Electrotherapy & Ultrasound

Electrotherapy & Ultrasound Treatment in Ranchi

Electrotherapy modalities are powerful adjuncts to manual therapy and exercise, accelerating tissue healing and providing significant pain relief.

Modalities Available

• TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation)
• IFT (Interferential Therapy)
• Therapeutic Ultrasound (1 MHz & 3 MHz)
• Short Wave Diathermy (SWD)
• Laser Therapy (low-level)
• Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS)
• Wax bath therapy

How electrotherapy fits into treatment

Electrotherapy is used here as an adjunct, not as a treatment in its own right. The evidence is reasonably good for short term pain relief and for making a painful area more comfortable to move, and it is weaker for producing lasting change on its own. That is why we use these modalities to open a window in which manual therapy and exercise can be done more effectively, rather than as a passive treatment you simply lie down and receive. If a session consists only of a machine, the underlying problem is not being addressed.

What each modality is typically used for

• TENS provides short term pain relief and can be used at home for ongoing symptom management.
• Interferential therapy is applied to deeper structures and is often more comfortable than TENS for larger joints.
• Therapeutic ultrasound is used over soft tissue, with 3 MHz for superficial structures and 1 MHz for deeper ones.
• Short wave diathermy delivers deep heating to help relax muscle and prepare a stiff joint for movement.
• Low level laser is used on localised painful areas and superficial tendon problems.
• Electrical muscle stimulation helps activate muscle that is difficult to contract voluntarily, which is common after surgery or injury.
• Wax bath therapy warms the small joints of the hand before exercise, particularly in arthritis.

What a session feels like

Most electrotherapy is painless. TENS and interferential therapy produce a tingling or buzzing sensation that should never be uncomfortable, and the intensity is set by you with guidance from the therapist. Ultrasound is usually felt only as slight warmth or not at all. A typical application lasts five to fifteen minutes and is followed immediately by hands-on treatment or exercise while the area is more comfortable.

When electrotherapy is not suitable

Tell your physiotherapist before treatment if you have a cardiac pacemaker or any implanted electrical device, are or might be pregnant, have epilepsy, have a known blood clot, have active cancer, or have reduced skin sensation in the area. Electrotherapy is not applied over the front of the neck, over broken skin, over metal implants in the case of diathermy, or over the abdomen in pregnancy. These precautions exist for good reason and we will select a different approach where any apply.