TRI-HETERODYNE STIMULATION DEFINED

With conventional Interferential Current Therapy we rely on 4 electrodes producing 2 Medium Frequency Fields which interact with each other. By fixing one of the medium frequency fields at a constant frequency of 4000 Hertz, and varying the other medium frequency field by up to 1000 Hz above the present field, we then produce a BEAT FREQUENCY. This process is called Heterodyning and is common to most interferential current therapy devices.

Since IFC use is so widespread, several practioners realized that certain conditions are best treated in a BIPOLAR, or 2-pad (or 2-field) placement. Some manufacturers then advanced by producing a BIPOLAR setting which is internally premodulated within the machine itself, which pre-mixes or pre-heterodynes the stimuli to produce a medium frequency field that is amplitude modulated at the BEAT FREQUENCY rate, thus making it possible to still deliver an Interferential current which can overcome skin resistance and yet not depend on 2 crossing fields for production of the Beat Frequency.

Now, TRI-HETERODYNE STIMULATION enables the Practitioner to not only use this 2-field treatment (bipolar) for 2 electrodes, but for 4. We now have the advantage of delivering stimuli to two independent sites which are independently controlled.

Since Bipolar stimulation tends to be more superficial in nature, the concept of interference within the subcutaneous regions may, in certain cases, be more beneficial. Therefore, we now provide 2 BIPOLAR IFC CHANNELS that are premodulated within the stimulator but with one very significant difference - the medium frequency carrier wave within the modulation envelope differ by the beat frequency. Thus, by crossing the 2 bipolar circuits, we are now able to produce QUAD POLAR (deep penetration) effects from BIPOLAR (surface stimulation) applications.

Based on this new technology, we are now capable of delivering both surface and sub-surface stimulation throughout a larger treatment field. Since bone, fat and muscle conduct electrical current to different degrees, we sometimes cannot rely on treating the regions which need 100% stimuli, even with vectors. Preliminary studies indicate that with TRI-HETERODYNE we may hypothetically experience true full-field interference for total stimuli.