Electroacupuncture starts the same way as manual acupuncture: thin, sterile, single‑use needles placed at points chosen for your diagnosis. Small clips then connect pairs of needles to a device that passes a mild, adjustable current between them. You feel a light tapping or a steady hum in the muscle rather than a shock, and the level is set to what is comfortable for you.
The current keeps the points stimulated for the whole session instead of relying on the practitioner to return and turn each needle by hand. That makes it Dr. Rusnak’s choice when pain has been slow to move, when a muscle will not release, or when a stronger, more sustained signal to the nervous system is needed.
When electroacupuncture is chosen
- Chronic pain that has not settled with manual acupuncture alone
- Muscle spasm and guarding, including after injury or surgery
- Nerve‑related pain such as sciatica and neuropathy
- Persistent discomfort and stress where a steadier stimulation helps the body settle
What a session is like
After the needles are placed, the clips go on and the current is raised slowly until you feel a comfortable pulse. It stays on for 15 to 30 minutes while you rest. The device is switched off before the needles are removed, and cupping or manual work may follow in the same visit. Most people describe the sensation as a rhythmic tapping that fades into the background.
Electroacupuncture is not used for patients with a pacemaker or implanted electrical device, in some stages of pregnancy, or over areas of broken skin. Those questions are covered on the screening call and at your consultation. It is one of three techniques inside acupuncture therapy, alongside orthopedic acupuncture and dry needling.