What is Electrical Stimulation and What Does it Do?

Chiropractic-Wiki Topic: What is Electrical Stimulation and What Does it Do?

Different types of electrical currents have been used in healthcare for decades. Some older forms have gone by the way side. Some new novel currents have not stood the test of time and have all but gone away as well. Most chiropractic offices use electrical therapies.

Modern electrical therapies are designed to achieve 3 things:

Pain relief
Relieve muscle spasms
Reduce inflammation and swelling

These therapies do this by sending a specific type of electrical current waveform into your body to accomplish this. Some machines can only do 1 or 2 of the above, while really good machines can be adjusted to deliver all 3.

Some may ask, “Isn’t this just a Tens unit like I have at home?” No.

Home based portable TNS units are powered by 9 volt batteries and are designed only to help relieve pain. Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation was discovered long ago as a way to relieve sensory pain, but does not effectively relieve spasm or flush out inflammation.

Professional equipment is 250 – 500 volts and has much more power to stimulate the muscles to calm spasms as well as relieve pain and pump out inflammation. This occurs by telling the muscles to contract. The involuntary contractions cause the muscle to relax. Different contraction modes are used to pump excess fluids out of joints as well.

Interferential Current (IFC)

Dr. Marks’ favored stim is called Interferential Current or IFC. It became widely used in the late 80’s and is very versatile and comfortable for the patient. Dr. Marks was one of the early adopters of this type of therapy when he was fresh out of school. It’s like getting an electrical massage!

The advantage of IFC is that it is a completely variable waveform. With other simulators the wave and frequency remain constant and after some time the body gets used to it and is no longer stimulated. So, you need more and more intensity to stimulate the muscles. Because IFC is constantly changing, the body cannot get used to it and is therefore constantly stimulated.

The effects of electrical stim lasts way beyond the short treatment session. In fact the effects can last up to 18 hours.

Electrical stimulation is very useful and compliments chiropractic adjustments for:

Headaches to reduce tension
Car Accident Whiplash to reduce spasm, lessen pain and inflammation
Neck and back pain to reduce spasm and pain
Peripheral neuropathy, sciatica and carpal tunnel to reduce nerve irritation and pain
Joint pains, arthritis to reduce swelling in the joint and control pain

Electrical Stimulation Can Be Used to Calm Spasm, Reduce Pain and Pump Out Inflammation. The other key feature is it is relaxing and a good way to loosen up prior to a chiropractic adjustment.

What is Electrical Stimulation and What Does it Do?