Electrotherapy, what is that?

Electrotherapy along with other modalities are used in order to relief pain or reduce inflammation which provides short-term relief. This relief in turn lets you to continue moving and functioning until you feel better. Electrotherapy along with heat and ice may help you in achieving pain relief.

The electrotherapy is administered through a TENS or EMS unit. This equipment transmits an electrical current to provide some pain relief. There are two ways in which we understand that the pain is being relieved and that is by a sensory stimulation or a motor stimulation. Sensory stimulation is based on the Gate Control theory of pain means that the electrical input of the equipment disrupts the transmission of pain signals, by blocking the neural “gate” in which pain experienced travels. Motor stimulation goal is to cause the release of the body’s own opiate-like substances to relief pain.

As with any modalities and treatment, there are contraindications and risk to this therapy. Some of those contraindications are across the eyes or the head, front of the neck, through the chest and on top of the spine, across an artificial cardiac pacemaker, open wounds or broken skin, over a malignant tumor, over the belly of a pregnant woman, an area with infection among others. It is important that you share your medical history with a provider to ensure that you are not at risk for any contraindication.

At Urban Health we strive to provide a variety of treatments and this modality is one of them. A provider at Urban Health will talk with you to make sure that you are a candidate for this type of treatment. For us at Urban Health your recovery is our attention.