4. Who has Pain?
Physical pain is a natural force in our lives that all of us will
experience & have to deal with.
It can be caused in a number of ways:
Injury
Posture
Stress
Illness
Others
11. Is This New Technology?
One of the oldest and most documented medical
sciences known.
Cellular function has long been known and accepted to be
influenced by specific bioelectric fields.
Based upon the concept that any medical treatment can
only stimulate, facilitate, or inhibit electrical or chemical
processes in the body.
13. Theory of Electromedicine
Successful treatments have been documented for nearly
2,000 years
Wider acceptance gained after publication of “Gate
Control Theory of Pain” (Science 150, 1965)(T.E.N.S.)
Certain cells in the spinal cord act as gates through which pain
signals travel to the brain;
Overloading these cells will block electrochemical pain
impulses and thus relieve pain.
The Gate Control Theory accepted by the Medical
Community
Helped establish the use of transcutaneous electric nerve
stimulation (TENS) in the United States
14. Classifications
1. Action Potential (depolarization and repolarization
of a cell membrane, opens and closes)
2. No Action Potential (sustained depolarization of a
cell membrane, closed)
15. Affecting the Nerve with Electromedicine
3. Neuron Function Interruption*
Signals that are so fast that they cannot be physiologically
followed by the nervous system
Signals must be faster that 2,000 pps
Used for stopping or interrupting the axon transport of the action
impulse.
Blocking the pain signal is necessary in cases of heavy
(severe) pain.
16. Pain Relieving Effect
As a Primary Effect *
Counter-irritation by means of action potential generation
synchronous to the modulation frequency
A block of the transmission of pain information by means of
sustained reactive depolarization in the region of the higher
intensity unmodulated middle frequency (Mf) electric field.
17. Science of Pain Relief
1. Motor Nerve and Muscle Stimulation
Action Potential Generation
Physiological Muscle Contracture
Generation of Spontaneous action Potential Activity
18. Science of Pain Relief
2. Increase of Local Blood Flow *
Effect of Motor Nerve and Muscle Stimulation
CO2, Lactate, adenosine are End-Products of Metabolism
ATP Consumption is Initiated
Electromedical currents depolarize excitable and non-excitable
cells
19. Science of Pain Relief
3. Local Circulation - Increase in the distribution of
electrically charge substances (ions) and water
Electro-osmosis within the tissue, resulting in:
• Dilution of toxic, pain, and/or inflammation causing substances.
• Increase of tissue clearance (filtration and diffusion processes).
• Increasing local blood circulation.
• Improvement of exchange (diffusion) processes: the intro-and
extracapillary fluids.
• Improvement of resorption processes, important for prevention or
retardation of disuse atrophy.
20. Science of Pain Relief
4. Effects on Muscle *
Motor Nerve and Muscle Excitation
Followed by: (Relaxation of muscle spasms comparable to
the effect of post-isometric muscle relaxation)
Interrupting the vicious cycle of pain
21. Science of Pain Relief
5. Biological Influence *
Increase of the mitosis rate of germinative cells within tissues
having regenerative functions.
Effect on non-excitable cells by depolarization of the resting
potential.
One end Product of the ATP consumption is adenosine.
22. Reimbursement
Average patient treatment regimen is 12 – 16 treatment
per diagnosis.
Actual reimbursement varies according to patient mix,
specialty and regional reimbursement average.
Medicare, Workers Comp and auto coverage may be an
option
Note: Always verify with individual insurance carrier (in respective area) for
carrier direction concerning the preferred billing codes for proper reimbursement
of Physical Medicine Treatment.
23. Example of Diagnosis and codes
Based on International Classification of Diseases version 9 (ICD-9)
PAIN, Low Back 724.2
PAIN, Back/Shoulder 724.9
PAIN, Knee 719.46
PAIN, Shoulder/Joint 719.41
PAIN, Atypical Facial 350.2
PAIN, Lower Extremity 729.5
PAIN in Thoracic Spine 724.1
Muscle Spasms 728.85
Edema 782.3
24. Commonly used Codes
Based on Current Procedural Terminology -2012
97032 – Electrical Stimulation (each 15 min. treatment) attended
97014 – Electrical Stimulation (unattended)
G0283 – Electrical Stimulation (Medicare only)
97016 – Vasopheumatic Device
97139 – Unlisted Therapeutic Procedure
GPKX – Modifier with code (Medicare only)
26. Project Pain
Pain is
inevitable,
but suffering is
optional
Editor's Notes
Although electromedicine may seem like a new technology to many practitioners, it is actually one of the oldest and most documented medical sciences know. Cellular function has long been known and accepted to be influenced by specific bioelectric fields. The science of clinical electromedicine is based upon the concept that any medical treatment, regardless of the specialty or avenue of approach, can only stimulate, facilitate, or inhibit electrical or chemical processes in the body. The science of clinical electromedicine is based upon the concept that any medical treatment, regardless of the specialty or avenue of approach, can only stimulate, facilitate, or inhibit electrical or chemical processes in the body.
A wide variety of medical conditions have been succesfully treated with electrical stimulation for nearly 2,000 years. Electromedicine gained wider acceptance in our day when Canadian psychologist Ronald Melzack and British physiologists Patrick Wall published their influential findings on the “Gate Control Theory of Pain” (Science 150, 1965)(T.E.N.S.) These scientists found that certain cells in the spinal cord act as gates through which pain signals travel to the brain. Overloading these neural transmitter cells will block the naturally occurring electrochemical pain impulses and thus relieve pain. The Gate Control Theory was accepted by the Medical Community and helped establish the use of transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) in the United States. Since that time, we have refined and perfected electromedical processes to the point where comprehensive electroanalgesic medicine has emerged as an important adjunct discipline in the management and control of pain.
Action Potential – These effects in bioelectric procedures and treatment are biophysiological effects that are induced by repeated synchronous action potentials in excitable cells (1 to 200 pps– pulses per second). This involves membrane depolarization and repolarization activity. (“Gate Control Theory of Pain”, Science 150., 1965; Melzack and Wall) No Action Potential – These effect in bioelectric procedures and treatment are biophysiological effects that are induced without action potential (i.e., faster than 2,000 pps). This involves sustained depolarization – that is, no repetitive membrane depolarization and repolarization activity. (Wendensky Inhibition)
These are signals that are so fast that they cannot be physiologically followed by the nervous system (multiple stimulations falling within the absolute refractory period of the cell membrane). These signals must be faster that 2,000 pps and are used for stopping or interrupting the axon transport of the action impulse. Blocking the pain signal is necessary in cases of heavy (severe) pain. (Wendensky Inhibition) *These mechanisms of action are only theory and have not yet been proved with valid scientific data.
Counter-irritation by means of action potential generation synchronous to the modulation frequency (beat frequency or pulse per second frequency; gate control theory; Melzack and Wall, et al). A block of the transmission of pain information by means of sustained reactive depolarization in the region of the higher intensity unmodulated middle frequency (Mf) electric field. (The resulting continuous refractory state is called Wendensky Inhibition.) *These mechanisms of action are only theory and have not yet been proved with valid scientific data.
Action Potential generation in motor nerves and/or muscle cells synchronous to the modulation frequency (beat frequency, pulses per second frequency), with low frequency single twitches or tetanic contractions dependent on the modulation frequency (direct and indirect muscle stimulation). Physiological muscle contracture during distinct superthreshold simulation with sustained unmodulated middle frequency currents (direct muscle fiber stimulation). Generation of spontaneous action potential activity with statistically distributed intervals between the ingle action potentials in nerves and muscle cells during stimulation with sustained unmodulated middle frequency currents moderately above motor threshold or in the range of motor threshold intensity (direct and indirect muscle stimulation). *These mechanisms of action are only theory and have not yet been proved with valid scientific data.
Effect of motor nerve and muscle stimulation with an increase in metabolism, followed by autoregulatory vascular mechanism resulting in a decrease of local peripheral resistance of the vasculature in the stimulated muscle. CO2, lactate, and adenosine are end-products of metabolism. The autoregulatory vascular mechanisms are controlled by CO2, lactate (pH decrease), and adenosine release. ATP consumption is initiated by depolarization of both excitable and non-excitable cells, because the cells try to repolarize their membrane potential. For this pupose they need ATP as the source of energy. *These mechanisms of action are only theory and have not yet been proved with valid scientific data.
Increase in the distribution of electrically charge substances (ions) and water Electro-osmosis within the tissue, resulting in: Dilution of toxic, pain, and/or inflammation causing substances. Increase of tissue clearance (filtration and diffusion processes). Increasing local blood circulation. Improvement of exchange (diffusion) processes: the intro-and extracapillary fluids. Improvement of resorption processes, important for prevention or retardation of disuse atrophy. *These mechanisms of action are only theory and have not yet been proved with valid scientific data.
*These mechanisms of action are only theory and have not yet been proved with valid scientific data.
Effect on non-excitable cells by depolarization of the resting potential: A reversible increase in the electrical membrane resistance takes place after a certain latency period. This is a stimulation for mitosis. The consumption of ATP is increased due to the tendency of the cell to rebuild the resting potential. Repolarization is realized with the aid of the potassium pump. The energy needed for this is obtained from ATP hydrolysis. One end product of the ATP consumption is adenosine, which: Penetrates the cell membrane and acts as a strong local vasodilator. Causes an activation of cyclase, resulting in the generation of the substance cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate) and the activation of the cell-specific metabolism. *These mechanisms of action are only theory and have not yet been proved with valid scientific data.
NOTE: Always verify with individual insurance carrier (in your respective area) for carrier direction concerning the preferred billing codes for proper reimbursement of Physical Medicine Treatments for this product or any other product.
NOTE: Always verify with individual insurance carrier (in your respective area) for carrier direction concerning the preferred billing codes for proper reimbursement of Physical Medicine Treatments for this product or any other product.