Electrotherapy is a form of medical treatment that uses electrical energy to treat acute and chronic musculoskeletal injuries, muscle weakness, accelerate healing, reduce pain and swelling.

It is a safe, non-invasive technique which targets specific areas for muscle strengthening/pain management, with a resulting targeted relief and carry over effect.

Electrotherapy can be self-administered, adjusted according to individual tolerance, hence reducing the risk of overdosing, allergic reactions and dependency, which may occur with self dosage medications e.g. painkillers.

Electrotherapy modalities including TENS, NMES, Shockwave, Ultrasound use different approaches to pain management and function restoration.

 

Electrotherapies Available at our Clinic:

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

TENS aims at controlling and relieve acute and chronic pain. It sends electrical impulses to target nerves, to modify the pain signal from the affected muscles to the brain, which contributes to reduce or eliminate pain and return to normal function. It does not cure any physiological issue, not does it work for everyone in terms of period of pain modification.

Indications: Reduce acute and chronic pain

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Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES)

NMES aims at stimulating muscle strength and endurance. Through electrical inputs, the unit cyclically stimulates the nerves (motor neurons) in the treatment areas, making the muscle contract as the signal strength augments, and relax as the pulse stops. The treatment may elicit from tingling to thudding sensations.

Indications: Improve muscle tone, decrease muscle spasm, prevention of disuse atrophy, increase local blood circulation, post subluxation, post stroke, post cardiac episode, prevent venous thrombosis with immediate post-surgical stimulation, paralyzed/weakened muscle re-education, increase range of motion.

 

*Contraindications for TENS and NMES: Unknown effects of regular electrical stimulation. Epilepsy, pregnancy, malignancy, local inflamed, infected, bleeding tissues, cuts, wounds, varicose veins, pacemakers, local insufficiency of blood supply, sensory deficiency, skin irritation due to the used conductive medium.

 

Electrotherapy Health and Safety Principles

All appliances being used undergo a prior Portable Appliance Test. A medical consultation, discomfort and function assessment, allergy and skin integrity tests are performed pre-treatment to set the most effective dosage parameters. The same electrodes are re-used for one person only. Other therapies will be considered in case of allergic reaction (found in the pre-treatment test) to the pad adhesive glue. In case of skin irritations or burns beneath the active electrodes, the treatment will be interrupted immediately.                           

 

Electrotherapy is usually applied alongside with other soft tissue remedial massage techniques, and as part of a sports massage treatment plan.