What is electrical stimulation?
Electrical stimulation or e-stim is the use of an electrical current to cause certain effects to the tissue being treated. Electrical stimulation can be used in a clinic setting or at home. An electrical stimulation treatment is performed with a specialized machine and electrical pads that direct the electrical current into the treatment area
Indications for use of electrical stimulation.
Electrical stimulation may be used for many different applications. The most commonly used applications for electrical stimulation include: controlling pain; controlling inflammation; decreasing muscle spasm; healing skin incisions; healing tendon and ligament injuries; healing bone fractures; healing nerve injuries; increasing muscle strength; increasing muscle contraction; and enhancing delivery of medication through the skin.
Rationale for use of electrical stimulation.
Electrical stimulation has many different effects on the body. These effects include: stimulating muscles to contract; stimulating nerves to decrease pain; increasing blood flow to speed healing and reduce inflammation; stimulating cells to reproduce and speed healing; and improving the flow of medication through the skin. All these effects will help speed healing, increase motion, and decrease symptoms.
Care must be used when using electrical stimulation. Electrical stimulation cannot be used on people that have implanted electrical devices and with people that have certain medical conditions. When used inappropriately, electrical stimulation can have severe adverse effects on a person. Protocols and safety features have been used with electrical stimulation machines to prevent any inappropriate use.
How is electrical stimulation used?
Electrical stimulation is used by a physical therapist in conjunction with a complete treatment program. The physical therapist will position a patient in an appropriate position and perform the treatment to the affected area for an appropriate amount of time and with the appropriate setting. The settings will be based on what the therapist is trying to achieve with the treatment and area being treated. Electrical pads will be placed on the skin at the appropriate locations, and then the electrical pads will be connected to the electrical stimulation machine. The electrical stimulation intensity will be increased until the desired effect is achieved. A normal treatment time will be between 20 and 200 minutes depending on the area being treated and desired effect of the treatment.
Benefits of electrical stimulation.
When using electrical stimulation, a person can expect to have decreased symptoms, decreased inflammation, increased blood flow, and increased muscle activity. A person will be able to move easier and further with fewer symptoms, which allows for increased range of motion with increased tissue elasticity. Electrical stimulation may be used on one location, numerous locations, or on a larger area. By being able to affect various areas, electrical stimulation can be used to treat on condition or multiple conditions at one time and improve overall functioning. Because of the versatility of electrical stimulation it is widely used in clinical and home settings.
Expected outcomes with the use of electrical stimulation.
A person can expect to have an increase in motion and a decrease in pain and inflammation. When electrical stimulation is used by itself, it has only been shown to have short-term relief; but when combined with other physical therapy treatment procedures, these short-term changes can have long-term changes with increased range of motion, increased mobility, and decreased pain. There are not a set number of treatments that can be performed with electrical stimulation, and as long as a person is seeing benefit, the electrical stimulation can continue to be performed. Most people will experience some type of benefit within six treatments of electrical stimulation and other combined treatment procedures. Some people will even use special types of units at home for continued treatment. With these home units, a person can expect the same outcomes but would need to use the unit for a longer timeframe than a typical physical therapy treatment program.