Assignment on Physical Agents and Electrotherapy-I

Submitted By

Name: Raees Mushtaq

SAP ID: 9561
Depart: Riphah College of Rehabilitation Sciences
Riphah International University

Submitted To

Name: Dr. Irum Shafee

Depart: Riphah College of Rehabilitation Sciences
Riphah International University

Assignment No 2
Question What is iontophoresis in physical therapy?
Enlist indication and contraindications for applications of
high frequency current?

Iontophoresis is a technique which uses an electric

current to deliver a medicine or other chemical through the skin. In
popular (lay) terms it is sometimes called "an injection without the
needle". In the past it has sometimes been called Electromotive Drug
Administration, though in modern therapy, this is a rarely employed term.

Iontophoresis is a modality used by physical therapists to treat a wide

variety of conditions, including bursitis, tendonitis/ tendinopathy, and to
help manage scar tissue. It uses electrical stimulation to help administer
medication into your body through the skin.

Everyone sweats, but some people sweat more than others. People who
frequently experience excessive or constant sweating for no apparent
reason may have a condition called hyperhidrosis
disorder. Iontophoresis is one type of treatment that can be used to
relieve symptoms of this condition. People with hyperhidrosis may
undergo several iontophoresis sessions per week, each lasting about 20
to 40 minutes.

Doctors aren’t exactly sure why iontophoresis helps people with

hyperhidrosis. However, it’s believed that the procedure blocks sweat
from coming out of the sweat glands, temporarily stopping sweating.

INDICATIONS OF ELECTROTHERAPY

Some of the indications and corresponding benefits of electrotherapy

include:

 Relaxing muscles spasms: From sciatic nerve pain to

impinged nerves in the shoulder, e-stim can help relax and
reduce muscle spasms.
  Preventing or slowing tissue atrophy due to disuse: Since e-
stim is able to produce contractions that mimic the body’s
movements, this helps prevent atrophy such as stroke patients
recovering the use of their limb(s).
 Increasing blood circulation: By activating the muscles, e-stim
enhances blood flow and can be used in post-recovery for
athletes and the typical patient population.
 Re-educating muscles, such as in situations where a
muscle injury limited its use: E-stim can be used to initiate
muscle recruitment, for example, research has shown that the
use of e-stim helps patients regain strength following a total
knee arthroplasty (TKA).
 Maintaining or increasing range of motion: Electrotherapy
can be used to aid in increasing a patient’s range of motion.
Research has shown that e-stim is helpful in improving motor
recovery and range of motion in patients with hemiplegia.

Indications for microcurrent, interferential, premodulated, and TENS

electrotherapy waveforms also include :

 Reducing symptomatic, chronic, intractable pain

 Lowering acute pain related to trauma
 Lessening acute pain related to surgery

CONTRAINDICATIONS OF ELECTROTHERAPY

As with any rehabilitative modality, electrical stimulation has a list of

contraindications. The electrotherapy as described here should be used
subject to these contraindications:

 It should not be used to treat symptomatic local pain unless the

cause of the pain has been clearly diagnosed.
 Electrotherapy should not be used in areas of the body where
cancerous lesions exist.
 The treatment should not be applied in areas of the skin that are
swollen, infected, or inflamed (e.g., Varicose veins)
 Patients suspected of having serious infectious diseases or
diseases that require heat or fevers to be suppressed should not
be treated with electrotherapy.
 Electrotherapy current should not be applied to the anterior neck
(carotid sinus) or through the head.
 Women who are pregnant should avoid electrotherapy
treatment, as safe use has not been established for pregnancy.
 Patients with cardiac demand pacemakers should not be treated
using powered muscle stimulators.
 TENS waveforms should not be used on patients who have
cardiac demand pacemakers.

End of Assignment