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External Counter Pulsation Therapy (EECP)

EECP improves circulation to all parts of the body, which in turn improves the delivery of oxygenated and nutrient rich blood to the entire body. EECP is FDA approved to treat unstable angina (chest pain at rest), but its benefits go way beyond just improving heart function. EECP can be used for erectile dysfunction, aid in recovery after a stroke, or just helping maintain healthy circulation. It also improves your heart’s functioning, which can decline with age. It increases oxygen delivery throughout your body via your blood vessels.

This tolerable, low-risk therapy can improve your circulation & cardiovascular functioning without placing any extra stress on the system. EECP therapy works by gently compressing small blood vessels and capillaries in your calves, thighs, and buttox which causes increased blood flow to your heart. The process causes additional small blood vessels to form and open up, further improving oxygenated blood flow to the tissues throughout your body that need it.

Benefits

When applied to your health and wellness, there are many benefits and advantages of undergoing this treatment process. A few of the potential benefits are:

 

  • Improve exercise tolerance and endurance

  • Less chest pain and shortness of breath

  • Fewer symptoms of chronic fatigue

  • Improve erectile dysfunction

  • Improve overall circulation 

  • A boost in energy

  • Less need for angina medications

  • Increased ability to participate in strenuous activities without cardiovascular symptoms

 

Successful EECP therapy may also help you avoid the need for invasive procedures like stenting or bypass surgery, which can be complex and relatively high risk. You can undergo EECP therapy even if you’re currently taking nitrates, especially if you aren’t getting adequate relief from them alone. 

What To Expect

EECP is noninvasive, and it takes place in the Preventive Medicine Anti-Aging and Chelation Therapy office on an outpatient basis. For the best results, you should come in 1-2 hours a day, four days a week, for a total of 35 treatments.

 

During treatment, you lay down on a padded table in the office. From an electrocardiograph (ECG) machine, the team connects three electrodes to your chest. They use the machine to track your heart’s rhythm throughout the treatment.

 

Next, the team places cuffs around your hips, thighs and calves. When your heart is at rest or at diastole the cuffs inflate the cuffs putting pressure around your legs to compress the blood vessels. The cuffs will deflate before the next heart beat which is called systole. This process will repeat for the duration of the therapy. 

 

EECP therapy can improve your heart’s endurance during exercise and, in general, and can be especially beneficial if you have chronic stable angina. To find out if you’re a good candidate for EECP therapy, call Preventive Medicine Anti-Aging and Chelation Therapy and schedule an appointment today.

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