Contents
In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.
Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.
In other words, electrotherapy is electric treatment. It is a procedure during which various types of healing currents are used – constant or variable, of different frequency. Electrotherapy is a type of physical therapy and is used in the symptomatic treatment of diseases, including the musculoskeletal system.
What is electrotherapy?
Elektrotherapy is a therapeutic procedure involving the use of various types currents. During the procedure, electrodes are placed on individual places on the patient’s body through which the electrode is passed electricity with the correct frequency (constant or variable). One treatment electrotherapy lasts several minutes and is usually used every day for 5 or 10 days.
Indications for electrotherapy
Current has an analgesic effect and reduces muscle tension, improves blood circulation, accelerates tissue regeneration processes and makes swelling better absorbed. Indications for use electrotherapy have:
- conditions of chronic or acute pain in the spine;
- various types of discopathies;
- neuralgia;
- osteoarthritis;
- rheumatic diseases;
- muscular dystrophies;
- conditions after injuries of the locomotor organs, for example after fractures, bruises and sprains;
- soft tissue inflammation;
- sciatica;
- headaches, including migraine headaches;
- pain in the course of osteoporosis.
Contraindications to electrotherapy
Unfortunately, electrotherapy it may not be used in all cases. Contraindications for this type of therapy are: having a pacemaker, endoprostheses, implants, tumors, thrombophlebitis, blockages, arrhythmias, sensory disturbances, pregnancy (if electrotherapy is to be performed in the abdomen or lower spine), inflammations and infections with a high fever, acute inflammation of the skin or soft tissues, especially where the electrodes would be applied.
Types of electrotherapy
There are several types electrotherapy. Those are:
- Iontophoresis – it is a procedure in which direct current is applied to the diseased area. This type of electrotherapy is used in the treatment of neuralgia, neuralgia, rheumatic diseases and inflammation.
- Electroplating – it is a low-frequency direct current. It affects the nervous tissues and muscles. Galvanization is used in discopathy, neuralgia, in inflammation of the nerves, in the treatment of muscle overloads and tensions, and in the case of osteoarthritis.
- Electrostimulation – this is a procedure that applies a pulse current in order to cause muscle contraction. Electrostimulation is used in the treatment of paresis, paralysis and other ailments of the nervous system. Order today Neck, back, shoulder and neck electrostimulator available at a favorable price at medonetmarket.pl.
- TENS currents – these are low-frequency impulse currents. They stimulate the nerves and are used to treat back pain, joint and muscle pains and rheumatic pains. TENS currents are especially recommended for people suffering from postoperative pains, as well as for patients with skin ulcers, discopathy, neuropathy and pains associated with osteoporosis. They have a beneficial effect in the case of cellulite and accelerate the fusion of broken bones.
- Diadynamic currents – reduce muscle tension, increase blood flow, accelerate the absorption of edema and hematomas. They are used in spine pain, degenerative joint diseases, rheumatic diseases, in discopathies, neuralgia, muscular dystrophy, after injuries of locomotor organs, especially with edema.
- Interferential currents (Nemea currents) – have an analgesic effect, improve circulation, regenerate tissues.
- Kotz currents (the so-called stimulation) – this is a procedure that causes contractions of deeper muscle fibers. It is used to treat scoliosis, muscle weakness, and injuries (for example, fractures).
- Trabert’s currents – it is a procedure involving the administration of unidirectional, impulse currents. It is used in the treatment of osteoarthritis, in the case of back pain and muscle pains, in the treatment of neuralgia and peripheral circulation disorders, also in limb ischemia, as well as in post-traumatic conditions of the locomotor organs.
- Transcutaneous nerve stimulation – has an analgesic effect.
Efekty elektroterapii
Elektrotherapy are treatments that bring relief in pain and inflammation. They also stimulate deeper layers of tissues and muscles, improve their blood supply, and thus – their nourishment, thus leading to their faster regeneration. Tissue stimulated by electricity becomes better supplied with blood, which accelerates the absorption of edema and exudates.
In post-traumatic states electrotherapy allows you to restore strength to weakened muscles, in the case of contractures associated with the course of various diseases – it allows you to relax the muscles and reduce their tension. Sometimes during electrotherapy a topical drug is administered (usually an analgesic and anti-inflammatory) – the effect of the current makes the healing substances better and faster absorbed, giving good therapeutic effects.