Electrotherapy

Electrotherapy treatments are used primarily for rehabilitation purposes or to prevent the recurrence or return of a process that has already taken place. In addition, its use can be effective for recreational purposes, muscle strengthening and muscle relaxation. It provides symptomatic treatments for pain, local inflammation, local metabolism and  decreased blood circulation, stiff connective tissues, as well as convulsive conditions due to increased muscle tone, narrowing of the joint movements, and decreased nerve irritability.

Rheumatologists recommend electrotherapy treatments to treat musculoskeletal disorders, depending on the medical history and complaints. These therapies are most often used in combination, increasing their effectiveness. In most cases, in addition to electrotherapy, the patient can also receive ultrasound treatment or therapeutic massage, which can be supplemented with a personalized physiotherapy program.

In addition to physiotherapy, Medicover also provides electrotherapy treatments. Electrotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, in many cases it can even replace traditional drug treatment.

The treatments produce the desired effect by applying a cure, which usually means 10 times per type of treatment.

The following electrotherapy treatments are available:

It is a local treatment that is primarily used to relieve cartilage pain and reduce inflammation, as well as to reduce increased muscle tone. During the iontophoresis treatment, the drug is delivered to the body with the help of a low frequency current, which easily penetrates the layers of the skin in the form of ions, specifically to the area to be treated. After the treatment, the absorption of tissue fluids caused by inflammation is accelerated on the treated part of the body, blood circulation is improved, as a result of which muscle tension is reduced, and pain is relieved.

The duration of treatment is 10 minutes, during which the patient lies comfortably on the treatment bed. The electrotherapy assistant applies the therapeutic product to be used to the treated area and then applies the electrodes. The strength of the current is adjusted based on the patient’s feedback, from which the patient may experience a tingling sensation on the treated part of the body, and a slight redness of the skin after treatment.

Interference therapy is a muscle relaxant electrotherapy used to treat abrasions of the spine and/or large joints or inflammatory rheumatological diseases. Its mechanism is based on two intersecting, medium-frequency circuits, which are introduced into the body perpendicular to each other, resulting in interference. The interference reduces the resistance of the skin, so the deeper tissues can be effectively stimulated.

The duration of treatment is 10 minutes, during which the patient lies comfortably. The assistant places the electrodes on the body part to be treated based on the indication of the control panel. The assistant gradually increases the current and then gradually decreases it until the end of the treatment. Since the interference currents are less irritating to the sensory receptors in the skin, the treatment does not cause any discomfort to the patient. Treatment is contraindicated in case of arrhythmia, so always inform your doctor or their assistant if you are aware of the disease.

Selective stimulus current therapy is used to strengthen a weakened muscle or group of muscles due to nerve injury or permanent lack of movement. Regeneration of weakened, paralyzed muscles is achieved by stimulating them with an impulse current that triggers contraction. The treatment also has analgesic, antispasmodic and muscle relaxant effects.

The treatment lasts for 10 minutes, during which the patient lies with relaxed limbs. The assistant applies the electrodes and then gradually adjusts the current. The patient first feels tingling, small stabs, and then the movement of the muscle begins.

The triple-effect ultrasound treatment has been used for therapeutic purposes for nearly 70 years. Ultrasound, as a mechanical stimulus, vibrates the tissues, has a micro massage effect, and as a result of the conversion of the absorbed energy into heat, there is also a heat effect, which loosens the tissues. It can be used to effectively deliver a drug through the skin to the tissues, resulting in a biological response: the blood vessels dilate and blood circulation increases. The treatment is extremely effective in dissolving painful muscle nodules, and one course (15 times a year) can also slow down joint wear.

The duration of the treatment is 5-10 minutes, depending on the region, during which the assistant smears the surface to be treated with an ultrasound gel or a pharmaceutical preparation and treats it in a circular motion with the help of the ultrasound head.

TENS treatment involves electrical stimulation through the skin, which affects the nerves that transmit pain stimuli. As a result of external stimulation, these nerve fibres enter a state of “saturation”, they cannot receive pain stimuli from the peripheries, so they are not even transmitted to the brain, thus eliminating the feeling of pain. It is a drug-free alternative to analgesia, especially for chronic musculoskeletal pain (lower back pain, lumbago, tunnel syndrome, frozen shoulder). In addition to analgesia, its important physiological effects are the reduction of inflammation, the strengthening and relaxing effect of muscles, the enhancement of skin and muscle regeneration, and the vasodilating effect, which promotes proper blood circulation.

The duration of treatment is 10 minutes while the patient is lying down. The assistant applies the electrodes and then sets the optimal current.

Laser therapy promotes the body’s self-healing processes, soothes muscle cramps, inflammation and at the same time reduces pain and increases blood circulation. As a result of the therapy, the symptoms are relieved and the tissues of the treated area regenerate faster.

It is mainly used to treat joints (knees, shoulders, elbows, ankles) for acute and chronic inflammations, neuralgias (nerve pain) and to treat trigger points, tennis elbows, golf elbows, cams, and post-operative wounds.

The treatment is painless, usually taking 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of the surface to be treated. The use of goggles during treatment is also mandatory for the patient.

Laser therapy is only available at our Eiffel Square clinic.

There are general contraindications to performing electrotherapy treatments, in the presence of which treatments cannot be performed. These are the following:

• acute infections
• feverish condition
• damaged, inflamed skin
• menstruation
• pregnancy
• heart failure, severe arrhythmia
• severe high blood pressure
• thrombosis
• tumorous diseases
• implanted metal, prosthesis in the area to be treated
• urinary sand, kidney stones
• in case of some treatments, epilepsy