Acupunct Electrother Res. 1985 ; 10(4): 335-7.

Electrical parameters for safe and effective electro-acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical stimulation: threshold potentials for tingling, muscle contraction and pain; and how to prevent adverse effects of electro-therapy. Part 1.

Omura Y.

10 Essential electrical parameters for safe and effective electrical stimulation was discussed. Among them, especially importance of rise and fall time which influence capacitive current (Ic = C X dv/dt), pulse duration and output impedance for (+) and (-) polarities was emphasized. When comparing one pulse component with high amplitude with the other pulse component with low amplitude in the same stimulation pulse complex of the same electrical stimulator, effective stimulation voltage delivered to the body can be larger with the low amplitude pulse component if it has much lower output impedance than the other. When pulse repetition rate is higher than several pulses/sec., in spite of increase in pain threshold, microcirculation is often interfered with and as a result the effect will not last long after each treatment. Our studies indicate that optimal pulse repetition rate is about the same as heart rate synchronized with local circulation. Tingling threshold is a more reproducible reliable parameter than pain threshold in study of pain. Measurement of threshold potentials for tingling sensation, muscle contraction, along with pain threshold is extremely important in the same patient. Phenomena of short circuits between the nerve fibers responsible for tingling sensation and nerve fibers responsible for pain sensation is described.