TYPES OF CURRENT

PHYSICAL AGENTS & ELECTROTHERAPY-I

DR SABREEN
 CURRENT

• The flow of charge in a conductor is known as Electric Current.

• Its unit is Ampere.
TYPES OF CURRENT USED
Electrotherapeutic currents are basically 3 types
1. Direct Current (DC)
2. Alternating Current (AC)
3. Pulsed Current (PC)
 Electrical Currents
• Continuous Currents:
Direct Current (DC) – polarity remains constant
• Iontophoresis
• Car battery
Alternating Current (AC) – polarity at each end is constantly reversed Household
current
Pulsatile Currents:
• Monophasic – similar to DC (either +/-) but is not constant
• Biphasic – similar to AC (+/- phases) but due to interpulse intervals it can’t be AC
• Polyphasic
 Direct Current (DC)

• Flows in one direction for about one second or longer.

• Monophasic, galvanic, unidirectional constant current.
• DC can be reserved, interrupted, surged & ramped.
PARAMETERS USED IN PHYSIOTHERAPY
EMF 45 to 65 V
Amperage  120mA Maximum
Polarity  Both positive & Negative
How to obtain DC?
• DC can be obtained from:
• A cell battery.
• DC mains.
• AC mains.
 How to Obtain DC?
DC FROM CELL BATTERY:
• One day cell provides 1.5 volts hence 30 to 40 such cells connected in series arrangement are
used.
ADVANTAGES
• Used in places where electricity is not available
• There is less danger of electric shock.
DISADVANTAGES
• Apparatus is heavy ( weight of 60 dry cells)
• Larger in dimensions as 40 dry cells occupy larger space.
• With time the intensity drops because the cells become weaker needing to be replaced this
costly.

•
How to obtain DC
DC FROM DC MAINS:
• Very rare now a day.
• Current obtained from the mains is usually at an EMF of 220 to 240
volts, an extra resistance in series is used to obtain 45 to 60 volts
output.
DC FROM AC MAINS:
• The AC supply in homes & hospitals is at 220 to 240 volts.
• Alternating Current from the mains is reduced to an EMF of 45 to 60
volts by using a step-down transformer, then rectified, full wave by
either using metal rectifiers or their thermionic value.
EFFECTS OF DC
• These can be studied under the following headings:
ü Thermal Effects
ü Chemical Effects
ü Physical Effects
ü Physiological Effects
 Thermal Effects
• Heat produced in tissues is due to:
• Micro vibration & associated frictional forces.
• Dry Skin offers resistance to the flow of electrical currents.
 Chemical Effects

• Redistribution of sodium & Chlorine occurs thus forming new compound in the tissues
under the electrodes.
• The release of hydrogen under the cathode & oxygen under the anode may be involved in
further chemical reaction at the cellular level.
• If the chemical reactions are not excessive, blood flow is increased in order to restore
normal pH of the tissues.
• When the chemical changes exceed the body’s ability to restore them to steady state
blistering or even a chemical burn of the tissue can result.
 Physical Effects
• Physical effects are also ‘electro kinetic’ effects.
• The electrical charge causes movement of ions in both the
electrolytes and non-dissociated molecules that is proteins and
lipoproteins.
• Electrolyte such as calcium and magnesium and other ions such as
free amino-acids and proteins are also forced to move in the
presence of current flows in the tissues.
• Such movement of ions may lead to increases or decreases in their
concentration & trigger a host of subsequent indirect effects.
•
•
 Physiological Effects
a) Effects on blood vessels:
• The Chief effect of DC is on the blood-vessels.
• DC flow causes dilation of blood vessels in the skin thus increased blood flow which
procedure erythema in the skin.
• These effects are caused by the irritation of the skin as the acid or alkali that is
produced under the anode & cathode acting as irritant.
• DC flow causes some cell damage which results in release of H-substance which in
turn procedures erythema of the skin by means of an axon reflex.
• The erythema is more marked under the cathode under the anode because the skin
already has alkaline properties due to the secretion of sebum from the skin causing
concentration of alkali
• The acid produced under the anode reacts with the alkali present on the skin forming
salt & water thus minimal erythema is produced under the anode.
b) CATAPHORETIC EFFECTS:
• Cataphoresis is the movement of fluid toward the cathode.
• Because of the greater speed of hydrogen ions an accumulation of ions
under the cathode results.
• This results increases the osmotic pressure & thus causing more
accumulation of fluid under the cathode.
c) ANAPHORETIC EFFECTS:
• An opposite of cataphoresis occurs under the anode.
• The fluid moves away from the anode resulting in deficiency of fluid under
the anode.
d) ANELECTRONOUS:
• It is a term to denote the condition of diminished excitability & conductivity
of the nerve in the region of the anode.
• Thus anode is more soothing than the cathode.
e) CATELECTROTONUS
• Catelectronus is the name given to the condition of increased excitability &
conductivity in the region of the cathode.
• The cathode is more irritable than the anode.
f) IONTOPHORETIC EFFECTS
• Because similar charges repel each other, DC can be used to introduce ions of
special drugs into the tissues through the skin.
THERAPETUTIC USES OF DC
PAIN RELIEF
a) ANODAL GALVANISM
• Pain relief is due to the removal of the increased concentration of H+
& K+ ions which accumulate in ischemia or inflammation.
• The anode (positive pole) easily repel the small hydrogen ions.
• A low dosage for a maximal length of time yield good results.
• Usually 0.1 to 0.25 mA/cm2 for 15 to 30minutes is recommended.
• Anodal galvanism is generally used for acute painful conditions.
b) CATHODAL GALVANISM
• Because marked irritation is caused under the cathode, the effects are sometimes
referred to as counter-irritant effects
• Marked vasodilation produced by the cathode helps to remove the pain factor
thus relieving pain.
• Irritation effects also act on large sensory fibers to inhibit pain at the spinal & pre-
synaptic inhibitory mechanism
• A higher dosage is usually recommended, 0.5 to 0.8 mA
Direct Current (DC)

• Direct Current also referred as Galvanic current or Constant

Galvanism which has a unidirectional flows of electrons toward the
positive pole.
• In modern devices, the polarity & thus the direction of the flow of
current, can also be reserved.
• The therapeutic use of this unidirectional flow of
Current is to introduce medication into the body
tissues is so called Iontophoresis.
• Current is the flow of electrical charge carriers like electrons. Current
flows from negative to positive points. The SI unit for measuring
electric current is the ampere (A). One ampere of current is defined
as one coulomb of electrical charge moving past a unique point in a
second
Transmission

• current is transmitted to the site of stimulation through a metal electrode

(conductor) that has a wet pad at the end
• the effect is a chemical change at the electrode-tissue junction (changes of
electrolysis)
• the nature of the change depends on the available electrolytes at this
junction
• in general, acids form at the (+) electrode (anode), while bases form at the
negative electrode (cathode)
• follows Ohm’s law: current in any circuit is directly proportional to the
Voltage and inversely to the resistance; thus, the intensity to be used also
depends on the resistance encountered
• resistance here is from the epidermis----- the larger the cross- sectional
area the lesser the resistance
Direct Current (DC)
Direct Current (DC) & Alternating
Current (AC)
When the power source running an electric circuit moves charge only one
direction it is a direct current (DC) circuit Current flows from the high
potential terminal (+) to the low potential terminal (-)
In DC circuits, the power source supplies the electrons
Batteries and photoelectric cells produce DC current
When the power source driving an electric circuit moves charge back-and-
forth it is a an alternating current (AC) circuit
In AC circuits, you supply the electrons
Our wall sockets typically fluctuate between +170 V and –170 V at a rate of
60 Hz
The fluctuating voltage has a sinusoidal waveform:
Alternating Current (AC)
Pulsed Current (PC)