The History of Electrostatic Potential Therapy

The idea of easing pain with electricity was first discovered in 1752 by Benjamin Franklin of America, who proved that lightning is caused by electricity generated between the clouds and the ground. Owing to this discovery, it was later found that electricity is effective in the treatment of various kinds of ailments.

In 1776, Hiraga Gennai of Japan made an electric generator called the "Electriciteit" which was believed to be effective for relieving pain and was used widely with patients. The Electriciteit continued to enjoy popularity among doctors treating rheumatism and neuralgia until the 19th century.

In Europe, according to medical dictionaries of the 10th century, electrostatic potential therapy apparatuses of different types from those in Japan were clinically in use at the time.

The advances of research and development with regard to electrostatic potential therapy apparatuses in Japan led to clinical applications that were carried out for more than 50 years.  Today, many types designed for household use are widely available in addition to those for professional use in medical institutions.

Electrostatic Potential Therapy Enhances The Power Of Natural Healing

A human body consists of approximately 6 billion cells that carry out a wide range of functions. The general function of the body activates a feedback mechanism that helps to maintain an optimum environment for these cells to perform all their vital activities. In other words, when the external environment changes, the body functions to optimize its internal environment including the osmotic pressure of body fluids, the gaseous composition and electrolyte composition of the blood, pH and body temperature. For the purpose of maintaining this constancy of its internal environment, the cells and organs of our body are controlled by a feedback mechanism that is based upon cooperation among the nervous, endocrinal and immune systems.
This constancy that is maintained within the internal environment of our bodies is called "homeostasis" and, in effect, is maintained by the cooperation among our systems and the regulating mechanism of our individual organs.

We need to maintain homeotasis if we are to continue to live. We get sick when our homeostasis is significantly disturbed, but we also have an automatic mechanism that works to maintain homeostasis  (the feedback mechanism). This is called the "homeostasis mechanism" or "natural healing power". The body can recover from illnesses if the degree of the homeostasis disturbance is within the limits of our natural healing power. If it exceeds these limits, the result is death. Natural healing power, in other words, is the power to prevent illness or to help us recover from illness. Electrostatic potential therapy using an electrostatic potential therapy apparatus works to enhance the natural healing power that maintains homeostasis within our systems.

"All vital mechanisms, regardless of how varied they may be, have only one objective, that objective consists solely of the preservation of the conditions of life within the internal environment of our bodies." (19th century French physiologist Claude Bernard)

SHENPIX Electrotherapy Apparatus

For the last 30 years, Shenpix Co., of Japan has been in the forefront of manufacturing electro therapy apparatus. Shenpix's electric potential therapeutic device is a medical instrument that imparts an alternating current potential to an electrically insulated human body*, thereby surrounding the body with an electrical field that has a beneficial effect. The electrical field created by the Shenpix apparatus stimulates the skin's sense receptors via nerves. This stimulation ultimately acts on the body's regulatory mechanisms such as the autonomic nervous systems, or hypothalamus, in the brain.

Just one of the benefits of these effects is that the body's homeostatic functions are kept in healthy levels by restoring the amounts of electrolytes in the blood (specifically, sodium, potassium, and calcium ions) to their normal values. This enables the body to recover from various unpleasant symptoms.

* The virtual absence of an electric current means that the user experiences no shocks, tingling, or unpleasant sensation whatsoever.

Homeostasis and the Body's Natural Powers of Healing

Treatment in present day Western medicines is usually given after diagnosis. Such diagnosis is based on tests designed to discover irregularities in various parts of the body. However, it is difficult for tests to detect "semi-healthy" conditions, such as headaches, stiff shoulders, insomnia, and chronic constipation, which are often seen in today's stressful society. Such conditions often fail to be diagnosed as ill health.

Oriental medicines, on the other hand, is based on the concept of gozo roppu (five vital and six internal organs), whereby health is thought to depend on the normal functioning of all these organs to maintain an optimum balance (homeostasis). The collapse of this balance causes a variety of symptoms to develop, including aches and pains, stiffness, hot flushes, and chills. Oriental medicine views these symptoms as indicators of "semi-health", and considers them to be warning signs of the onset of illness. In order to enhance the human body's natural healing powers, diverse therapeutic methods have been practiced from ancient times, including kampo (oriental herbal medicine), acupuncture, kyu (moxibustion), and amma massage.

Modern physical therapy is based on the successful blending of Western medicine with the concepts of Oriental medicine. A diverse range of medical instruments and equipment for use in physical therapy are available, many of which are also employed in hospitals and other facilities offering medical treatment. One such instrument designed for easy use in the home is Shenpix's electric potential therapeutic device.

SHENPIX

ELECTROTHERAPY APPARATUS

USING ELECTROSTATIC HIGH VOLTAGE POTENTIAL LOAD

THE PRINCIPLES AND THEIR EFFECTS

ON THE HUMAN BODY

SHENPIX therapy apparatus can be used either for general/systemic or local/regional treatment. General/systemic use treats the whole body through an electric field and the effects start appearing in a couple of weeks as adjustment of autonomous and endocrinal system occurs. Local/regional use of the apparatus can electrically stimulate such regions of the body as the lumbar and shoulder regions, and activate the skin and muscle tissue which receive that stimulation. 
 
 

An electric field (a space where an electric force is present) is created between the body and it’s surrounding atmosphere by loading a high voltage onto the body. The field produces specific effects on the body surface. These effects are caused by the following two electrical and biological actions. 

For example, experiments have been conducted to investigate the effects of an electric field on the surface of a body. When placing an electric field around a cat’s hind leg the power produced at first caused the body hair to move, which in turn generated action potential on the nerve fibers which govern sensory receptors to the body hair. 
 

The action potential signals are, theoretically, transmitted in a centrifugal manner to the brain where they cause simulation to the hypothalamus and hypophysis which affects the autonomous and endocrinous systems.

Stimulation to systemic skin, illustrated by the above body hair movement, resembles the principles of acupuncture and moxibustion treatments practiced by oriental medicine. It is considered that a visceral reflex, which affects the visceral organs, is generated by stimulating a systemic skin surface (as in a group of effective points for applying acupuncture and moxibustion treatment).

On the other hand the electric field generated by our electrotherapy apparatus on the body surface produces a subtle induced current inside the body. That current affects body fluids and cells, especially the cell membranes. It has been recognized that this action activates cells and promotes the metabolism of body tissue.

b) Effects

The Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare has recognized the effects of regular use of our electrotherapy apparatus and has therefore approved its use for certain therapies. They include the amelioration of headache, stiffness of the shoulder region, insomnia and chronic constipation. These disorders correspond to functional disorders of the autonomic nerves and inflammatory diseases.

Electrotherapy apparatus has been used clinically for over 65 years and the following represents a sampling of typical clinical data and experiment . 

        -It showed that electrotherapy could increase serum total calcium and its ion and decrease serum
          inorganic phosphorous, which lead to the alkalization of blood Ph.  

        - It was revealed that more rapid response of the periosteum at the fracture site and the surrounding
          tissues occurred in the electrically charged group than in the controlled one. However, remodeling
          and re-absorption of the periosteal new bone was retarded in the charged group.

        - Histological examination revealed that in the charged group, clotting of the fracture-haematoma
          was more rapid and proliferation of connective tissue at and around the fracture site more
          marked. However, condensation of the bone architecture (the appearance of the fine bone
          texture, etc.) was delayed in the charged group.

        - Microangiographic investigation revealed increased periosteal circulation and enhanced periosteal
           vascularization in the charged group as opposed to the controls. In addition more vascular channels
           were found to have penetrated through the surface of the cortex. However, the rearrangement
         of the newly formed vascular architecture was slower in the charged group than in the controls.

        - Their findings suggest that a high voltage electric field has the effects of normalizing
         abnormal blood pressure. In cases of functional decline of the sympathetic nerve, the
          electric field stimulated the nerve and worked as a pressor rather than a depressor
          against the abnormal/hypertonic condition.

        - Hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal cortex were all stimulated through the limbic system
           and reticular formation.

        - As for patients with adult diseases, serum lipids could be favorably affected by an electric field
           generated by electrotherapy apparatus.

2.     Local/Regional Use

a)    Principles

This method uses an electronic pen probe placed directly on the skin surface (or through thin clothing) carrying an electric load of AC800-9,000V as shown in the drawing below.

In addition, we recommend another therapeutically effective method by which current is removed from the body by a metal conductor (having nearly ground potential - 0V) being applied to a specific region during systemic/regional electrification of the body. 
 

Similar to general/systemic treatment, local/regional electrification has the following two electrical and
biological actions.

When the local electrification pen probe is placed next to the body surface, a strong electric field is
generated between the probe and the skin surface. The stimulation generated by this action generates
action potential on the nerve fibers which control the sensory receptors of the skin.

When the electrification is performed through thin clothing, a subtle discharge occurs that stimulates
sensory receptors on the skin surface which generates the action potential in the nerve fibers.

The generated action potential is transmitted centrifugally to the brain where it stimulates the hypothalamus
and hypophysis to affect the autonomous and endocrinous systems. 

When electric current is passed into the body locally through the electrified pen probe, a high density current
is generated at the contact point with a marked effect on the cells in the tissue beneath the contact surface.

It is conceivable that the following are the actions that affect the cells when an electric current is generated
in a specific region.

It is also conceivable that the above actions activate cells and promote metabolism of body tissues. 

b)    Effects

It is proven through clinical application by practitioners in Japan, that the local/regional use of SHENPIX electrotherapy apparatus has the following effects.