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When to use TES in an Infant with OBPI
(email a question)
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Q: We spoke with our daughter’s specialist about TES yesterday during our visit. He felt it was an excellent addition to her therapy routine once her muscles are innervated, but said there were conflicting studies regarding low-level electrical therapy on nerves, which have not yet recovered. Specifically, the lab studies he is talking about show that in some rats, low-level electrical therapy increases nerve sprouting after grafts, and in some rats, actually inhibited it. Would you mind addressing this, so that we can make an informed decision? We are not sure whether to wait 6 months post-operatively to begin TES, or to begin now... We would truly appreciate learning more about this.
Response I am very familiar with the numerous animal and in vitro tissue culture studies that demonstrate low level electrical or magnetic fields produce increased growth of blood vessel, nerves and muscles. Directional fields will actually orient the direction of the regenerating nerve.
I have also read work that demonstrated contraction level (high level) stimulation could produce slowing of nerve regeneration and loss of sprouts. I do not know of any work showing a negative effect with low-level fields. Quite often people confuse TES, which is low level, with NMES that uses a much higher current to actually try to produce a muscle contraction. I do not believe that NMES is advised in recovering nerve injury. That said, if he has a negative citation to share, I would be very interested to read it.
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