Frequently Asked Questions

1.What is Micro-current?

Frequency specific micro-current (FSM) is a system of treatment using micro-amperage current and resonance effects of frequencies on tissues and conditions to reduce symptoms and improve health.  Micro-current amperages are the same kind of current your body produces on its own so you can’t feel the current.

2.What effect does micro-currents have on our bodies?

Micro-current has been shown to increase energy production in cells by 500% and numerous papers document its ability to improve healing in wounds and fractures, reduce pro-inflammatory agents, increase anti-inflammatory markers and increase analgesic substances to reduce pain.

3.What are FSM frequencies?

FSM frequencies are electrical pulses measured in hertz (Hz) or pulses per second. Micro-current is current in millionths of an ampere. All FSM frequencies are below 1000 Hz.

4.What can the FSM frequencies treat?

The frequencies appear to change pain, function and even structure in a large number of clinical conditions. FSM is especially good at reducing inflammation, treating nerve, joint and muscle pain and dissolving or softening scar tissue.  Patients treated within 4 hours of new injuries such as auto accidents have reduced pain and a greatly accelerated healing process due to the effects of both the current and the frequency.

While there is no guarantee that every protocol is going to be effective in every patient in general the frequencies either work or don’t work and if they don’t work they simply have no effect.

FSM is often used as an adjunct therapy to therapeutic approaches appropriate to the therapist’s discipline after a proper assessment.

5.What machines produce FSM frequencies?

All FSM clinical therapy and research is done with a two-channel battery operated micro-current machine. Both the frequency and current can be set independently on each of the two channels.

The frequencies are delivered with three-digit accuracy from 0.1 Hz to 999 Hz using an adjustable ramped square wave. The direct current is modified by circuitry to an alternating or pulsed positive square wave. Any device that has the same parameters should be able to reproduce the published outcomes if the diagnosis and treatment are correct.

6.What is the difference between FSM and TENS?

Micro-current devices have 1000 times less current than TENS machines which create current in the milliamp range although FSM devices are still regulated as TENS devices for regulatory convenience. TENS create muscle contraction and block pain messages traveling up the spine to the brain. TENS devices simply block pain they do not increase cellular energy production or decrease inflammation like FSM does.

7.What is the difference between micro-current and a laser?

Micro-current provides electrons and in published studies increases ATP production in cells. Lasers provide photons or light particles that oscillate at set frequencies and provide benefit by other methods than frequency specific resonance.

8.What is the difference between micro-current and ultrasound?

Ultrasound creates heat by vibrating the water molecules in tissue. It does not provide current nor does it change the production of ATP. Ultrasound provides beneficial results but it is completely different than micro-current.

9.Are there any risks or dangers?

There are no risks to the patient that we know about as long as the practitioner follows the proper contraindications and precautions associated with both FSM and the use of the FSM device.

There are frequencies used to remove scar tissue that should not b used with 6 weeks of a new injury.

The device should not be used across the chest of patients with pacemakers and caution should be used with patients with uncontrolled Atrial Fibrillation. FSM should also not be used on a patient known to be pregnant even though there have been no adverse reactions in pregnancy.

10.Is there anyone that FSM does not work on?

Patients who are dehydrated cannot benefit from FSM. Every patient is advised to drink at least one litre of water in the two hours preceding treatment. Patients who are chronically dehydrated may need more water for treatment to be effective.

The effectiveness of the FSM depends almost entirely on an accurate assessment or diagnosis. As an example shoulder pain can come from muscles, tendons, bursas, nerves, connective tissue or the joint. While FSM can address each of these possible pain generators effectively the practitioner must treat the right tissue for the correct condition to eliminate the pain. This is true for every condition.

11.What is the history of FSM?

In the early 1900’s medical physicians and osteopaths in the USA and Canada used electromagnetic therapy devices to treat thousands of patients until 1934 when the American Medical Association declared the electromagnetic therapies, homeopathy, nutrition, and herbs were ‘unscientific’ and outside of physicians scope of practice. These devices fell out of use and in the 1950’s the US FDA made the machines illegal.

In 1995, Dr. Carol McMakin, a Chiropractor in Oregon received a list of micro-current frequencies from an osteopath who had bought a practice in 1946 in Vancouver BC which came with a 1922 electromagnetic device and a list of frequencies. She began to use the list as if the frequencies were correct and noted that the results were immediate and fascinating. The frequencies appeared to do exactly what they were described as doing. Frequencies to remove scarring increased range of motion frequencies to stop bleeding prevented bruising but did nothing for inflammation or range of motion.

After treating patients for over a year, in her own practice, Dr. McMakin began teaching the technique in 1997 to see if the results were reproducible. It soon became apparent that students were achieving the same results. Since that time students from all over the world have been taught and now over 1600 practitioners practice worldwide.