Acupoints

He Gu (LI-4)

On the dorsum of the hand, between the 1st and 2nd metacarpal bones, in the middle of the 2nd metacarpal bone on the radial side.

LaoGong (PC-8)

In the center of the palm. When a fist is made, the point is where the tip of the middle finger touches.

NeiGuan (PC-6)

On the palmar side of the forearm, 3 finger breadth above the transverse crease of the wrist, between the two tendons. WaiGuan acupoint is on the dorsal side on the forearm, direct opposite of NeiGuan.

ZuSanLi (ST-36)

On the anterior of the lower leg, one finger breath down from the anterior crest, and on the outer side of the tibia. The right leg is shown in figure.

YinLingQuan (SP-9)

On the medial side of the lower leg, in the depression of the lower border of the medial condyle of the tibia.

SanYinJiao (SP-6)

Crossing point of three Meridians. On the medial aspect of the lower leg, three finger breadth above the medial malleolus, on the posterior border of the medial aspect of the tibia.

Treatment with HANS

Pain and Addiction

Pain is a major symptom in many medical conditions, significantly interfering with a person's quality of life. An acute pain may become intractable and develop into a chronic pain in which pain is no longer considered a symptom but an illness by itself. Repeated use of narcotic pain killers often leads to the development of opioid addiction which is a complex and protracted health problem.

Choice of acupoints

To treat pain, place one pair of electrodes on the area with pain (the "Ah shi" point, meaning "Ouch, there". The electrodes from the same outlet should be at least 2 inches apart when placed side by side). Place the other pair either on HeGu and LaoGong for upper body pain or on ZuSanLi and SanYinJiao for lower body pain.

Intensity

Use the A+/- and B+/- keys to slowly bring up the stimulation intensity. At the intensity of 5mA, most users start to feel the electric pulse. Users are encouraged to take a higher intensity. The specific intensity level will depend on the acupoint location and the individual's sensitivity.

Choice of wave forms

For pain, tightness of muscles, and opioid withdrawal syndromes, the default wave form 2/100Hz is the best choice. The wave form 2Hz is found to be more effective for craving. For muscle spasms due to spinal cord injury, AM100Hz is recommended.

Dosage

For acute pain or opioid withdrawal symptoms, the recommended maximum total stimulation time is no more than 2 hours (4 standard 30 min sessions) per day for the first 3 days, and then reduce to 30-60 min of total stimulation time per day for the first two weeks. No more than twice a week is recommended. Afterwards, a maintenance treatment of every other day is beneficial. For chronic pain, every other day or twice a week is recommended.

Insomnia and Depression

One in three people suffer from insomnia of some form. Difficulty falling asleep at the beginning of the night is often associated with anxiety disorders. Waking during the middle of the night and difficulty maintaining sleep is often associated with pain disorders or medical illness. Early morning waking is often a characteristic of clinical depression.

To treat insomnia due to anxiety or depression, apply the skin electrodes to the acupoints HeGu and LaoGong on both hands. Other acupoints such as NeiGuan/WaiGuan or ZuSanLi/SanYinJiao should have a similar effect. Select low frequency wave forms such as 2Hz or 5Hz. For insomnia caused by pain, please refer to pain treatment.

Use the A+/- and B+/- keys to slowly bring the stimulation intensity to a comfortable level. Usually, at the intensity of 5mA, users start to feel the electric pulse. The intensity can be increased depending on the acupoint location and individual sensitivity. Twice a week treatment may work better than daily treatment.

Autism

Autism is a brain development disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior. Autism involves many parts of the brain. How it occurs is not well understood.

HANS treatment for autism is currently under clinical investigation in China with promising preliminary results. Through skin electrodes placed on acupuncture points, pulses of electricity mobilize the body's own natural healing processes. A regular daily treatment is necessary to gain effect. After a 2 to 3 months of continued HANS treatment (6 days a week), care givers observed a calming effect, better sleep, being less picky about food, and improved communication skills. Younger patients seem to respond to HANS treatment better than the older patients. Brain imaging also revealed a significant increase in blood flow to certain areas of the brain during electro-acupoint stimulation. The side effect of HANS therapy to autism is yet to be defined.

To start a treatment, place the electrodes on major acupoints in pairs, for example, HeGu and LaoGong, LaoGong and NeiGuan, or ZuSanLi and SanYinJiao. Use low frequency wave forms such as 2Hz or 5Hz. The intensity should start from low and be gradually increased to a tolerable level. Once the treatment routine is established, most children would ask their caregiver for the treatment.

The above recommendations are based on our past clinical experiences. For a better theraputic effect, we encourage users to find their own optimal conditions through experimentation. For more information, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions.

Instructions for Use

Please read Safety Precautions before use.
Insert a 9 V (6F22) battery into the battery chamber.
Use the cables to connect the channel sockets and the skin electrodes.
Apply the skin electrodes to selected acupoints.
Press and hold the ON/OFF key for 3 seconds to turn the device on.
The default settings are: 2/100 Hz wave form, 0mA intensity, 30 minutes stimulation time, skin mode (for model 100A and 200A), needle mode (for model 200E).
For model 200E to switch to skin mode, press and hold the Wave form key, press ON/OFF key for 3 seconds to turn the device on, press A/- key to switch to skin mode, then release the Wave form key.
Use the Wave form key to choose desired wave forms.
Use the A+/- and B+/- keys to slowly bring the stimulation intensity to a comfortable level.
If no key is pressed for 45 seconds, the keys will automatically lock to prevent change of the parameters by accidental touching of the keys. To unlock, press the Unlock key, then the intensity and wave form can be readjusted.
The time remaining for the session shows on the window. The stimulator turns off when the session ends.
To manually end a session prematurely, press and hold the ON/OFF key for 3 seconds.
Return the skin pads to their plastic sheet for storage. Please read Care for HANS for useful tips such as how to keep the skin pads from drying out.

Safety Precautions

HANS is best used with guidance from a doctor trained in acupuncture therapy.
HANS should not be used on patients with a pacemaker, unstable heart conditions, or active infection.
Patients with undiagnosed pain, sensory disorders or pregnancy should consult a doctor about use of the device.
Special care should be taken when placing the skin electrodes near the heart and in front of the neck.
The electrodes from the same outlet should be at least 2 inches apart when placed side by side.
To avoid cross interference, HANS should not be used on patients together with other electric medical devices.
HANS should not be used near instruments using high frequency, short wave or microwave radiation.
Keep the device out of reach of young children.

Waveforms

At Dense Disperse mode (2/100 and 2/15 Hz), the wave forms alternate between low and high frequency every 3 seconds.
At Constant Amplitude mode (2, 15, 50, and 100 Hz) the wave forms remain constant at the given frequency.
At Amplitude Modulating mode (AM 15, AM 50 and AM 100 Hz), the amplitude increase and decrease every 3 seconds.
Among the above wave forms, 2/100 Hz is the default wave form which is the best for treating pain and drug addiction. However, 2Hz is better for narcotic craving.
For insomnia, anxiety, depression, and autism, the recommended wave form is 2Hz or 2/15Hz.
For muscle spasms, especially due to spinal injury, 100Hz is recommended with the skin electrodes applied to the muscle location.

Device Maintenance

Keep your HANS unit in a cool and dry place. Avoid high humidity or dusty and corrosive environments. Vigorous shock may damage the device.
To prolong the life of the electrodes, clean the skin area before applying the electrodes. Always return the electrodes to their plastic sheet after each use. Keep the electrode moist by adding a small drop of water on the adhesive side of the electrode for storage.
If the adhesive side of the electrode is dirty, clean the surface with water without soaking excessively. Do not use detergent or brushes to clean.
HANS uses a 9V (6F22) battery. The power consumption is 100mA. The battery indicator shows the remaining battery life. If the device is not working properly, try changing the battery before doing anything else. Remove the battery if the device is not to be used for an extended period of time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What health problems can benefit from using HANS?
Why is acupuncture able to treat different disorders?
What are the HANS default settings?
Why is HANS effective in treating narcotic addiction?
Is it better to use HANS more frequently?
Would HANS treatment cause any side effect or addiction?
What is the science behind the applications of HANS?
What is the difference between HANS and TENS for treating pain?

What health problems can benefit from using HANS?

Generally speaking, health problems that respond to acupuncture treatment are likely to respond to HANS treatment. From extensive clinical practices, HANS is shown to be effective in treating acute and chronic pain, opioid addiction, insomnia and depression. A growing number of other health problems are found to respond to HANS treatment, such as autism, obesity, infertility, and addiction to smoking.

Why is acupuncture able to treat different disorders?

Homeostasis is one of the most important physiological principles where sophisticated regulatory mechanisms keep the body in a biological balance in an ever-changing environment. Severe or prolonged deviation of the system beyond the set points may lead the body into a pathological state. Although the manifestations of diseases are different, they often share similar pathological pathways resulted from functional distortions, such as an imbalanced nervous system and/or confused immune system. Since acupuncture facilitates the body's natural tendency to restore homeostasis, it may treat different disorders through the self-healing processes. This explains the common observation that the effects of acupuncture tend to be more pronounced in the unhealthy individuals (imbalanced systems) than in the healthy ones.

What are the HANS default settings?

By default, HANS is set to deliver electric pulses for 30 minutes duration with alternating 2/100Hz (dense-disburse) wave forms. Acupoint stimulation with this wave form induces the release and production of all 4 kinds of opioid peptides: enkephalin, endorphin, endomorphin, and dynorphin. The default wave form (2/100Hz) is the choice of treatment for pain and withdrawal symptoms. The 30 minutes stimulation time is set based on the finding that, after 30 minutes stimulation, the analgesic effect is plateaued. Prolonged stimulation for several hours induces the release and production of anti-opioid peptides which diminishes the endorphin effect.

Why is HANS effective in treating narcotic addiction?

In drug users, overwhelming doses of narcotics severely suppress the body's own ability to produce endogenous opioid peptides. This is the main cause for withdrawal syndromes when the drug supply is interrupted. HANS is able to increase the production of opioid peptides by stimulating gene expression. The endogenous opioid peptides released into the body are able to relieve withdrawal syndromes, suppress craving, and restore homeostasis.

Is it better to use HANS more frequently?

No. Multiple sessions or prolonged HANS treatment per day may cause the development of tolerance. One of the reasons is that a high level of endogenous opioid peptides will cause the production and release of anti-opioid peptides as a natural negative control mechanism. Unfortunately, anti-opioids reduce acupuncture effects. For acute pain or withdrawal symptoms, the recommended maximum total stimulation time is no more than 2 hours (4 standard 30 min sessions) per day for the first 3 days, and then reduce to 30-60 min of total stimulation time per day. A once every other day maintenance treatment is beneficial.

Would HANS treatment cause any side effect or addiction?

In years of clinical practice with HANS, minimal side effects have been observed, and there has not been any report of "HANS-addiction". It is true that the use of HANS often generates a sense of well being due to its ability to induce the release of endorphins in the brain. However, the endogenously released endorphins induced by nerve stimulation is within the physiological range. It is enough to produce healing effects, but not enough to trigger a "high", so it does not lead to addiction and dependence.

What is the science behind the applications of HANS?

Professor JS Han and his colleagues discovered that neurotransmitters such as serotonin and opioid peptides (endorphins) are the main chemical substances causing the analgesic effect of acupuncture. They also discovered that one of the most important determinant of the analgesic effect is the frequency of impulses applied to the acupoints. Signals of different frequencies transmitted to the central nervous system can induce the production and release of different kinds of chemical mediators. In addition, they found that the functional balance between opioid peptides and the anti-opioid peptides in the central nervous system plays an important role in determining the effectiveness of acupuncture analgesia in different individuals. Scientific findings such as these form the basis for the design and applications of HANS.

What is the difference between HANS and TENS for treating pain?

The HANS and the TENS units are similar when applied on the painful spots with high frequency stimulation. It works though the "Gate control theory" of the pain therapy. HANS on the other hand, also applies on major acupuncture points with low frequency or High-Low (dense-disburse) modes of stimulation. It works by inducing the release of neuropeptides, such as endorphins, from the brain. The combination of local effect and systemic neurochemical effect should provide a better treatment for pain.

About Us

This website is under the scientific supervision of Professor Ji-sheng Han and technological supervision of Professor Yi-ming Liu. Prof. Han is world-renowned for his decades of scientific research on the mechanism of acupuncture analgesia and treatment of drug addiction. Prof. Han is a member of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and an advisor of US National Institute of Health and World Health Organization. Prof. Yi-ming Liu is an accomplished aerospace engineer, responsible for the design of HANS® device, the transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulator. The HANS® device is manufactured by Nanjing Gensun Medical Technology Co. LTD.

Our mission is to promote natural healing techniques with HANS® for health maintenance. This cost-effective healing technique is designed to be safe and environmentally friendly.

Testimonials

"With HANS treatment I was able to gradually but dramatically decrease the dosage of oral opiates for my pain." - Anita

"She noticed the greatest change four days after starting HANS treatment and was able to discontinue the use of PM opiates. Since then, she has continued to improve and suffers less pain and milder symptoms of withdrawal. She does not wake up at night as she used to and has more energy during the day." -Ken

"She asked me to thank Dr. JS Han for introducing HANS to her life." -Dr. Fang

"He had less temper tantrums, accepted a varied diet, and most of all, he now responds to instructions. All of this happened about three months after the treatment began. His progress has brought so much joy to our family." - Dr. Wang

Literature

Han J.S., Terenius L. Neurochemical basis of acupuncture analgesia. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 1982;22:193–2202. Han J.S. A mesolimbic neuronal loop of analgesia. Advances in Pain Research and Therapy. 1987; 10:219-243 Han J.S. The role of CCK in electroacupouncture analgesia and electroacupuncture tolerance. In: Multiple CCK Receptors in CNS (Dourish CT, et. al., Eds) Oxford, New York, 1992, pp 480-502 Han J.S. Acupuncture activates endogenous system of analgesia. NIH Consensus Development Conference on Acupuncture. November 3-5， 1997 National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, pp55-60 Wang, B.G. et al. (1997) Effect of the intensity of transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation on the postoperative analgesic requirement. Anesth. Analg. 85, 406-13 Hamza, M.A. et al. (1999) Effect of the frequency of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on the postoperative opioid analgesic requirement and recovery profile. Anesthesiology 91, 1232-8 El-sayed, A. et al. (1999) Percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for low back pain. A randomized crossover study. JAMA 281, 818-823 Hamza, M.A. et al. (1999) Effect of the duration of electrical stimulation on the analgesic response in patients with low back pain. Anesthesiology 91, 1622-7 Hamza, M.A., et al. (2000) Percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation: a novel analgesic therapy for diabetic neuropathic pain. Diabetic Care 23, 365-370 Ji-Sheng Han: Acupuncture: Neuropeptides released by electrical stimulation of different frequencies. Trends in Neuroscience 2003; 26:17-22 Ji-Sheng Han, Alan I. Trachtenberg, and Joyce H. Lowinson: Chapter 49: Acupuncture. Substance Abuse; August 24, 2004 21:16 Joseph Helms. Acupuncture Energetics: A Clinical Approach for Physicians

Purchase HANS

All HANS units come with required accessories.

$399.00

HANS-200A

For use with button-type electrodes

Skin pad mode: 0-50 mA output range with 1mA increments
Wave forms: 2/100, 2/50, 2/30, 2/5, 2, 5, 10, 15, 30, 50, 100, AM15, AM30, AM50, AM100
156 x 92 x 27mm, 252g
Kit includes: 1 HANS Unit, 1 pair pigtail-type cable, 1 set of 4 skin patches (pigtail type), aluminum carrying case, velvet carrying bag, 1 9v battery

$399.00

HANS-200E

For use with pigtail-type electrodes

Needle mode: 0-10 mA output range with 0.1 mA increments
Skin pad mode: 0-50 mA output range with 1mA increments
Wave forms (Hz): 2/100, 2/50, 2/30, 2/5, 2, 5, 10, 15, 30, 50, 100, AM15, AM30, AM50, AM100
156 x 92 x 27mm, 252g
Kit includes: 1 HANS Unit, 1 pair needle-type cable, 1 pair pigtail-type cable, 1 set of 4 skin patches (pigtail type), aluminum carrying case, velvet carrying bag, 1 9v battery

Electrodes

$6.00/set of 4

Cables

$8.00/pair

Cable and Skin Electrodes (button type)

Cables for HANS that plug into skin electrodes only

Dimensions: 40 x 40 x 2mm

Electrodes

$8.00/set of 4

Cables

$10.00/pair

Cable and Skin Electrodes (pigtail type)

Cables for HANS that plug into needles or skin electrodes

Dimensions: 40 x 40 x 2mm
Needles not included

The Neurochemical Basis of Pain Relief by Acupuncture is a collection of research publications from Dr. Ji-Sheng Han's laboratory over 3 time periods.

$120.00

Volume 1 (1973-1987)

A 597-page collection of 141 research publications on the mechanism of acupuncture analgesia. It includes 44 English articles and 96 Chinese articles with English abstract.

$120.00

Volume 2 (1987-1997)

A 783-page collection of research publications, in which the research was extended to include the electro-acupuncture treatment of drug addiction and opioid modulation of cardiovascular activities.

$120.00

Volume 3 (1997-2006)

A 672-page collection of research publications in which the scope of the research was further broadened to the study of electro-acupuncture treatment of Parkinson's disease and obesity.

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