Electrical Stimulation Could Ease Your Daily Discomfort
Are you looking for pain relief? Electrical stimulation might be your saving grace!
Have you been suffering from chronic pain as a result of an injury or illness? If this is the case, electrical stimulation may be the solution to your pain issues.
Electrical stimulation is a pain relief and rehabilitation therapy option that is both safe and effective. While it may appear intimidating at first, it is a very effective way of pain management that many professional physical therapists utilize on a daily basis!
Our innovative care strategies at Exercise Sport Physical Therapy will help you find quick relief. If you’d like to learn more, please click here to make an appointment in Overland Park, KS at our physical therapy clinic now!
What can I expect with electrical stimulation treatments?
Electrical stimulation is a typical pain management therapy prescribed by physical therapists.
This modality can provide a completely natural analgesic effect by stimulating certain sensory nerve fibers (such as A-beta, A-delta, and C fibers), which lower pain sensitivity and release neurotransmitters that will help prolong pain relief.
Electrical stimulation has a variety of other benefits, including:
- Provide neuromuscular re-education
- Decrease swelling
- Increase local circulation
- Provide biofeedback (aka improve body awareness)
- Reduce, eliminate, and/or control pain (both acute and chronic)
- Prevent or reverse muscle atrophy (especially after prolonged immobilization, such as a limb being cast as a fracture heals)
- Reduce muscle spasm
- Improve motor coordination
- Improve range of motion
Electrical stimulation is also safe to use on all parts of the body, including the anterior neck, eyes, or areas with damaged skin or reduced sensation.
Electrical stimulation will likely not be recommended for people with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), those who are pregnant, those with pacemakers, and those with impaired abilities in comprehension and/or communication to give feedback.
Some of the most common conditions treated with electrical stimulation include:
- Neurological conditions, such as a stroke
- Ligament sprains
- Repetitive stress injuries
- Acute sports-related or auto accident-related injuries
- Muscle strains
Is electrical stimulation painful?
Absolutely not! When used for muscular enhancement, electrical stimulation might be a little unpleasant at times, but it should never cause pain. Electrical stimulation encompasses a wide range of methods for stimulating the nerves.
A physical therapist may simply change the frequency of electrical muscle stimulation or sensory nerve stimulation to each patient’s tolerance.
You will be asked to sit or lie in a comfortable posture throughout an electrical stimulation operation. Our physical therapist will clean and prepare your skin in the target treatment region before guiding you through the full procedure step by step.
Self-adhesive electrodes are put on the body around the targeted treatment region in a typical electrical stimulation session.
The electrodes are then linked to a device through wire connections, allowing electricity to travel through and eventually communicate with sensory and/or motor neurons.
The different modes of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation serve various purposes, depending upon the need of the patient. Various modes may include (TENS), interruption, pre-modulated, Russian, symmetrical or asymmetrical bi-phasic.
Each of these modes has its own current, and the current you receive will be determined by the therapist based on your condition.
Mild pain, such as a “tingly,” “prickly,” or “pins and needles” sensation, is experienced by some individuals.
Could I benefit from this treatment?
Our physical therapy practice’s ultimate purpose is your comfort, safety, and well-being.
If your physical therapist believes that electrical stimulation would help you, he or she will explain it thoroughly and include it into your therapy plan.
Our physical therapist will complete a physical examination at your initial consultation, in addition to asking questions about your present condition and medical history.
Based on your specific needs, one of our qualified physical therapists will create a personalized treatment plan for you that may include electrical stimulation therapy.
Discover the benefits of electrical stimulation today
If you are interested in learning more about electrical stimulation, or if you think it might benefit you, please click here to request an appointment. Our physical therapists in Overland Park, KS can get you started on the path to pain relief and recovery!