in IL-1,
- decrease in TNF-alpha,
- decrease in Substance P,
- increase in Beta endorphin,
- decrease in pain,
which you can explore further in the paper titled Cytokine changes with microcurrent treatment of fibromyalgia associated with cervical spine trauma (McMakin 2005).
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FSM AND TENS
Keeping the microamps below 500µA is an important factor to consider when comparing microcurrent to a standard TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) treatment that you may have experienced at a physical therapist, acupuncture or chiropractic office. TENS units usually emit milliamps, whereas microcurrent emits microamps--one thousand fold difference than a TENS unit. This is important because the data shows once you increase above 500µA, the therapeutic and beneficial cellular effects diminish.
At The Healing Collective, we recommend avoiding using a standard TENS unit two days before and two days after your Frequency Specific Microcurrent treatments so that the TENS therapy does not override the beneficial effects of FSM.
LEARN MORE ABOUT FSM
Explore the , research on FSM right here on our Be Well Blog by clicking , here . You are welcome to schedule a free 15 minute consult with Dr. Jessie, our FSM specialist here at The Healing Collective, to learn how FSM might be able to help you.
RESOURCES
McMakin C, Gregory WM and Phillips T. Cytokine changes with microcurrent treatment of fibromyalgia associated with cervical spine trauma . J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2005; 9: 169-176. 10.1016/j.jbmt.2004.12.003.
Cheng N 1982, The Effect of Electric Currents on ATP Generation, Protein Synthesis and Membrane Transport in Rat Skin . Clinical Orthopedics 171: 264-272.
Seegers JC, 2002, A pulsed DC electric field affects P2-purinergic receptor functions by altering the ATP levels in in vitro and in vivo systems . Medical Hypothesis, 58 (2) 171-176.
Seegers, JC, 2001; Activation of signal transduction mechanisms may underlie the Therapeutic effects of an applied electric field . Med Hypothesis; 57 (2), 224-230.
