Sarah,

the Likon machine is something that my boss uses for his chronic fatigue 
patients. I am not sure what the exact mechanism is, but I was told that it 
helps to regulate the sympathetic plexus, which is the source of the problem 
in chronic fatigue patients. I am learning more at the moment about it, and 
I will let you and other know what I find.

Henry***


>From: Sarah Fern Striffler <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: THE ELECTROTHERAPY ISSUE
>Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2000 01:44:54 -0400
>
>Dear Henry,
>
>What is Likon & now is it used for psoas?
>
>Thank you.
>
>Sarah Fern Striffler, PT
>
>
>Henry Tsao wrote:
>
> > To Mr Cheng, Bruce, and others who are interested in this contraversial
> > field of electrotherapy:
> >
> > I have been following the debate recently between the EPA and Bruce, and
> > since I started this whole contraversial debate, I thought I might go 
>and
> > have a look a the latest literature on electrotherapy. I don't believe 
>in
> > personal attacks, and think that physiotherapists should be able to make 
>up
> > their minds on the issue.
> >
> > Before I go on, I will just explain. I work in a busy private practice 
>where
> > we allocate 30 min. roughly per patient. I do use US on trigger points 
>after
> > acupressure, and Likon on the sympathetic nervous system/psoas 
>(especially
> > in chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia patients) to reduce its activity, 
>but I
> > don't use any electro for any other reason unless the patient themselves
> > request it (and let's face it, I get old clients who come in and just 
>want
> > to be mob'ed, US'ed and IFT'ed... and that is their choice!!).
> >
> > I found an interesting article the other day in the Pain journal on the
> > effectiveness of ultrasound therapy on musculoskeletal pain (Pain 81, 
>1999
> > 257-271). It basically evaluated the use of US, and looked at the 
>existing
> > research on the topic. They basically concluded that for lateral
> > epicondylitis, soft tissue shoulder disorders, deegn rheumatic 
>disorders,
> > ankle distorsions and TMJ disorders, US showed no significant clinical
> > effect. Even when they combined US with exercise therapy, there was
> > clinically important or statistically significant differences in favour 
>of
> > US (which I was surprised to read, as we always thought that US was
> > effective only when it is used as an adjunct!!). Even though this does 
>not
> > totally rule out the uselessness of US therapy, it definitely has some
> > strong gound to stand on!
> >
> > On the contrary, I found in the Am J of Physical Medicine and Rehab(79, 
>1,
> > p48-52, 2000) an article that looked at the use of US, dry needle, and
> > stretches of myofascial trigger points in the Upper Trap muscles. They 
>found
> > that US combined with stretches and dry needle combined with stretches
> > produced significant results compared to simply stretching alone. 
>However,
> > there was no difference between dry needle and the use of US in 
>combination
> > with stretches.
> >
> > I find it interesting that even though Mr Cheng has noted a few articles
> > that claim to have clinical evidence of electrotherapy, most of the
> > literature out there disproves the effectiveness of electrotherapy, and
> > these should not be ignored. However, this issue will still continue to 
>be
> > contraversial, the research will go on, and physiotherapists will form 
>their
> > own opinions of what electro to use. Despite this, I support Bruce's
> > statement that time and cost is a big factor in this, and should not be
> > ignored. Unless we are in the field of sport physio and see athletes 3x 
>a
> > day, 5x a week, I don't see the point of 15min/2x/week - how much 
>difference
> > is it going to make because that is less than 1% of their week's time!!
> > Emphasis in this case should be on teaching the patients ultimately how 
>to
> > look after themselves thus preventing future injury. Most people want to 
>get
> > better, but also want to know how to keep themselves better, and
> > electrotherapy does not do this.
> >
> > Going through an undergraduate degree whereby electrotherapy was focused 
>so
> > much and yet despised by most students(including myself), I am not for 
>or
> > against electrotherapy. However, I believe (and this is only my opinion)
> > that unless there is more research for the efficacy of electrotherapy, 
>not
> > too many future physiotherapists will include it in their treatment 
>regime.
> >
> > Henry***
> >
> > >From: "Goh Ah Cheng" <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Reply-To: "Goh Ah Cheng" <[log in to unmask]>
> > >To: <[log in to unmask]>, <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Subject: Fw: EPA and evidence based practice
> > >Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 18:18:00 +0900
> > >
> > >Dear Fellow EPA and PHYSIO Mail-list members,
> > >
> > >Below is the reply from Bruce.  He has chosen to reply to me directly
> > >instead of the list, so I am doing him a favour by forwarding it to the
> > >both
> > >lists (It must have been an oversight on his part.... perhaps due to
> > >another
> > >hard day at work).
> > >You may want to know that I, Panos and the entire academic community 
>have
> > >been dismissed by Bruce as unworthy of providing evidence for EPA (or 
>any
> > >subject for that matter) because WE LEFT THE CLINIC.  I am not even 
>going
> > >to
> > >respond to this.....
> > >Secondly, the scientific method has also been denounced as being
> > >inappropriate for any discussion on evidence based practice (I assume 
>not
> > >only for EPA, but for our entire base of knowledge!!).  Am I missing 
>out on
> > >something here??
> > >Thirdly, EPA can be dismissed by all of us from this day henceforth 
>because
> > >it has been around for the past 50 years and the world was not 
>impressed!!
> > >I must have missed out when everyone was out there casting their votes.
> > >Fourthly, God is dead.
> > >And finally, any discussion that goes contrary to Bruce's point of view 
>is
> > >immature, incurs opportunity costs and is a waste of taxpayers dollars.
> > >That is the FINAL WORD, according to Bruce, Chapter 4, Verse Sick (I 
>mean,
> > >Six).
> > >Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go look for another God.
> > >Completey Devastated,
> > >Cheng
> > >
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: Bruce Gray <[log in to unmask]>
> > >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2000 5:46 PM
> > >Subject: Re: EPA and evidence based practice
> > >
> > >
> > > > Hi Gohac
> > > >
> > > > On this website, I have found the greatest support for 
>electrotherapy
> > >comes from academics. I have no idea how much clinical experience they 
>draw
> > >on, or why they left the clinic.
> > > > These critics, esp yourself and Panos, seem to make a lot of time to
> > >reply
> > >with verbose highbrow sarcasm, using one or two papers here and there 
>to
> > >give your point invincible Truth status.
> > > > As anyone who has read knows, the scientific method does not deal in
> > >deduced ultimate truths, instead it induces enough evidence for a 
>consensus
> > >to be reached by field peers.
> > > >
> > > > That electrotherapy has been around for 50 years and not wowed the 
>world
> > >with its superior healing powers let alone drawn together scientific 
>peer
> > >consensus is enough for me to burst the bubble on its overinflated cult
> > >following.
> > > >
> > > > Let's face it guys, your God is dead.
> > > >
> > > > And please show some maturity by recognising the opportunity costs 
>of
> > >continuing this argument. Anything I wanted to say has been said. And I
> > >assume the same for yourselves. Let it rest at that, and get on with 
>doing
> > >something more productive with tax payers' dollars.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > 
>_______________________________________________________________________
> > > >
> > > > Free Unlimited Internet Access! Try it now!
> > > > http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/altavista/index.html
> > > >
> > > > 
>_______________________________________________________________________
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> > 
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