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Audio frequency alternating currents or interference currents can be used in the medical community in a treatment technique called interference therapy. In this technique, such currents can be formed by combining several alternating currents that have the same amplitude and almost the same frequency. The term “interference” itself characterizes the mutual amplification or weakening of the amplitudes of adjacent waves when they are superimposed on each other. This therapeutic technique was first used in 1949 by the German G. Nemek, so the alternating current that occurs during interference is today called the Nemek current.
Produced effect
Interference therapy is useful for the body in that it significantly improves blood flow, microcirculation, normalizes the tone of all blood vessels in the body. When carrying out such therapy in the body, the formation of bypass pathways of blood flow occurs, with the help of which there is an inflow and outflow of blood in the event of thrombosis. Also, interference therapy helps to reduce the activity of the sympathetic parts of the nervous system and increase the production of vasoactive substances.
The massage effect of wave effects occurs due to the stimulation of contractions of internal muscles in various organs, which ultimately leads to accelerated lymph circulation and peripheral blood flow. The temperature in the place where interference waves act rises, oxygen begins to flow more actively into the tissues, saturating them, anoxemia is eliminated, toxins disappear, and the work of the reticuloendothelial system is activated.
Interference therapy leads to the processes of shifting the hydrogen indicators of acidity towards alkaline data, which indicates a decrease in inflammatory processes in the human body. In the structure of the neuromuscular tissue, low-frequency currents can create excitation, and frequency currents from 50 to 100 hertz positively affect the nutrition of cells in tissues, the circulatory system and strengthen muscle tone.
Interference therapy is known for its analgesic, muscle relaxant properties, the ability to normalize the work of the autonomic system, eliminate swelling of the neural tissue in the body. Many experts argue that with the help of interference therapy it is possible to achieve bacteriostatic, trophic-generator and bactericidal effects on the human body.
Possible indications and contraindications for interference therapy
The main indications for prescribing interference therapy to a patient are numerous diseases of the nervous system, such as:
- Raynaud’s and Bechterew’s diseases;
- vegetative dysfunctions and vibration disease;
- ganglioneuritis, neurasthenia, neuritis of the facial nerves or traumatic nature;
- causalgia, myelopathy, phantom diseases;
- neuralgia of the glossopharyngeal or trigeminal nerves;
- enuresis, tunnel syndrome;
- neurological consequences of osteochondrosis;
- toxic or diabetic polyneuropathy;
- consequences of traumatic brain injury.
But not only diseases of the nervous system are a direct indication for interference therapy. Many other diseases also noticeably recede with this treatment. It effectively affects patients with diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system, gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, inflammatory processes in the pelvic area and uterus, and some diseases of the skin.
The main contraindications for interference therapy, doctors include the presence of a patient with an implant in the form of a pacemaker, diseases such as epilepsy, glaucoma, tuberculosis, fever, thrombophlebitis, Parkinson’s disease. It is impossible to carry out interference therapy with the patient’s tendency to bleeding, with poor blood clotting, the presence of cancer, in the stage of acute inflammatory processes, with non-fixed fractures inside the joints, various wounds on the skin at the site of exposure, with urolithiasis and cholelithiasis, as well as with multiple sclerosis and pregnancy.
Features of interference therapy
By itself, interference therapy is a technique for using medium-frequency alternating currents to penetrate into tissues in order to irritate receptors in their deep layers. At least two different wave signals must cross in the pathology zone. The frequency of one of the currents is 5000 hertz, and all the others must be in the frequency range from 3000 to 5000 hertz. When they cross, another low-frequency current is formed with a frequency from 0 to 100 hertz. At this moment, at the place of application of the currents, the patient may feel beats, vibrational movements, but pain does not occur.
During interference therapy, the patient should sit or lie down. The current is supplied by several pairs of independent electrodes generated by different generators. Generators are placed in such a way that their dislocation can ensure the crossing of currents in the right place – the impact zone. More often the electrodes are located in the same plane, but sometimes their effect is more directed when located on different sides of the human body.
Sometimes kinetic interference therapy is used, which implies the distribution and movement of 2 out of 4 electrodes over the human body, which leads to a wider effect relative to the area of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbthe skin.
The current strength during interference therapy should be equal to 30-50 milliamps, which is dosed based on the subjective feelings of the person undergoing therapy. A feeling of vibration or slight pain in the area where the currents work is considered normal. Stronger sensations can lead to addiction to the effects, so it is not recommended to achieve them during therapy.
Waves of various sizes are capable of exerting various effects during interference therapy, for example, a current of a frequency of 100 hertz can be an antispasmodic, an anesthetic, it enhances the tone of the parasympathetic nervous system. A current with a frequency of 25 hertz has neuromyostimulating properties, and currents from 1 to 5 hertz help contract muscle tissue, increase sympathetic tone, and awaken autonomic nerve fibers.
For acute forms of various diseases, a weaker current is used, and in cases of chronic diseases, currents are used at a higher frequency. Also, the current strength is inversely proportional to the severity of the pain syndrome – the stronger the patient’s pain, the weaker the current is needed in this case.
The procedure of interference therapy is carried out daily or with a frequency of once every 2 days in courses. Each course includes from 10 to 15 procedures and can be repeated 2 weeks after the end of the previous one. In cases of chronic diseases, 1 session takes about 30 minutes of time, and in acute phases of diseases, interference therapy lasts up to 15 minutes each time.