Electrotherapy is a physical therapy method that uses low-intensity electrical currents, such as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and muscle stimulation. It aims to reduce pain and improve muscle strength and circulation. It is unrelated to the electroconvulsive therapy used in psychiatry.
Adhesive electrodes are placed on the skin over the treated area and connected to a device that delivers pulses, with intensity and frequency adjusted to the condition. The patient feels a tingling or a gentle muscle contraction, which should not be painful. The treatment involves no surgery and no anesthesia and is carried out under a physical therapist's supervision.
A session usually lasts between 15 and 45 minutes, and a program often needs several sessions a week over a number of weeks. No recovery period is needed, and patients return to their activities straight away. Improvement appears gradually after several sessions, its extent varies with the condition, and it may be temporary if the underlying cause is not treated.
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As part of a complete treatment plan, it can help relieve pain, activate weak muscles and improve local circulation. It may also support wound healing and ease symptoms of peripheral neuropathy such as numbness and tingling.
It suits people with chronic muscle or nerve pain, muscle weakness after an injury or a long period of rest, peripheral nerve disorders or slow-healing wounds, after assessment by a doctor or therapist.
It is not usually used with a pacemaker or other implanted electronic devices, over the abdomen during pregnancy, on inflamed or infected skin, over a tumor or on the front of the neck, unless the therapist advises otherwise.
Wear clothing that gives access to the treated area and tell the therapist about your medical conditions, your medicines and any implanted device. The skin where the electrodes go should be clean and intact.
Electrodes are stuck over the treated area and the current is raised gradually until you feel a comfortable tingling or a gentle muscle contraction. The therapist watches your response and adjusts the settings throughout the session.
No, you can go back to your daily activities straight away. Slight redness may appear where the electrodes were and usually fades quickly.
Pain may ease briefly after the first session, while improvement in strength and nerve symptoms needs regular sessions over time. The duration of the effect varies, so the treatment is often combined with exercises and care for the underlying cause.
The treatment is generally safe. The main effects are skin irritation or redness under the electrodes, and mild burns can occasionally occur if the intensity is too high or contact is poor. Careful adjustment of intensity and checking the skin reduce these effects.
The number varies with the condition, but the plan usually includes several sessions a week for a few weeks. The therapist sets it and reviews it according to your response.
The treatment does not prevent travel, and there is no need to stay after the last session. If you are following a full program, the treating therapist sets its schedule and the right time to finish it.
