What is Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM) Therapy?

Frequency-specific microcurrent (FSM) is a technique for treating pain and other conditions by using low-level electrical current. The level of electricity is literally on the same order of that which your nerves communicate with, whereas TENS units are 1000x more intense than FSM. 

A frequency is the rate at which a sound wave or electronic pulse is produced. This measurement is registered in hertz (Hz). During FSM treatment, various frequencies can be used to potentially reduce swelling (inflammation), reduce pain, and stimulate tissue repair.

How does FSM work?

When you’re treated with FSM, your healthcare provider uses a special device to deliver a mild electrical current to certain parts of your body. The electrical current used in this treatment is extremely mild — one millionth of an ampere. Such a small amount of electrical current is safe. Interestingly, the human body actually produces its own current within each of your cells.

Depending on the tissue involved, specific frequencies will be selected to encourage natural healing of the body and to reduce your pain. There are frequencies for nearly every type of tissue in your body.

One of the ways FSM works is by potentially increasing the production of a substance called ATP that’s inside injured tissues. ATP is the major source of energy for all cellular reactions in your body. Because treatment with FSM can increase the amount of ATP that’s created in your damaged cells by as much as 500%, this treatment may help with your recovery. Depending on the condition, treatment with FSM can “loosen” or soften the muscles, which can help relieve pain or stiffness.

What conditions can be treated with FSM?

Dr. Carol McMakin, the founder of the frequency specific microcurrent therapy, explains that FSM is not used to diagnose, treat or cure any particular medical condition or illness. Rather it is used to support the body, so that the body may have a better chance of healing. FSM is most often used for people who are experiencing pain (especially nerve and muscle pain), inflammation, and/or problems with scar tissue. FSM may also be provided for health, well-being, comfort or palliative care purposes. Examples of conditions that may benefit from FSM therapy include but are not limited to: shingles, burns, kidney stones, asthma/COPD, acute respiratory tract infections, irritable bowel syndrome, disc injuries, fibromyalgia, diabetes- and/or chemotherapy-related neuropathy, neuromas (overgrowth and scarring to a nerve after an injury), tendinopathy (inflammation and/or swelling of the tendon), acute (sudden) and chronic (long-term) musculoskeletal injuries, acute and chronic neuropathic (nerve) pain, chronic fracture and/or bone pain, arthritis, muscle spasm such as torticollis (tilting of the head to one side), disc injuries, disc- and facet-based pain, viscerally-referred pain (such as endometriosis), concussions, headaches, mood disturbance, plantar fasciitis (pain in the heel and foot), sports injuries, wounds (including postoperative wounds), etc.

FSM treatment is given with the intention of providing relief of pain or improvement of function. However, there is no implied guarantee of positive or permanent results. FSM is considered complementary therapy and it use should not delay or discourage traditional allopathic medical diagnosis or treatment of any given condition.

Is frequency-specific microcurrent (FSM) painful?

In general, frequency-specific microcurrent treatment is non-invasive and painless. The currents used in FSM are so low that you may not even feel them. During FSM treatment, you might feel a warmth and softening of the affected tissues.

How is frequency-specific microcurrent (FSM) applied?

During your FSM treatment, your healthcare provider will first set the frequencies that are going to be used for your particular condition. In many cases, the frequencies are set at two different levels - for example, one microcurrent channel might be set at 40 Hz and the second at 396 Hz. The current is usually applied with a moistened towel or with skin patches. 

In order for the current to flow through your body, it is essential that you are well hydrated before your FSM treatment. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids leading up to your appointment. Ideally, Dr. McMakin recommends 32 ounces of non-caffeinated fluids in the 4 hours leading up to your treatment session. That’s an 8 ounce (1 cup) glass every hour. Adding electrolytes to the water may help FSM work even better.

Are there contraindications? 

There are certain groups of people who should NOT receive FSM treatment, including:

• Pregnant women.
• People who have uncontrolled seizures.

Relative Contraindications

• People with pacemakers (however it is safe to run frequencies above the neck and/or below the waist, if applicable).
• People with implanted pumps (although some pumps can be shut off and/or their medication wells can be disconnected, in which case it is safe to proceed).
• Certain frequencies should not be used in cases of acute infection, new sprains/injuries (within six weeks) and acute fractures. Make sure to talk about any of these concerns with your healthcare provider before treatment, so that appropriate frequencies are used. 

What are the risks and side effects of frequency-specific microcurrent (FSM) treatment?

The side effects of FSM treatments are usually very rare and mild. If you do experience side effects, the most common could include:

• A transient feeling of euphoria and/or light-headedness (feeling happy & relaxed, or for some people, perhaps a bit like feeling drunk)
• Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach).
• Drowsiness.

There are conditions the could be aggravated by and/or unmasked by FSM.

• Patients with an acute (less than 6 weeks old) injury may have a setback if frequencies are used to dissolve scar tissue. Again, please remember to tell your provider about sprains and strains.
• Pain may temporarily increase during treatment if a person has spinal stenosis (a condition where the spinal cord is pinched). This will not cause permanent problems, but instead will alert the patient and provider about the condition. Frequencies will then be changed to reduce the pain that was triggered, and imaging (such as an MRI) may be ordered to further assess the problem
• If a patient has a hidden infection (for example in a tooth, sinuses and/or spinal disc), there is a chance that they may experience an escalation of pain within 2-4 hours of completion of the FSM treatment. If fever and chills occur, then it is important to seek appropriate medical care. FSM did not cause the infection, but rather allowed it to be detected. While not fun, it may be a blessing in disguise because it can reveal something that may have been a strain on your body and/or was causing chronic inflammation. 

Does FSM help everyone?

Disclaimer: Please understand that no two people are alike, therefore no provider can or should ever guarantee improvement in your particular situation. Also understand that it is difficult to anticipate exactly which programs will work best for you, or how many sessions it will take to achieve maximum response. Finally we again want to emphasize that FSM works best when you are well hydrated. Thus, we ask that you drink a minimum of 16 ounces (ideally 32 ounces) of filtered water before coming in for your session. Again, adding electrolytes to the water may also very helpful for the electricity to flow.

What is the typical treatment course?

In general, we expect that most chronic (long-standing) conditions will take a few months to respond with maximum effect, therefore we recommend that you schedule a session 1-2 times a week for 4-6 weeks. If doing well you may always cancel visits early (but please give us the courtesy of 2 business days so we may get someone else into that time slot - Thanks!). Chronic conditions may require "booster" treatments every so often. 

Acute (new) injuries often require a minimum of 2-4 sessions to reach maximum effect. Consider scheduling a follow up every 2-3 days for 4 sessions. Again you may cancel if doing better. 

Certain chronic conditions (such as neck and upper back injuries, or patients with pain from hyper-mobility syndromes) may have better results with treatment from the PrecisionCare unit, which requires hands-on treatment sessions by Dr. Kristie Gering. The charge for those FSM PrecisionCare Therapy is her typical office visit charge based on time. We would initially block 60 minutes or possibly even 90 minutes, depending on the condition. You will only be charged for the time that was used.

How much does this cost?

Frequency Specific Microcurrent is not reimbursed by insurance. However if you have an FSA or HSA, we encourage you to contact that company, as it may be considered a covered service. The CPT code for FSM is the same as that of a 4-lead TENS unit: E0730. We do not provide forms for insurance. It is your responsibility to fill them out and send them in.

Each program on the CustomCare FSM device runs for a different amount of time. Therefore, we charge per minute. You may elect to pay for FSM treatment sessions individually, in which case, the fee is $1.50 per minute. 

Alternatively, you may prepay for minutes in a package. The fee as of 2023 is $1.35 per minute for 180 minutes ($243), $1.20 for 360 minutes ($432), or $1.00 for 720 minutes ($720). If you improve more quickly than anticipated, and do not need the entire package, the remaining credit may be used for supplements or other services at Spero, less an administrative fee. Simply indicate to our reception staff that you would like to end your FSM package and use the credit for other things (they will "zero out" the FSM session counter for you). 

Alternatively, you may gift sessions to a friend or family member (understanding that they must first have an assessment by a provider at Spero to make sure FSM therapy is appropriate). 

If you prefer to have a refund for unused portions, less a 15% fee of the original total package price, to cover expenses related to credit card charges and staff time.

• The cost for the CustomCare Satellite unit is $2524, and that includes initial programming fee.
• Cost for subsequent reprogramming of the CustomCare Satellite Unit is $20/5 minutes, with a maximum time for programing using FSM pre-made programs of $80 (20 minutes). Custom created programs may take quite a bit longer. Dr. Gering will do her best to estimate time it will take, before the patient commits to the project.
• The cost for the CustomCare Magnetic Converter is $2524.

Final disclaimer

Frequency Specific Microcurrent is not a "cure" for injuries, pain or chronic conditions. Rather it helps "tune" your body in to the problem, and it gently encourages your body to do what it was designed to do - heal. Again, one mechanism is due to the fact that FSM has been shown to increase energy production in the cell by up to 500%. More cellular energy allows for better cell communication and function, and thus tissue repair is more apt to happen.

References

To read about FSM, go to https://frequencyspecific.com/about/

You can view a short YouTube video by Dr. Carolyn McMakin where talks about how frequencies work at https://youtu.be/Ft2TW2wtZ4c Or you can watch an hour long more technical overview of FSM at https://youtu.be/rY_afkPOd14

Finally…A New Model for Understanding Depression and Pain – Neil Nathan MD 

https://neilnathanmd.com/finally-a-new-model-for-understanding-depression-and-pain

Frequency-Specific Microcurrent

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/15935-frequency-specific-microcurrent