Introduction to Electrotherapy in Physiotherapy Profession

Electrotherapy in Physiotherapy Profession.

1. ELECTROTHERAPY Dr Priyanka (PT) MPT (Neurological Disorders)

2. Learning Outcomes By the end of this section, you will understand:- Detailed Knowledge of Electrotherapy. What it is? What is the classification of various modalities in Electrotherapy? Why Electrotherapy is important in the Physiotherapy Profession?

3. Definition The meaning of the word “therapy” is a non-surgical treatment approach. “Electro” means electrical current or electricity or electrical means. “ Electrotherapy is a non-surgical treatment approach characterized by the treatment of various diseases and disorders with the help of electricity or electrical means”. OR “Electrotherapy is a branch of physiotherapy characterized by the treatment of various diseases and disorders with the help of electricity or electrical means”.

4. Electrotherapy generally includes various forms of therapeutic applications using electricity as the primary source of energy. Electrotherapy is a medical treatment that uses electrical energy to stimulate or elicit a physiological response in the body. It has been employed for various therapeutic purposes, particularly in the fields of physical therapy, rehabilitation, and pain management The application of electrical currents can influence nerve and muscle activity, promote tissue healing, and alleviate pain. Modern electrotherapy practice needs to be evidence-based and used appropriately. Used at the right place, at the right time for the right reason, it has a phenomenal capacity to be effective.

5. Electrotherapy Low Frequency Current (0-100 cycles per second) High-Frequency Current (more than 10000 cycles per second). Phototherapy Medium Frequency Current (1000-10000 cycles per second) Electrodiagnosis Biofeedback Areas of Study in Electrotherapy

6. Current:- The flow of electrons. Frequency:- Number of occurrence of any event per unit time. Example:- If you take five cups of coffee per day then I may say that your frequency of coffee intake is five cups per day. Frequency in Electrotherapy In electrotherapy, we use the currents whose impulses commence and cease at regular intervals. The number of times these impulses come in a particular unit time (second) is regarded as frequency. Frequency is expressed in cycles per second or Hertz, Kilohertz, Megahertz.

7. Classification of Current based on Frequency 1.) Low-Frequency Current Low-frequency currents are therapeutically used currents whose frequency is in the range of 0 to 100 cycles per second. The primary use of low-frequency current is the stimulation of nerves and muscles. Various currents in this category that are used for physiotherapeutic treatments are:- D irect current, interrupted direct current, sinusoidal current, D iadynamic current, high voltage pulsed galvanic current, micro amperage electrical nerve stimulation, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, etc.

8. 2.) Medium Frequency Current Medium frequency currents are therapeutically used currents whose frequency is in the range of 1000 to 10,000 cycles per second. They are basically used to stimulate deeply situated muscles and nerves since it’s difficult to stimulate these muscles and nerves by low-frequency currents without the spread of current. Clinically they are used for muscle re-education, to retard the rate of muscle atrophy, drainage of edema, and for pain relief. Various currents in this category, which are used for physiotherapeutic purposes, are Russian current, Interferential current, etc.

9. 3.) High-frequency currents High-frequency currents are therapeutically used currents whose frequency is more than 10,000 cycles per second. High-frequency currents are used for their ability to produce the deep heat inside the tissues. Various electrotherapeutic modalities, which work on this type of current are:- short wave diathermy, long wave diathermy, therapeutic ultrasound, microwave diathermy.

10. Photography Phototherapy refers to the treatment of various diseases and disorders with the help of light. The primary effect of these phototherapeutic modalities is pain relief by heat and acceleration of healing through elevation of temperature, counterirritation, and photochemical effects. Various modalities such as infrared rays, ultraviolet rays, and laser comes under this category. Electrodiagnosis Electrical currents can also be used for the diagnostic purpose. Electrodiagnosis means the detection of the diseases and disorders by the use of electrotherapeutic currents or electromyography. We can use currents like interrupted direct current and perform various electrodiagnostic tests such as rheobase, chronaxie, strength-duration curve, pulse ratio, myasthenic reaction, galvanic tetanic ratio, nerve conduction test, nerve distribution test, faradic galvanic test, etc . Electromyography is the study of the electrical activity of the muscle by means of surface electrodes placed over the skin or needle electrodes inserted in the muscle itself. By electromyography, we can study motor unit potential, motor nerve conduction velocity, sensory nerve conduction velocity, etc.

11. Biofeedback Biofeedback is the process of furnishing information to an individual about the body’s function to get some voluntary control over it. Some biofeedback devices are related to electrotherapy and hence, they can be included under electrotherapy for example EMG biofeedback.

12. Classification of Currents On the Basis of Direction:- 1.1) A lternating currents:- Alternating currents flow in both directions. Examples of these types of currents are sinusoidal currents and interferential currents. 1.2) Unidirectional currents:- Currents that flow in one direction only for example direct current and interrupted direct current. Alternating currents flow in both directions. Examples of these types of currents are sinusoidal currents and interferential currents. 2. On the Basis of Frequency:- 2.1)Low-Frequency Current. 2.2)Medium Frequency Current. 2.3)High-Frequency Current.

13. 3. On the basis of voltage:- 3.1) Low Voltage:- Low voltage currents are with a voltage of less than 100 volts for example low-frequency currents. 3.2) High Voltage:- High voltage currents are of several hundred volts for example high-frequency currents. 4. On the basis of amperage:- 4.1) Low Amperage:- Low amperage currents are those currents whose amperage ranges from 1 to 30 milliampears and are the same as that of low voltage currents. 4.2) High Amperage:- High amperage currents have amperage from 500 to 2000 milliamperes and are usually of high tension. 5. On the basis of biophysical effects:- On this basis currents can be divided into two types such as 5.1) currents causing ionic changes and 5.2) currents causing thermal changes.

14. SUMMARY Various areas of study in electrotherapy are low-frequency currents, medium-frequency currents, high-frequency currents, phototherapy, electrodiagnosis, and biofeedback. Low-frequency currents are used for stimulation of muscles and nerves. Medium frequency currents are used for the re-education of deeply situated muscles, pain relief, and for drainage of edema. High-frequency currents are used for the production of deep heat inside the tissues. Phototherapy is used for pain relief and acceleration of healing. Electrodiagnosis helps in the study of electrical reactions of muscles and nerves for diagnostic purposes.

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