Electroacupuncture

Electroacupuncture connects two or more needles inserted into the body with wires, using them as electrodes to deliver electrical stimulation at low voltage and current. It is also called "electrical acupuncture" because current flows while the needles remain in place.

In traditional acupuncture, the practitioner stimulates the needles by rotating them or moving them up and down by hand. However, the intensity and speed of manual stimulation vary somewhat depending on the practitioner and the circumstances that day. Electroacupuncture arose from the idea of addressing this variability and sustaining consistent stimulation for longer. Following various attempts from the 1930s onward, it became widely used in China from the 1950s onward, and its methods were systematized.

Electroacupuncture plays a substantial role not only in clinical practice but also as a research tool. Because frequency, intensity, and duration can be set numerically, it is well suited to producing identical stimulation in acupuncture studies involving animals and humans. This is why a substantial proportion of basic research examining how acupuncture works has used electroacupuncture.

Traditional theory understands electroacupuncture in the same way as acupuncture. Stimulation of acupuncture points is thought to balance the flow of Qi and blood, with electricity viewed as a means of sustaining that stimulation. You can read about acupuncture points and the pathways through which qi flows in Acupuncture points and Acupuncture meridians.

The most widely known explanation in modern research is a model in which different frequencies release different neurochemicals. In animal experiments, Han Jisheng's research team in China reported that low-frequency (about 2Hz) and high-frequency (about 100Hz) electroacupuncture were associated with the release of different types of pain-relieving substances produced within the body (endogenous opioids). Low frequencies were linked to enkephalins and endorphins, while high frequencies were linked to dynorphins. This research is often presented as showing the possibility that acupuncture stimulation can produce different neural responses under different conditions.

Electroacupuncture at a Korean medicine clinic generally proceeds as follows.

1. Needle insertion — Needles are inserted into painful areas or related acupuncture points. When a needle reaches an area of tight muscle, you may feel a heavy or dull sensation. 2. Electrode connection — Clips or wires from an electrical stimulator are connected to the needles in pairs. 3. Increasing the intensity — The current is gradually increased while the practitioner asks what level feels comfortable. It is often set at a level that feels like "gentle tapping" or "slight muscle twitching." 4. Treatment duration — Current is usually applied for about 10–20 minutes. The practitioner selects a waveform, such as a continuous wave with a steady rhythm or a dense-disperse wave that alternates between high and low frequencies. 5. Finishing up — The wires are disconnected and the needles are removed.

You can lie comfortably during treatment. If the stimulation feels too strong or the tingling becomes uncomfortable, let the practitioner know right away. They will lower the intensity immediately.

• People whose neck and shoulders frequently feel tight and stiff
• People whose lower back aches after working seated for long periods
• People with persistent discomfort around joints such as the knees or elbows
• People who experience numbness or tingling, or a feeling of weakness, in their arms or legs
• People who feel that manual acupuncture alone does not provide enough stimulation

• Keep the intensity comfortable. Stronger stimulation does not mean better treatment results. You can start gently and gradually increase the intensity as your body adjusts.
• Tell the practitioner beforehand if you have a medical device. If you use a device such as a pacemaker or are pregnant, the practitioner can adjust the approach.
• It is best not to move while the needles are in place. Shifting your body can change the position of the electrodes, so let the practitioner know verbally if you feel uncomfortable.
• How you feel afterward varies from person to person. Some people feel refreshed as their muscles relax, while others feel slightly achy or sleepy. It can help to sit and rest briefly before getting up.
• It differs from low-frequency devices used at home. Home low-frequency massagers use pads attached to the skin, whereas electroacupuncture passes current through needles inserted into the body. This difference is discussed further below.

• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) — This method delivers stimulation through pads attached to the skin's surface. Because it does not use needles, stimulation is delivered only from the skin surface. In electroacupuncture, current is delivered with needles inserted into the tissues, so the depth and areas reached by the stimulation differ. Home low-frequency massagers also use methods closer to TENS and muscle stimulation (EMS). (See Neuromuscular electrical stimulation and Home TENS and EMS devices for the neck and shoulders.)
• Dry needling — Although the needle insertion technique is similar, this method directly needles tight areas in muscles to release them. Electrical stimulation is sometimes added.
• Acupuncture — This is the traditional needle treatment on which electroacupuncture is based. See the acupuncture entry for methods of manipulating needles by hand.