Benefits of Electrotherapy:
The Uses of Electrotherapy in Rehabilitation
Electrotherapy machines are a popular modality used in physical therapy and rehabilitation. Electrotherapy (also known as electrical muscle stimulation or e-stim) uses an electrical machine that delivers electrical impulses to a patient’s body. This stimulation is done in order to promote and facilitate muscle healing and tissue regeneration. Not only is electrotherapy a popular modality in physical therapy, but can also be used by other rehabilitation practitioners because it has several numerous therapeutic benefits.
- * Relaxation of muscle spasms
- * Prevention and cessation of muscular atrophy due to disuse
- * Improved local blood circulation and flow
- * Re-education of muscles using targeted stimulation
- * Preserve and improve range of motion
- * Management and reduction of pain (chronic, post-traumatic, and post-surgical acute)
- * Prevention of deep vein thrombosis post-surgery
- * Facilitation of wound healing
- * Improvement in the effectiveness in delivering prescription drugs-electromotive drug administration (EMDA)
How Does Electrical Stimulation Therapy Work?
Electrotherapeutic devices can offer different therapeutic waveforms. An electrical stimulation device includes electrodes that are attached to the treatment area and when activated, the electrical energy of the device causes the muscles to contract. This contraction imitates the body’s natural movement during activity and can prevent muscular atrophy.
Various types of electrotherapy treatment are -
IFT that is inerferntial therapy:
Interferential Therapy or (IFT) is a type of electrotherapy treatments that use electric currents to stimulate tissue which provides pain relief, reduction of swelling and many other health benefits.
It uses a range of frequencies which stimulate the body to get positive reactions such as increasing blood supply in an area which increases the healing speed. It also reduces muscle spasm and gives pain relief.
US - ultrasound therapy -
Ultrasound therapy is an electrotherapy which has been used in physiotherapy practices for many years. It is mainly used for its non-thermal effect where high frequency sound waves cause vibrations and movement of cellular fluids.
Proposed benefits of ultrasound therapy include improving the healing rate of certain soft tissues.
It is thought to :
Increase blood flow to an area in order to accelerate the resolution time of the inflammatory process.
Stimulate the production of collagen (the main protein in tendons and ligaments) during tissue healing.
Common Injuries Treated With Ultrasound :
- * Bursitis
- * Tendonitis
- * Muscle Strain and tears
- * Osteoarthritis
- * Ligament and tendon injuries to heal the wound and micromasssge, reduce swelling
TENS - Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation -
TENS transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is a method of electrical stimulation which primarily aims to provide a degree of symptomatic pain relief by exciting sensory nerves and thereby stimulating either the pain gate mechanism and/or the opioid system.
Uses:
TENS units can help treat and manage pain.
TENS units may help treat the following symptoms:
- * Period Pain
- * Labor Pain
- * Postoperative Pain
- * Joint Pain
- * Neck and Back Pain
They may also alleviate pain that results from the following conditions:
- * Endometriosis
- * Arthritis
- * Sports Injuries
- * Multiple Sclerosis
- * Fibromyalgia
- * Painful Diabetic Neuropathy
- * Spinal Cord Injury
- * Osteoarthritis
- * Rheumatoid arthritis
- * Fibromyalgia
- Other joint mobility issues
SWD - Short Wave Diathermy:
Short Wave Diathermy is a therapeutic treatment most commonly prescribed for muscle and joint conditions. It uses a high-frequency electric current to stimulate heat generation within body tissues.
SWD - Short Wave Diathermy:
Short Wave Diathermy is a therapeutic treatment most commonly prescribed for muscle and joint conditions. It uses a high-frequency electric current to stimulate heat generation within body tissues.
EMS - Electrical Muscle Stimulation:
Electrical muscle stimulation also known as neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) or electromyostimulation, is the elicitation of muscle contraction using electric impulses.
it can be utilized as a strength training tool for healthy subjects and athletes; it could be used as a rehabilitation and preventive tool for partially or totally immobilized patients.
Common issues that almost always affect these areas are strokes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. The end goal of this treatment is to help alleviate the symptoms and make life easier for those who have these disorders.
ITT- Intermittent Traction Therapy
-Traction therapy aims to remove pain and to reduce pressure in nerve roots by increasing negative pressure in the spinal column using mechanical forces in the body to stretch muscles and to reduce the pressure caused in the spinal column by gravity . Factors that are known to influence the effects of traction therapy are the traction force, traction time, traction angle, treatment time, posture of the patient during treatment, etc.. Intermittent traction therapy (ITT) is a method in which the traction force and time are changed to make the therapy more effective.Intermittent traction helps to relieve pain by improving the circulation to the tissues and by reducing the swelling of tissues.
Type are - intermittent cervical traction Intermittent lumber traction
What is paraffin wax?
Paraffin wax is a white or colorless soft, solid wax. It’s made from saturated hydrocarbons. It’s often used in skin-softening salon and spa treatments on the hands, cuticles, and feet because it’s colorless, tasteless, and odorless. It can also be used to provide pain relief to sore joints and muscles. Paraffin wax has many other uses, too. It’s often used as lubrication, electrical insulation, and to make candles and crayons. It mainly used in cases of post fracture stiffness Like elbow fracture, ankle fracture.It gives heating effect and mobility to joint.
Therapeutic benefits :
Paraffin wax may be used to help relieve pain in the hands of people with:
It acts like a form of heat therapy and can help increase blood flow, relax muscles, and decrease joint stiffness. Paraffin wax can also minimize muscle spasms and inflammation as well as treat sprains.