How to Use CES Devices

It is suggested that you use your CES device as your doctor has prescribed.

Having said that, however, there are no hard and fast rules as to how often or when an individual should use their device for optimal results.

As you can see the from the clinical data sheet included in your CES Ultra kit the length of time and use intervals in the studies done with comparable devices to the CES Ultra varies widely (see excerpt below).

• 30 minutes, 5 times a week for 1‑2 weeks
• 30 minute sessions twice a day
• 5 times a week for 3 weeks
• 20 minutes a day for 2 days
• 60 minutes a day for 6‑12 weeks
• 45 minutes daily for 3 weeks

Once daily for 30 minutes can be adequate to accomplish results. Twice daily use during the first 30 days of use has shown itself to be effective in achieving good result in getting started for many users. Though you may find immediate result from use, expect 5-9 days for results that begin to hold from one day to the next. Results vary for individuals. Generally, CES use will have a cumulative effect through the first 4 weeks.

It is suggested in literature that for most it is best not to use a CES device immediately prior to bed.

However, you can use CES as much or as frequently as you like. Some addiction treatment clinics use it on patients 24 hours a day, and some patients want to self-treat for many hours at a stretch. CES is not addictive, and when the symptoms subside, patients often stop using CES on their own volition.

Many people benefit from using the CES during stressor moments that can occur unexpectedly through the course of a day – those times when you “lose it.” Using the unit in those situations – even for as little as ten minutes – can help curb anxiety. In addition to activating actual bio-electrical changes, it can serve as a reminder that you can be with yourself in a different way – a positive affirmation that you have the power to change your emotional state and are willing to create the time and the space to do so.

Ultimately, each person finds for him/herself how best to incorporate CES into one’s daily routine.

Where to Set the Controls

Increasing or decreasing the amplitude is not shown to affect how efficient the treatment is for you. Research shows that CES operates effectively at both lower and higher levels of stimulation, even at a level so low that you can’t feel a thing. A common approach is to turn the amplitude to the point of sensation, turn it down slightly below that point, and leave it there for the remainder of the session. Your own comfort level always dictates the amplitude.

Where and How to Use CES

In order to gain the most benefit the CES should be used when the patient is still. It is an important reminder of the need for inner quiet. Though you need not interrupt your usual activity for CES, its results are generally enhanced by setting aside a special time for its use alone.

That being said, what’s ultimately most important is that you regularly use it. The compact size and ear clip electrodes makes it easy to use just about anywhere and under a variety of circumstances. You can use it at home while watching TV, doing the dishes, walking, studying, at the office while poring over a report, etc.

Length of Treatment

Once symptoms are reduced or eliminated entirely, the frequency of treatment may be reduced. Maintenance of use can be directed by your prescribing LHP or you can adjust as you feel necessary on your own. Individuals undergoing psychiatric treatment or suffering from severe anxiety and extremes of compulsive behavior often benefit from more frequent and prolonged application.

When symptoms of insomnia or anxiety have lessened or disappeared, it is important to have continuous access to the unit as a tool for relapse prevention on an as-needed basis. It is helpful that you work closely with your physician/licensed healthcare provider to determine the role CES plays in your overall treatment program.