EMS is the abbreviation for electronic muscle stimulation. It can be used to train muscles and it is often used as part of physical therapy to help muscles heal. In the hands of a therapist, this kind of stimulation can bring relief from pain after sports injury or surgery. The stimulators used to send electronic signals to the muscles help them to contract. When successful, the extra electric energy simulates that of the real nervous system signals and provides extra contractions for the muscles to aid their healing.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, regulates the stimulators. Most EMS devices are intended to be used by trained physical therapists. If you have ever had physical therapy after a sports surgery, you are likely to have experienced some time with a device attached to the surgical site to facilitate healing. The electricity is actually delivered to you via small pads attached to your skin. Your therapist is trained in the correct placement of the pads. The goal is to improve impaired muscle function by retraining muscles in several ways.
There are muscle stimulators available for sale to be used for cosmetic purposes. Even these devices must be approved by the FDA before they are allowed to reach the marketplace. You can find many companies offering devices online. The FDA approves them only after they pass rigorous testing to prove that they are safe. The devices should be used with common sense because the electrical signals they send to your muscles are capable of causing burns, shocks, skin irritations, and even pain. Some reports of interference with pacemakers and defibrillators have been reported. Some people, and children playing with the devices, have had injuries severe enough to require hospitalization.
What EMS can do when used properly at home or the gym, is temporarily improve muscle tone and strength. Many people use it to improve physical appearance. And this use has gained in popularity quite recently. It is possible to relax muscle spasms with careful use of stimulation. Some people use it to reduce muscle tension in the neck and upper back after particularly long days working on computer or in a stressful environment.
EMS is also quite popular with people suffering from arthritis pain. The stimulation helps to ease some of the pain and stiffness associated with this condition. It also helps to improve range of motion and encourages better blood flow to stiff joints.
If you have broken a bone and been in a cast for any length of time, you know that your muscles have had some atrophy associated with the process. Some doctors use EMS to help muscles retrain themselves after long periods of being immobilized by casts. This can bring better movement more quickly for patients who have been struggling within the confines of the cast.
Nursing home patients who are unable to walk or move parts of their bodies after strokes or other serious illness do find relief with electronic treatment. The treatment may be used to stimulate muscles that would otherwise stiffen up causing chronic pain. Muscles that are not being used regularly actually lose their ability to function. So it is a great benefit for the many patients who cannot exercise at all.
Chronic pain sufferers use EMS to relieve their pain. The most popular use includes relieving neck, back, or leg pain. Because it is possible to purchase devices online, anyone with chronic pain can have more frequent relief by having one in their own home. Many people report that they use their own stimulator daily to keep them more mobile. This is a great benefit because it frees them from the need for frequent appointments with health practitioners. Having a stimulator at home is a welcome substitute when insurance will not cover the costs of additional treatment. Used with care, EMS can be a successful way to improve life.
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