A health care provider usually performs electrotherapy.
Electrotherapy is a form of medical treatment that uses electrical currents for pain relief and to promote the healing of areas on the body with tissue damage. Though there are different types of electrotherapy, most rely on impulses that promote relief for chronic or acute pain through the release of endorphins, the body's natural pain reliever, or the inhibition of the nervous system, according to Spine-Health.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is a form of electrotherapy that relieves pain through the transmission of low-voltage electrical impulses, according to the American Cancer Society. This form of electrotherapy is useful for relieving pain from conditions such as cancer, migraines, childbirth and arthritis. During TENS, electrodes from a electrical power unit are attached to the skin to deliver impulses to the body that can reduce mild pain for short periods of time. A normal session lasts from 5 to 15 minutes, and may be repeated multiple times. Though health care providers usually employ TENS, patients can use portable TENS devices at home. While it may benefit patients suffering from short-term pain, TENS hasn't proven effective for chronic pain relief.
Interferential Current Therapy
Interferential current therapy (IFC) is used for pain relief, soft-tissue healing and the reduction of swelling and inflammation. Low-frequency electrical impulses are sent into the affected tissue with electrodes, encouraging the release of endorphins. The currents further relieve pain by inhibiting the nervous system, resulting in muscle relaxation, based on information from BlueCross BlueShield. IFC is useful in the treatment of muscle and ligament sprains, asthma and muscle spasms.
Electro-acupuncture
Electro-acupuncture is a procedure that uses acupuncture needles to transmit electrical currents to areas of the body affected by pain. After the acupuncture needles are applied to the body, electrodes are attached to the needles that provide the electric stimulation. Sessions of this type of electro-therapy normally last 10 to 20 minutes, but they may last for about an hour for difficult neurological disorders, indicates the Institute of Traditional Medicine. Electro-acupuncture is used to treat conditions like abdominal, kidney and occipital nerve pain.
Tags: pain relief, acupuncture needles, areas body, electrical currents, electrical impulses