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Diathermy is a physical therapy procedure that brings relief to many people. Unhealthy lifestyle, stress, numerous diseases that usually appear with age clearly reduce the comfort of everyday functioning, and in extreme cases even exclude the sick person from normal life. Traditional methods of treatment very often do not bring the expected results, but fortunately there are methods that support treatment effectively, including diathermy. Heat treatments are increasingly used both at the treatment and rehabilitation stage.
Diathermy is one of the treatments in which the electromagnetic field principle is used to generate heat in the body’s tissues. This is one of the more and more popular methods that has become a permanent element of the group of physical therapy treatments. Diathermy it is used in the treatment and rehabilitation of many diseases, and these include, above all, almost all pains of rheumatoid origin, muscle pains, frostbite, as well as numerous neuralgia resulting from stress, which the human body cannot cope with more and more often.
Diathermy – Physics helps soothe pain
The word itself «diathermy»Comes from Greek and simply means heat treatment. As we find out from the official definition diathermy, it is a procedure that involves point heating of tissues using a strong electromagnetic field. Thanks to this, the muscle tension is reduced, which results in the alleviation of pain sensations. Currently, there are two types of treatments. The first is the so-called diathermy capacitor, and its course uses an electric field. This type of surgery is used to heat relatively shallow tissues, such as for example adipose tissue.
The second kind diatermiand there are induction treatments that use a magnetic field. This type of therapy is used to heat up the tissues that are a little deeper, i.e. to heat the muscles.
Short-wave diathermy
Treatments diathermy they also differ in terms of the size of the waves and the frequency of electromagnetic vibrations. The most popular treatment is the so-called short-wave diathermy. During the therapy, vibrations of various frequency combinations are used in combination with waves of different lengths. Thermal energy is generated deep inside the tissues and is what is known as endogenous heat. On the other hand, exogenous heat is supplied to the cells from the outside.
During the procedure diathermy the first dose of heat is called thermal and is below the threshold of perceiving heat. The second dose – oligothermic – is already felt, mild warmth. At the third level, it comes to diathermy thermal, and this is pleasantly spreading heat that gives a very positive feeling. The fourth dose, hyperthermic, is already very strong heat, which can be interpreted as unpleasant and painful.
Short-wave diathermy – indications and contraindications
Diathermy he is very good physiotherapeutic treatmentthat brings you outstanding effects in therapies not only for common arthritis, but also in a much more severe form – in rheumatoid arthritis. Very good results are achieved in the treatment of various neuralgia, which is extremely helpful in people struggling with chronic stress, neuroses and other anxiety states.
Thanks to diathermy In the short term, periods are making tremendous progress post-traumatic rehabilitation. It perfectly reduces pain caused by degeneration of the spine and any muscle pains. Certainly, many will be surprised by the fact that diathermy improves post-frostbite conditions in chronic laryngitis, sinusitis and ear infections. It should also be used as an adjunct in the treatment of respiratory diseases, including bronchial asthma.
And though diathermy short-term is a completely safe procedure, however, also defined here are clear contraindications. The therapy cannot be used by pregnant women and those in the period of menstruation. Treatments are not performed on people with pacemakers. Short-wave diathermy is a therapy that must not be used in people suffering from cancer, epilepsy or pulmonary tuberculosis. Due to the fact that diathermy has a huge impact on blood circulation and blood density, the treatments are not used in people prone to bleeding, in those with varicose veins or with abnormal peripheral blood supply.
Long-term diathermy
This type of procedure was commonly used 100 years ago and the field of 500-750 kHz was used. Currently, such a field is used by surgical tools, so-called electric knives, which are used to cut and then connect tissues. These activities use a frequency of 0,5 to 1,75 MHz and a power of 100 to 300 W.
Rehabilitation through diathermy treatments
Treatments of this type are offered by rehabilitation offices, but the length of the procedure must be determined by specialists. The most common rule is that in initial stages diseases, short treatments are carried out, which last no longer than 4 minutes. In advanced In the form of diseases, treatments are much longer and take up to a quarter of an hour. To diathermy was effective, the treatments must be carried out in series, but not longer than 15 sessions.