Electronic Acupuncture Circuit [Bio-Stimulation Circuit]

In this article we discuss how to build an electronic acupuncture circuit, also called bio-stimulation circuit., and use it for a possible treatment of many common body ailments, without any side-effects. The unit, if built and implemented correctly can possibly provide impressive results in healing issues related to headaches, body pain, muscle pain, fatigue, hypertension, anxiety, depression etc.

The good thing about an electronic acupuncture system is that, unlike real acupuncture it does not depend on invasive method of piercing the skin with needles, rather works by applying sharp electrical pulses on the surface of the skin, for achieving identical beneficial results.

WARNING: Please be sure to read this warning message before you build and use this project: Wrong use of the Bio-Stimulator or the electroacupuncture could be dangerous. Never utilize the unit on the eyes or on open sores and wounds, or in case you have a pacemaker installed in your body, or people who are presently undergoing treatment for cardiovascular disease or arrhythmia, or females who are pregnant. Even for people who are in good health condition, they must seek advice from a qualified doctor before implementing this device practically. The author of this article cannot be held responsible for any mishap or damage arising from inappropriate use of this device, please try it at your own risk and discretion.

History of Acupuncture

According to the Tabers Encyclopedic Medical Dictionary, the acupuncture procedure may be defined as "the puncture with needles for diagnostic and therapeutic counter irritation purposes." Let's briefly try to understand how the subject of acupuncture came to existence.

Hundreds of years prior to the Western world started to fully grasp the circulation of blood and the nervous system, the early Chinese formulated the concept that a system of energy circulation exists within the body of a human. The Chinese reported that crucial energy for life runs via a chain of routes, or meridians, TWELVE of which can be found in either side of the body.

These meridians were believed to travel through the deep tissues of the body, appearing from time to time. Each one of the locations where the meridians contact the surface were thought to be beneficial therapy areas for illnesses to one or more organs.

It had been believed that piercing needles on these surface points could possibly cure complications with a person's heart, gallbladder, liver, lungs, colon or other organs.

Western curiosity in the theory (sooner or later named "acupuncture") could not become popular before the 1970s, when physicians from the People's Republic of China showed that the technique enables you to control surgical discomfort.

Following 20 minutes of stimulation, a person receiving successful acupuncture therapy could be perfectly conscious, alert, and mindful of all executed surgical processes, however, without feeling any sort of pain. The genuine things through which individuals get the ability to endure surgery throughout acupuncture stimulation are still mysterious.

A few researchers guess that during acupuncture bigger sensory fibers are turned on, which help suppressing the exchange of impulses through the tiny fibers, responsible for transporting the sensory input of pain.

Other experts assume that naturally triggered, morphine like ingredients (for example endorphins) could possibly be produced inside the brain due to the stimulation effect. As soon as these forms of ingredients bind to sedate the receptor cells, a pain prohibition strategy is turned on.

Patients struggling with soreness in the back, head, stomach, or other places might feel temporary alleviation through this type of pain suppressing approach. Even though extensively recognized over the Asia as a reliable practice, acupuncture is considered rather differently in the Western world.

The leading important factor could be the American Medical Association (AMA), that doesn't acknowledge acupuncture as a genuine medical technique to heal the unwell.

Not having the AMA's approval, acupuncture ended up being for many years viewed as by many as a kind of "black magic." That isn't shocking taking into account the number of people find the notion of inserting needles to their skin repugnant.

Furthermore, there exists a significant level of risk when the method is conducted through an unlicensed doctor. A single wrongly inserted needle could possibly do significant harm in case an important organ or artery is punctured.

The concern of a possible harm from metal needle encouraged the advancement of electronic acupuncture. This more recent approach employs electronic pulses instead of needles to regulate pain, develop and reinforce muscles, improve blood flow, and launch the human body's unique natural pain and inflammation relievers.

Even though still not totally accepted by the AMA, electronic acupuncture has just lately acquired endorsement among chiropractic professionals and a modest proportion of medical professionals as an alternative strategy to their therapeutic techniques; they think electronically stimulated acupuncture to be safer and a method that operates effectively for specific body ailments.

You may also want to read about Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulator Circuit

Circuit Description

The circuit diagram for the Bio-Stimulator or the electronic acupuncture can be witnessed in the below shown image. The circuit is powered through a 9 V battery, B1. Switch S1 is utilized to switch the device on / off, and the resistor R1 is positioned like a current limiter for the circuit.

Resistors R2-R4 and capacitor C1 are configured like a timing circuit together with IC1, which is a 556 dual timer IC. As long as S2 remains in the open condition, the C1's charge/discharge period is fixed at somewhere around 2 Hz. When S2 is switched ON, it boosts the charge/discharge period of C1 to roughly around 4 Hz.

The output pin#5 of the IC1 is connected through R5 and C3 with pin#8 of IC1. The area of IC1 consisting of the parts R7, R8, and C4 build the second timing circuit.

The function of the first timer is to produce the delay time in Hz, while the 2nd timer generates the required precision pulses for the inductor. The pulses for the inductor is delivered to the base of Q1 transistor by means of a current limiting resistor R8.

During the period transistor Q1 switches ON, the primary winding of the audio-transformer T1 gets grounded briefly, which cause T1 to energize.

Each time T1 is energized and de-energized cause the capacitor C5 to charge and discharge. This repetitive charging cycles decreases the rise and fall time of the pulse, which subsequently enhances the time-span of the output pulse through T1, and simultaneously carve the output waveform edges to appear more like a half sinewave. Parts C5, D1, and R9 are further used for shaping the output waveform of the circuit.

Potentiometer R10 is employed to regulate the pulse amplitude up to as high as 200 V along with an interval of 2 ms, which may have an total current drain of below 10 mA.

Parts List for the Electroacupuncture

Calibration and Use

After connecting a battery, switch on power through R10/ S1; after that start adjusting the pot R10 until the middle of its rotation. Place the probes on the inner side of your arm and toggle S2 to each of its specified positions.

You should be able to experience a increase or reduction of the shock pulse. Little by little rotate R10 clockwise or counterclockwise to sense a growing or falling (respectively) of the shock-pulse energy on your skin.

In the following figure you can see a list of health conditions which conventional acupuncture has been believed to treat. In case you are afflicted by one of those troubles, then select the proper acupuncture area and touch the J2 electrode immediately over that spot. The other electrode, J1, could be touched on some other area of the skin. For most effective outcomes, consider implementing the electronic acupuncture circuit approximately 3 times a day for about 5 to 15 minutes. You can stop using the electroacupuncture as soon as you feel a reduction in the pain to your satisfaction.