Nicole Bruggemann

physiokey is interactive neurostimulation technology, The nature of the physiokey‘s interactive neurostimulation technology allows for evidenced based applications that optimise certain treatment parameters and gives consistently good results across a broad range of painful conditions, both acute and chronic in nature.^{1 2}

Using a highly variable impulse, physiokey is an effective, non-invasive medical technology, which works by stimulating the body’s inherent pain relief and self-healing mechanisms. Its direct effect is several times stronger than of other physiotherapeutic devices, with no undesirable side effects.^{3 4 5 6 7}

The physiokey is designed to deliver general therapeutic non-invasive therapy to the body’s physiological systems via skin areas, in order to effect pain management and pain relief. When the physiokey is applied to the skin, electrical impulses adjust and change, the devices read changes in the electrical properties of the skin. This interactive neurostimulation may not only provides sustained pain relief, but does not allow the body to accommodate the signal or develop a tolerance to the signal.

When there is pain or trauma to any area in the body the response from the nervous, endocrine and immune systems is to release what we call regulative peptides appropriate to the injury and initiate pain reduction and the healing process. This is what generally happens when the body is healthy!

There are times however when the body’s healing process is slow or incomplete This can come as a result of a number of factors:

• Lack of, or a disruption to, the communication (energy – information) systems in the body, meaning that messages cannot reach their ‘target’.
• Lack of response from the nervous, endocrine and immune systems.
• Low priority to the injury, meaning the body’s healing resources are directed elsewhere.
• Low energy or vitality in the body, meaning a lack of intrinsic healing resources.

If the body is unable to effect healing (for whatever reason) it may isolate or disconnect from the dysfunctional area and not apply any more healing to it.

“Regulative peptides regulate almost all life processes on the cellular level, thus linking together all body systems. They have been referred to as the body’s internal pharmacy, the ‘key in the lock’ that causes the cascading, chain reaction effect, creating an holistic body response”

These regulative peptides, once released don’t go directly to the injured or dysfunctional site. In fact, they circulate in the bloodstream and reach other injured or dysfunctional areas in the body.

In this way old and forgotten problems may also be helped to heal!

When using physiokey, pain relief may often extend beyond the actual treatment session – often days beyond!

Footnotes:

1 Gorodetskyi I G, Gorodnichenko A I, Tursin P S, Reshetnyak V K, Uskov, O N: Non-invasive interactive Neurostimulation in the post-operative recovery of patients with a trochanteric fracture of the femur. J Bone Joint Surg [Br]2007;89-B:1488-94.

2 G. Gorodetskyi et al, The effects of non-invasive, interactive Neurostimulation on pain and edema during post-surgical rehabilitation following internal fixation of unstable bi-malleolar ankle fractures, Presented as a poster by Dr James Dillard at the IASP 2008, Glasgow, Scotland. Accepted for publication Dec 2009, Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery

3 Lee KH, Chung JM, Willis WD. Inhibition of primate spinothalamic tract cells by TENS. J Neurosurg. 1985; 62: 276-28

4 Linda S. Chesterton, Nadine E. Foster, Christine C. Wright, G. David Baxter and Panos Barlas Effects of TENS frequency, intensity and stimulation site parameter manipulation on pressure pain thresholds in healthy human subjects Pain, Volume 106, Issues 1-2, November 2003, Pages 73-80

5 Garrison DW, Foreman RD: Effects of prolonged transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and variation of stimulation variables on dorsal horn cell activity, Eur J Phys Med Rehabil 6:87-94, 1997

6 Reilly JP, Applied Bioelectricity: From Electrical Stimulation to Electropathology, 1998 Springer-Verlag NY. pg 130 and 233

7 Christie Q. Huang, Robert K. Shepherd Reduction in excitability of the auditory nerve following electrical stimulation at high stimulus rates: Varying Effects of electrode surface area Hearing Research 146 (2000) 57-71

This will depend on many factors.

If your horses injury / condition is recent then you may achieve fast relief, return to function with only one or two applications of the physiokey. Other injuries that are chronic may take longer.

If your horse suffers from chronic injuries then you may need more sessions (even every day) to get significant and long lasting results.

Absolutely!!

The physiokey  device is a 100% drug-free non-invasive pain relief treatment that can be used by people and animals of all ages.

The physiokey is incredibly simple to use.

Once you understand the basic functions and become comfortable with the program settings you will be pleasantly surprised how easy it is to useself on your horse and your!

We are always on hand to help via telephone, email, our Equine Facebook page, and we regularly run demonstration days and equine clinics to give you a run-through session!

“Reflex areas of the skin (through their electrical properties) and tissue resonant frequencies provide up-to-date information about internal structures and organs within the body. This information CAN cover both structural integrity and functional capacity. Using skin electrostimulation and a very sophisticated electronic feedback, the device continually monitors the parameters and adjusts the next treatment signal accordingly. The signal is very close to a natural nerve impulse so the body can recognise and respond to it. It helps the brain to recognise where there is a problem and by stimulating the release of natural body chemicals (neuropeptides) it enables the body to heal itself more efficiently”. Roger Meacock MRCVS

Pain Relief

physiokey: Yes. Fast and Sustained. Pain relief extends beyond the actual treatment, often days to weeks.

PEMF: Concept of cellular health which in turn provides pain relief.

TENS: Short lived. Pain subsides usually only while the TENS unit is activated.

Functional Principle

physiokey: Principle of Interactive Neurostimulation. The physiokey generates a highly variable neural-like impulse that affects the sensory nerves just below the skin, activating the on-board pharmacy of the brain to release endorphins, opioids, anti-inflammatory mechanisms other neuropeptides.

PEMF: Principle of ‘Cellular Exercise. PEMF device sends a pulsing magnetic field through a soft, flexible rubber coil or rug. Concept of ‘Cellular Exercise’ –  stimulating cells to release waste, toxins and inflammation and receive oxygen and nutrients.

TENS: Gate theory to block pain.

Type of Therapy

physiokey: Dynamic and Active therapy. Specificity of treatment. Fixed electrodes on the device are moved over the skin to detect and treat specific areas. Targeted application = faster outcomes.

PEMF: Passive Therapy. A loop or rug is placed on or over the body.

TENS: Passive Therapy. Electrodes pads adhered to the skin. Treatment is hit or miss with electrode pads placed around pain area. No detection of treatment areas. No specificity of treatment.

Bio-Feedback

physiokey: Feedback Controlled. The device sends out a neural-like impulse and then waits for it to return from the body. The device then reads the returning impulse and adjusts its own subsequent signal. Because of this feedback mechanism, each new signal differs from the previous one, thus preventing the body habituating to a single, continuous electrical signal.

PEMF: No Feedback. Pulsing electromagnetic fields travel from the main unit through the loop/s

TENS: No Feedback. The body adapts itself to the single, continuous electrical signal and eventually just ignores it. The net result? The pain returns.

Release of Regulative Peptides

physiokey: Yes. physiokey’s highly variable neural-like impulse induces the release of neuropeptides due to their ability to activate C fibres. It is the release of neuropeptides that enables the body to heal.

PEMF: Yes

TENS: No.

Treatment efficiency

physiokey: Highly Effective treatment times. 5-20 minutes at a time.

PEMF: Effective treatment times. 30-45 minutes at a time.

TENS: Requires prolonged use for effect.

Cost

physiokey: $4500 approx.

PEMF: $1000 up to $20,000.

TENS: $300-500.