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Electrotherapy and local modalities are used to assist pain reduction and the natural healing response via an increase in energy (electrical, sound, light, magnetic, temperature). Electrotherapy and local modalities have short-term benefits that can assist with the earlier introduction of other longer lasting techniques such as exercise prescription.
While many patients will feel the immediate benefits from electrotherapy, it is wise to think of these passive modalities similarly to pain relieving or anti-inflammatory medications.
Short Wave Diathermy (SWD) is a treatment that uses electromagnetic energy to produce deep heating in joints and soft tissues. This form of heat can be applied to deeper structures than other forms of heat treatment. Thus SWD can effectively relieve joint pain, improve soft tissue healing and decrease the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Best Health Physiotherapists are knowledgeable and experienced in the appropriate application of SWD.
Interferential therapy is a type of therapy which is very effective and is used in relieving pain by various physiotherapic clinics. This helps to accelerate the process of self healing and getting a patient’s body free from pain and regain healthy physical conditions. In this therapy, the interferential current is produced on the skin, of the affected body part of the patient, with the help of interferential device by expert physiotherapist. This interferential current penetrates into the skin and reaches the underlying living muscle tissue.
Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy replicates the Earth’s natural magnetic field, which we were once strongly connected to. Over time this magnetic field has gotten weaker (an estimated 10% weaker since the 19th century) and due to industrialization and modernization, we are further separated from the Earth’s natural magnetic field. The therapy actually originated from NASA’s research involving the benefits of pulsed electromagnetic fields on astronauts for fatigue, depression, bone loss and other symptoms following even short trips to outer space. Scientists discovered that the cause was due to astronauts being without this beneficial natural field emanating from our Earth.
Radiofrequency (RF) therapy exploits the production of heat in skin tissue resulting from the application of an electromagnetic field onto the skin. RF therapy and treatment have been used in aesthetic surgery and medicine for more than 70 years. In aesthetic medicine an RF generator is employed, which emits medium- and high-frequency (30–70 kHz) electromagnetic radiation from specialized handsets.
Tissue treated by ablative RF is destroyed, whereas tissue treated by non-ablative RF is not destroyed.
LASER is a very specific artificially produced form of light. There are several classes of LASER designed to serve a variety of purposes. Physiotherapists use a class of LASER that promotes healing of injured tissues and decreases pain. At Best Health Physiotherapy, our physiotherapists are trained and experienced in the use of LASER for the promotion of chronic wound healing, soft-tissue injury healing, pain relief, and the reduction of swelling associated with lymphedema.
Pneumatic compression pumps are proposed as a treatment option for patients with lymphedema who have failed conservative measures. They are also proposed to supplement standard of care for patients with venous ulcers. A variety of pumps are available; they can be single chamber (non-segmented) or multi-chamber (segmented) and have varying design and complexity. Pneumatic compression devices consist of an inflatable garment for the arm, leg, trunk, or chest and an electrical pneumatic pump that fills the garment with compressed air. The garment is intermittently inflated and deflated with cycle times and pressures that vary between devices.
Ultrasound (US) is a form of mechanical energy (not electrical), and therefore, strictly speaking, not really electrotherapy at all, but does fall into the Electro Physical Agents grouping. Mechanical vibration at increasing frequencies is known as sound energy. The normal human sound range is from 16 Hz to something approaching 15-20,000 Hz (in children and young adults). Beyond this upper limit, the mechanical vibration is known as ultrasound. The frequencies used in therapy are typically between 1.0 and 3.0 MHz (1 MHz = 1 million cycles per second).
Paraffin wax has a very high heat capacity, meaning it is able to absorb and retain a great amount of heat. A paraffin wax spa takes advantage of paraffin's heat-retaining capacity in a simple process called heat transfer. In technical terms, heat is transferred to the core of the affected area as paraffin goes through a phase change. As it melts, the paraffin becomes a liquid and is able to retain more heat. Then, when a hand, foot, or other area is dipped into the heated bath, the phase of the paraffin that surrounds the dipped area quickly changes into a solid. The heat that is given off is called the heat of fusion.
Paraffin therapy is one of the most effective methods of applying deep heat to relieve pain and stiffness. The warm paraffin also moisturizes for healthier looking, softer skin.
Electrical stimulation or neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is a technique used to elicit a muscle contraction using electrical impulses. Electrodes, controlled by a unit, are placed on the skin over a predetermined area. Electrical current is then sent from the unit to the electrodes and delivered into the muscle causing a contraction. Electrical stimulation has been shown to be an effective therapeutic option for individuals suffering from pain and weakness. Below are some of the benefits clients may experience:
Lumbar traction is the process of applying a stretching force to the lumbar vertebrae through body weight, weights, and/or pulleys to distract individual joints of the lumbar spine. The word traction is a derivative of the Latin word "tractico", which means "a process of drawing or pulling, and various forms of spinal traction have been described, since the time of Hippocrates, for the relief of pain. The below video gives a brief animation of traction of spine
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a non-invasive peripheral stimulation technique used to relieve pain. During TENS pulsed electrical currents are delivered across the intact surface of the skin to activate underlying nerves. Patients can self-administer TENS and titrate dosage as required because there is no potential for overdose and there are few side effects or drug interactions. Maximal analgesia occurs when TENS generates a strong but non-painful electrical paraesthesia beneath the electrodes.
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