08/17/2026
Electro-acupuncture, sometimes called “e-stim” for short, is a modern form of acupuncture that combines traditional needle placement with gentle, controlled electrical stimulation. After needles are inserted at selected acupuncture points, small clips connect some needles to a device that delivers a mild pulsing current. Patients may feel a light tapping, tingling, or rhythmic sensation, but treatment should not be painful. The frequency and intensity are adjusted to the individual and treatment goal.
Electro-acupuncture was developed in China in the 1950s, combining classical acupuncture with controlled electrical stimulation. Practitioners combined traditional acupuncture needling with controlled electrical stimulation—initially including its use as an adjunct to anesthesia, and eventually using it broadly in clinical practice for complaints ranging from chronic pain, to constipation, even fertility and disorders of the eyes.
TENS emerged later, in the 1960s and 1970s, as a related, needle-free form of electrical pain modulation that uses adhesive electrodes on the skin. Both TENS and electro-acupuncture draw on the broader history of therapeutic electrical stimulation, but electro-acupuncture delivers current through acupuncture needles, allowing it to reach targeted tissue depths and types of nerve fibers, while TENS delivers it across the skin at a shallower depth.
Different stimulation frequencies may engage pain-modulating pathways in different ways. Research suggests that lower frequencies, such as 2 Hz, are associated with release of endorphins and enkephalins, while higher frequencies, such as 100 Hz, may preferentially engage dynorphin-related pathways. These are among the body’s own pain-regulating chemicals; frequency selection is therefore one way a practitioner can tailor treatment.
Electro-acupuncture is always an optional add-on to an acupuncture session (at no extra charge), and is not always necessary or appropriate. Our goal is to provide individualized care that supports your health goals while prioritizing your comfort, safety, and sense of ease throughout the session!
To book your sesh, head to bridgeacupuncture.com.
