Does Electrotherapy help anxiety? Does electrotherapy help insomnia? In this article, we’ll answer these questions, plus other frequently asked questions related to electrotherapy and how it affects anxiety, insomnia and depression.
What is Electrotherapy?
Electrotherapy is a general term used to describe the therapeutic application of electricity. In other words, it refers to using electricity to promote wellness or treat disease. There are many electrotherapy devices on the market. Some, consumers can use at home. Others, doctors or technicians must operate in a clinical setting.
Some forms of electrotherapy are painful, invasive, dangerous and illegal. However, many forms of electrotherapy are subsensory, non-invasive, and FDA-cleared to treat various conditions. (For instance, the FDA has cleared many TENS machines to treat pain.)
Does Electrotherapy For Anxiety and Depression Work?
Can electrotherapy help with anxiety and depression? The short answer is, yes! When you hear the word “electrotherapy” in relation to mental health, your first thoughts may be of disturbing electric shock treatments in 20th century asylums. And that frightening picture isn’t wrong. According to Medical News Today, “ECT (another term for electric shock therapy) is one of the oldest and most controversial psychiatric treatments.” Historically, practitioners who administered ECT did not place the patient under anesthesia or use muscle relaxants during the treatment, which caused frightening shaking, jolting, and pain. Furthermore, most patients back then did not consent to ECT treatment and were treated against their will.
Despite its controversial history, ECT is actually a valid treatment for severe depression. Nowadays, patients undergoing ECT treatment are placed under general anesthesia and muscle relaxants, so they will not feel or remember the treatment. However, if the concept of ECT still freaks you out, there is some good news. There is another form of electrotherapy that’s much gentler, much less invasive, yet still highly effective for some mental health conditions.
CES (Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation)
CES (Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation) is a form of electrotherapy. In the United States, CES is an FDA-cleared treatment option for anxiety and insomnia, and doctors may sometimes recommend it for depression. Many users experience significant improvement in their anxiety and insomnia symptoms through CES therapy.
CES uses a gentle, healing electrical frequency to stimulate tissue in the hypothalamus. This frequency helps balance electrical activity in the brain, which promotes healthy serotonin and B-endorphin levels and decreases cortisol. If you’re feeling stressed out, overwhelmed, or stuck in “fight or flight” mode, CES could be a safe, effective, and non-habit forming option to help restore your brain and body to a place of calm. CES therapy actually addresses the root of the problem— imbalances in the brain that are keeping you trapped in a cycle of stress and poor sleep.Scientists have physically measured the changes CES makes in the brain. What’s more, CES is incredibly safe, painless, free of lasting negative side-effects, non-habit forming, and backed by decades of research. Under the direction of a medical professional, you can treat yourself with CES daily from the comfort of your own home.
Learn more about CES for anxiety>>
Learn more about CES for insomnia>>
Does Electrotherapy Help Anxiety?
Does electrotherapy help anxiety? One form of electrotherapy called cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) can help anxiety by addressing electrical and neurochemical imbalances in the brain. Using a safe and healing frequency, cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) stimulates the hypothalamus area of the brain and encourages healthy neurotransmitter balance, leading to reduced anxiety and a greater sense of clarity and calm. This form of electrotherapy uses microcurrent. The current is so minuscule that many users will not feel it, or only feel a gentle tingling.
CES is extremely safe, non-invasive, generally painless, and very effective for many users. In fact, about 75% of patients reported significant improvement in their anxiety after 2 weeks of consistent CES use.
Another benefit of CES therapy is its ease and accessibility. To use a CES device, simply clip the clips onto your ears or place the electrode pads on your neck as directed, and turn the device to a comfortable stimulation level. Then, you can go about your day!
CES is registered with the FDA as a treatment for anxiety and may be an alternative to pharmaceuticals under the direction of a healthcare professional. If you are interested in trying cranial electrotherapy stimulation for anxiety, one of our licensed healthcare providers can review your case and, if applicable, prescribe the CES Ultra for use at home.
Does Electrotherapy Help Insomnia?
Does electrotherapy help insomnia? Yes, electrotherapy can help insomnia! Like anxiety, insomnia is often related to an overactive nervous system, or being stuck in “fight-or-flight” more. CES (cranial electrotherapy stimulation) is a form of electrotherapy that’s FDA-cleared to treat both anxiety and insomnia.
CES works by regulating stimulating the brain with healing electrical current, which regulates neurotransmitters and helps reset the nervous system back to a place of calm. It increases levels of serotonin, melatonin and B-Endorpins while decreasing cortisol, a stress hormone that can cause insomnia.
CES directly addresses the stress-anxiety-insomnia cycle. Many users notice an immediate change after their first session, and others notice improvement within days to weeks. It leaves you feeling relaxed, yet focused and alert. It cuts down on the mental chatter, helping to calm obsessive thoughts and worries and leaving you in a state of clarity and calm which will naturally help you be able to sleep.
The best part is, after you stop using CES, the chemical balance you’ve achieved remains because the treatment is cumulative in nature. In other words, CES helps retrain your brain to return to optimal function and chemical balance all on its own.
If you’re struggling to sleep and don’t want to get on sleeping pills, CES could be a fantastic option. Learn more about CES therapy for insomnia here>>
How Many Times a Day Can You Use Electrotherapy?
The number of times a day you can use electrotherapy depends upon the kind of electrotherapy and the condition of the patient. Some forms of electrotherapy, like ECT, must be performed with great care and under the watchful eye of a doctor. Other forms of electrotherapy like CES (cranial electrotherapy stimulation) are safe to use at home.
You can use CES as many times per day as you need it, but the general recommendation is to use it one or two times daily. Any more than this may not make a difference in the effectiveness of treatment.
If you’re first starting out treatment for your anxiety or insomnia with CES, practitioners generally recommend starting with two treatments per day for 30-45 minutes. As your symptoms improve, you can reduce the number of treatments.
CES is non-habit forming, which means it’s not likely to cause addiction. Researchers have never detected a safety limit. Many devices come with automatic shut-off options so you don’t have to worry about leaving the device on for too long.
Who Can Use Electrotherapy?
Some forms of electrotherapy are very safe for most patients. However, some patients should never use electrotherapy in any form, or should only use electrotherapy under the direct supervision of a healthcare professional. Such patients include:
- Patients known to be pregnant
- Patients with implanted electronic devices such as cardiac pacemakers or insulin pumps
- Patients with severe depression
- Patients with epilepsy
Work with your healthcare provider to determine what form of electrotherapy might be right for you.
Where to Buy An Electrotherapy Device
If you want to know where to buy an electrotherapy device, it certainly matters what kind of electrotherapy you want to use.
For help with stress, anxiety, and insomnia, or a gentle introduction to electrotherapy in general, we recommend trying the CES Ultra device, sold by Miridia Technology.
With the CES Ultra, you’ll get a full 1-year manufacturer’s warranty, plus a 60-day, money-back guarantee. You can try electrotherapy for yourself, risk free, and get your money back if it doesn’t make a difference for you. With Miridia Technology, you also get thorough training, and an in-house, US-based tech support and customer service team to help you through the whole process.
Does electrotherapy help with anxiety? The answer is yours to discover. Ready to get started with CES? Try it today at the link below!
Try the CES Ultra device here>>
**This article is written for informational purposes only, and does not constitute medical advice. Always work with a qualified healthcare provider when making decisions about your health and wellness.