Electric Currents

Question 1

What are the clinical applications for electrical stimulation?

Answer 1

Produce muscle contractions
Control Pain
Tissue healing

Question 2

What are the types of waveforms for electrical currents?

Answer 2

Direct Current (continuous) - muscle contraction and ionto
Alternating Current - (pain control) IFC, premod russian
Pulsed Current

Question 3

Name all the AC current types of ESTIM

Answer 3

IFC - 2 intersecting currents
Premod - only 2 electrodes
Russian - muscle contraction

Question 4

Name the 2 types of pulsed current.

Answer 4

Monophasic - current flows in 1 direction (tissue healing, edema management)
Biphasic - can be symmetrical or asymmetrical (muscle contraction)

Question 5

What are some effects of electrical currents?

Answer 5

Stimulation of action potentials

Direct muscle depolarization

Question 6

What is patient accomodation?

Answer 6

The patient gets used to ESTIM and becomes less effective at same levels of intensity

Question 7

What are some effects of ionic electrical currents?

Answer 7

inflammation control, tissue healing, and reduce edema

Question 8

What are some contraindications for estim?

Answer 8

Demand cardiac pacemaker
Unstable arrhythmia
Over carotid sinus
over venous/arterio-thrombosis/thrombophlebitis
Pregnancy (over trunk)

Question 9

What are some precautions for ESTIM?

Answer 9

Cardiac disease
Impaired sensation or mentation
Malignancy
Skin irritation/open wound

Question 10

Name some adverse effects of ESTIM

Answer 10

Burns - most common with DC or AC current
Skin irritation
Pain

Question 11

What do you need to document with ESTIM?

Answer 11

Area treated
patient positioning
Stimulation parameters
Electrode placement
Treatment duration
Response to intervention