CES Ultra Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulator
The CES Ultra™ is the Premier Drug–Free System for the Relief of Symptoms of Stress, Depression, Anxiety, Insomnia, Post Trauma Disorder (PTSD), and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
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CES for relaxation, anxiety, meditation
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BioTuning (balancing neurotransmitters like acupuncture)
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Relieve tension and promote healing of other areas as micro-current TENS
Depression, insomnia, anxiety, and related conditions have many possible causes including diet, exercise, and underlying subconscious programming.
CES (Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation), an effective non-drug therapy, has been used in numerous countries around the world for over 40 years. It works by balancing neurotransmitters. If your condition involves an imbalance of neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, etc), you will experience positive changes within a week or so, although some users will notice immediate improvements. All CES devices will have this effect. Some devices may work better than others but no studies exist that compare individual devices, so we have no good way of determining which works best.
CES can help with all kinds of conditions. It may fix things completely or partially or have no effect at all that one notices. It may solve a particular condition for one user and not for another with the “same” issues.
You can only find out if CES will work for you by using one every day for at least 2 weeks. You have 30 days to try it. If you do not find it useful, send it back in excellent condition and we’ll deduct 15% (we do not refund the return S&H).
Our basic CES device, the CES Ultra, pulses at 100hz (cycles per second). It feels like a tingling and does not significantly alter one’s state of awareness directly. It involves the application of mild microcurrent electrical impulses to the head via ear-clip electrodes or adhesive electrodes applied on other places on the head or body.
While any of our CES devices (CES Ultra, etc) will help, the Delight Pro offers the most possibilities because it combines CES with pulsing lights and sounds. If you do not want the light/sound, get the Oasis Pro.
The next level of CES devices have additional settings for other pulse repetition rates. The Oasis Pro and Delight Pro (essentially the CES functions of the Oasis Pro with the addition of pulsing lights and sounds for faster and deeper brain wave entrainment) both have the 100hz CES setting but also allow the user to use slower pulse repetition rates that entrain brain wave rhythms. Both of these advanced devices have pre-programmed sessions that can increase beta (10-15 hz) activity for focus/attention, alpha (7-10hz) for relaxation and flow, theta (4-7hz) for deep relaxation, meditation, and hypnosis/trance, and delta (0-6hz) sedation for sleep and anxiety.
These combination CES entrainment devices have the advantage over other CES devices because they give the user more opportunities to use this modality throughout the day. Typically you would do a 20-40 minute 100hz session in the morning (similar to taking vitamins) and possibly another in the afternoon. If you feel unfocused, a beta session will help clear the cobwebs and wake you up. People with ADD will feel calmer and more focussed after a brief (5-15 minute) beta session. (Note: while the Oasis Pro CES will have this effect, the Delight Pro’s lights and sounds will work faster and more powerfully.) If you want to get into the “flow” for athletic performance, music, creativity, etc, use an alpha session. Delta sessions feel like taking a sedative and help when you feel anxious or need help falling asleep.
We highly recommend using HPP MP3s, specifically “Changing Emotions” in conjunction with CES because they make deep, lasting changes in the underlying, subconscious scripting that has a lot to do with our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
CES should be used under direction of a licensed healthcare practitioner, especially if one uses medications. Individual results will vary, but many patients report significant improvement of their Stress-Related Symptoms over a period of 2 to 3 weeks daily use. Following the initial series of CES Ultra applications, the device may be used on occasion as needed to maintain the achieved level of improvements. Normally, CES is used once or twice daily for 30 minutes per session or longer if desired.
Electrode Selection
The CES Ultra offers three types of electrodes: a pair of comfortable Ear Clip Electrodes, a set of self-adhesive electrodes and a pin-connector lead wire for use with variable size electrodes. Most CES applications will use the earclip electrodes. Some practitioners recommend placing one adhesive electrode on the forehead and the other on the left forearm. Some users have found that placement at the temples works well.
Treating Anxiety, Depression, and Insomnia
Each person’s anxiety, sleep problems and type of depression are unique, therefore so is treating anxiety, sleep problems, and depression. Rarely during my 35 years of practice have I ever seen two people feel the exact same way. That is why I developed my 5 Prong Approach that includes the following elements:
Because my approach encompasses all five areas, I work with an integrative team of practitioners and consultants. These experts are available worldwide to help provide the various treatment or methods to alleviate these symptoms. As a Neuropsychologist and Board Certified Health Psychologist (a.k.a. Behavioral Medicine), over the years I’ve tried many methods and treatments. There are very few that I consistently work with across the board for the majority of the people my team or I have seen.
The CES Machine: An FDA Medical Device That Works
One that does stand out is the Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation, known as a CES. I termed it the “Shhhhh” machine, because it quiets down the over-stimulation (reactivity) of the area of the brain (Limbic System) that is the center of where the symptom of anxiety, sleep problems, depression and chronic pain are focused. Having said this, I think it is very important to provide a history of this machine and how it actually works.
History of the CES Machine
Both Aristotle and Plato in 46 AD used electric ray fish for pain management, while in China, acupuncture was a primary method. Hypnosis emerged in the 18th century and was the main method for anxiety, sleep problems and pain management. Over a hundred years ago, electrical devices were in widespread use for pain management.
In 1846, the chemical ether was introduced at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and this and other pharmaceutical became the dominate methods for treating pain, anxiety, sleep problems and depression.
The CES technology that is used today was first developed in Russia and Eastern European countries, where the medical profession was less pharmaceutical than the US. The primary focus in the 1950’s was to help with sleep. Since that time, the technology has been used successfully throughout the world, and has gone through extensive clinical trials in each of the specific areas: anxiety, insomnia and depression. As a result, the CES is now an FDA registered medical treatment in the U.S. To purchase one in the U.S., you need a prescription from a licensed health care provider. In Canada and many other countries, CES units are sold over the counter.
My Personal and Clinical Experience with the CES Device
When I started my practice, I was extensively trained in the use of hypnosis, which is still a primary method. Then I was introduced to various energy methods including acupuncture, polarity, QiGong and Reiki. Seeing how effective they were, I acquired additional, in-depth training in Energy Medicine, Energy Psychology, and QiGong, including Balinese QiGong. As part of my team, we have two acupuncturists and a Reiki therapist, and are in contact with numerous clinicians worldwide.
From 1990 to 1997, I was in chronic pain from my brain injury and 60 mile-an-hour head-on auto accident. Dr. Paul Swingle, Ph.D. introduced me to CES as part of my Neurofeedback treatments. The results were amazing.
Since I returned to my clinical and consulting practice in 1997, I have used the CES as one of my core treatment methods for treating anxiety, depression and insomnia.
How does the CES work?
The CES produces a low-amount (amperage) of electrical current in a specific frequency between 0.3- 100Hz. Depending on the make and model, you might attach ear clips onto your ears, or adhesive electrodes on the bump behind your ear, or put a headband on your forehead that holds electrodes. Once you feel a slight tingling, you reduce the sensation. The majority of machines have an automatic timer and shut-off.
In recent years and even presently at Beth Israel Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY, continued research is being done on the effectiveness of CES for other areas, such as PTSD, TBI, fibromyalgia, depression, bipolar II disorder and chronic pain.
Recent Study Using the CES to Treat Bipolar II Disorder
Below is a recent double-blind randomized placebo controlled study of cranial electrotherapy stimulation for the treatment of depression in bipolar II disorder at Mt. Sinai.
S Greenman BA, D McClure BA, G Kazariants PhD, M Varvara MD, S Koppolu MBBS, Z Yaseen MD, I Galynker MD PhD
Abstract
Introduction:
Cranial Electrical Stimulation (CES) technology has been used widely for treatment of depression, anxiety and insomnia, but to date, there have been no studies examining the efficacy of this technology to treat bipolar II depression. Our goal in this study was to evaluate the use of CES for treatment of the symptoms of depression in bipolar II disorder. We examined changes in levels of depression and quality of life during the four week treatment period.
Results:
The sixteen participants were 50% female, with a mean age of 47.69 (15.88), and an average level of education of 16.81 (2.401) years.(p=.012), but no significant change from baseline to week two. In the placebo group, there was a significant change from baseline to 2 weeks on HAM-D scores, (p=.015), and during the open label treatment phase from 2 weeks to 4 weeks, (p=.022). In the active group, there was a significant decrease in severity scores
using CGI-S from baseline to second week, and baseline to 4th week, (p=.017), while there is no significant difference in means for the placebo group.
Discussion:
Our preliminary results indicate that the active group had significantly higher reduction in depression levels compared to the placebo group. During the double-blind randomized and controlled trial of the first 2 weeks, there was a
significant decrease in BDI scores for only the active group. However, the data displays improvement effects for both groups on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, which may be due to the difference in brain regions associated with HAM-D and BDI.
How to use it?
