Electrical stimulation uses mild electrical current to relax muscles in spasm and relief pain. TENS or interferential current are used. This tricks the brain into feeling less pain using the gate theory of pain. It also can help reduce swelling/edema and change blood flow. It can be used in post surgical cases, and post traumatic cases and with acute and chronic pain. We have four different machines of this type with slight differences.
Pads are put directly on the skin to conduct the comfortable sensations:
We also have a different machine that causes muscles to contract (Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES or Russian)). This can be used with stroke victims, patients with weakness due to nerve compression or other nerve injuries. We have three different FES machines.
It has been shown that TENS is highly effective in alleviating pain and reducing analgesic medications following cesarean section, orthopedic and thoracic operations as well as mixed surgical procedures (AHCPR, 1992). Moreover, TENS has been found to be beneficial also to those who suffer from acute musculoskeletal pain (Long, 1991).
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