Benefits of Electrotherapy in Physical Therapy

Electrotherapy is a physical therapy technique that is used to provide relief from the pain caused by various health conditions such as low back pain, post-surgical pain, tendinitis, bursitis, muscle weakness, spasm, and inflammation.

Your physiotherapist provides electrical stimulation or E-stim to relieve the pain. The electric current is circulated in your body through your skin that stimulates nerves and muscles, relaxes tissues, and provides relief from the pain. Chiropractors and cardiologists also use electrotherapy to improve the condition of their patients.

Alleviates Pain

Sprain or strain of muscles is quite painful. Electrotherapy in physical therapy is used to treat the pain. In addition to providing pain relief, it reduces the tightness of muscles responsible for pain in the neck and back. Reducing neck muscle tightness protects you from migraines, a condition that causes unbearable pain. Reducing back muscle tightness prevents several back problems that can lead to disability or surgeries.

Improves Range of Motion and Movement

Spasms in muscles reduce the range of motion. Electrotherapy is used to improve the range of motion as well as movement. Your physical therapist provides electrical current to stimulate the muscles to reduce swelling and improve the motion and movement. Also, it maintains your muscle tone and strength.

Side Effects of Electrotherapy

Before going for electrotherapy, you must learn about the likely side effects of it. The most common side effect of electrotherapy treatment is skin irritation and rashes. It happens because of the adhesives used in the electrodes.Overdose of electrotherapy can cause a burning feeling in your skin. Applying electrodes over the skin cuts or infection can result in bleeding, bruising, or infection.Placing the pads over the heart can cause cardiac arrhythmia. Placing the pad on the abdomen of a pregnant woman can cause fetal damage. Placing the pad over the throat can cause low blood pressure.

How to Avoid Side Effects

The best way to get the maximum relief with no side effects is to take the treatment from an expert physiotherapist.