• 15 Mar 2021
• |
• By Admin

5 Benefits of Electrotherapy in Physiotherapy Treatments

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The use of electric stimulation in medical treatment, also called electrotherapy, started somewhere around 1750 in Europe, which was soon adopted by doctors in North America. When it comes to physiotherapy, then electrotherapy has been found of great help to manage and give relief to a wide spectrum of pain issues, improve range of motions, and also in severe cases of musculoskeletal conditions in patients.

Electrotherapy in physiotherapy works by passing on a subtle amount of electric impulses or stimulations to the patient’s joints, nerves, tendons, and then measuring the results to find the optimal results.

One of the biggest advantages of electrotherapy is that there are zero side effects, and this is why this mode of treatment has become one of the most preferred ones by both physiotherapists and patients.

Here are the top 5 benefits of deploying electrotherapy in Physiotherapy treatments:

Treatment of Nerve Disorders, Nerve Pain

Nerve pain conditions such as muscle weakness, tingling, numbness, burning, etc can be effectively treated by using electrotherapy on the patients. For this specific purpose, special medical equipment called Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is used, wherein the electric impulses are sent to stimulate the sensory nerves to get pain relief. Medically, such electrotherapy works by confusing the pain signal transmitted by the nerves to the brain, and thus, the patient doesn’t feel any pain.

Besides, electrotherapy has been found to be immensely effective in the treatment of facial palsy cases, such as Bell’s Palsy, where the facial muscles get damaged, and they are no longer able to send electrical impulses to the muscles. With electrotherapy, the muscles can receive external electrical stimulation which the facial nerves are not able to provide.

Instant Healing From Musculoskeletal Conditions

In cases of musculoskeletal conditions like tennis elbow, Plantar fasciitis, Jumpers knee, Carpal tunnel syndrome, or general Shoulder pain and injuries, electrotherapy has been found to be of great efficiency in getting instant relief from the pain. Shockwave therapy is used in such cases, wherein the blood flow is increased to the impacted area, which triggers natural healing automatically, and gives relief from pain. In fact, for common sports injuries such as sprains and strains, electrotherapy works like a charm.

Non-Addictive, Drug-Free Treatment

In cases of chronic pain, often the patients are given painkillers which become addictive for the patients, and this has several side-effects. This can be avoided by using electrotherapy for the treatment. Since only electric stimulation is provided, there is no drug usage and no addiction for the patient. This is called non-invasive medical care for providing relief from pain, and for repairing tissues, tendons, and muscles for triggering overall healing. Often, we have seen that usage of electrotherapy prevents invasive medical treatment such as surgeries as well, and this is one of the biggest achievements of electrotherapy.

Prevent Muscle Atrophy

When a muscle is not in use due to any injury or pain or nerve damage, the patient suffers from muscle atrophy, which is the wastage of that muscle. If not treated on time, then muscle atrophy can permanently damage that muscle, and even after the injury is healed, or pain is relieved, the patient won’t be able to use that muscle. Using electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) mode of treatment under electrotherapy, muscle atrophy can be avoided and treated. In EMS, electric stimulation is passed on to the muscle which is not in use, and this way, it contracts and thus, resumes activity.

Increase Blood Flow, Triggering Instant Healing

For wound repair, electrotherapy is one of the best medical treatments. As a result of passing electric stimulation to the wounded part of the body, oxygenated blood is passed on to the cells which bring nutrients and trigger a quick healing process. By enhancing blood flow, not only healing starts but also it removes toxins from the body and helps the tissues to repair faster.

Contact with CureNow Physiotherapy Clinic to find more benefits of electrotherapy for patients, and discover how it can help in physiotherapy treatment.