Methods of Electrotherapy

Electrotherapy is the use of electricity in order to treat medical conditions and provide pain relief. In the past, electrotherapy was used as an alternative remedy to medical ailments, but the claimed effects of this treatment were never scientifically-based. However, some forms of electricity-based therapy have been found to alleviate some physical symptoms of diseases and conditions.

Electroshock Therapy

• Electroshock therapy, also known as electroconvulsive therapy, is a medical treatment for depression and psychosis. Psychotic patients are those who have lost contact with reality, have false beliefs about what is taking place or are suffering from hallucinations, according to Medline Plus, a website created by the National Library of Medicine. After the patient has fallen asleep, the patient is given a muscle relaxant. The muscle relaxant reduces the pain in case the patient wakes up. Small electric shocks are delivered to the patient's brain to induce mild seizures. Electroshock therapy is able to alleviate severe depression and is also able to break the manic cycle of a bipolar patient.

Implantation

• Electrotherapy has been used in some mainstream medical treatments, especially in the case of the heart. Pacemakers deliver electric shocks to the heart that cause them to contract. Electricity has also been used during cardiac arrest in order to revive the heart. Implanting electrodes into the spinal column can relieve chronic back pain. These surgeries are usually only used in severe situations because invasive surgeries usually carry a risk of causing an infection.

Muscular Atrophy

• Muscles that are not used can develop atrophy as the muscles deteriorate. Patients who are in a coma or who are paralyzed are sometimes given electrotherapy in order to stimulate muscles to contract in order to given them basic strength. While this form of electrotherapy has been used in products in order to stimulate abdominal muscles in order to develop strength, this electrical stimulation has only been found to be effective with the prevention of muscular atrophy.

Nerve Signals

• Electricity stimulates the nerve cells of human tissues. This stimulation can block nerve signals that carry pain signals to the brain. This electricity can also stimulate the releasing of endorphins in the body, which can provide pain relief.

Bone Treatment

• Electromagnetic pulses might be able to be used to treat bone fractures by reforming the deformed bone. These pulses interfere with the development of soft bony tissue, which can make the bones more susceptible to fracture. They also aid in the development of red blood vessels in the bone.

Inferential Therapy

• Inferential therapy sends two electrical currents through the painful part of the body. These pulses can activate a release of endorphins in the affected area and will also cause muscular contraction, which increases the amount of fluids that flow into the affected area. This form of therapy is often combined with physical therapy in order to achieve maximum results.