Electrical Stimulation

What can I expect with electrical stimulation treatments?

It is a typical pain management therapy prescribed by physical therapists.

This modality can provide an intrinsic and 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 prolong pain relief.

This therapy 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

It 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 comprehension.

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 it painful?

Absolutely not! When used for muscular enhancement, it might be a little unpleasant at times, but it should never cause pain. It 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.

Among the different modes are transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), interruption, pre-modulated, Russian, and symmetrical or asymmetrical bi-phasic.

Each of these modes has its own current, and the current you receive will be determined by the shape and strength of 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 integrity.

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 in Boardman and East Liverpool, OH will create a personalized treatment plan for you that may include this therapy.