intro to electrotherapy Flashcards
-knowledge of physiology, physics, stages of inflammation & repair, pain physiology
what are examples of different modalities of electrotherapy?
-shockwave therapy
-laser therapy
-TENS
-heat
-cold
-NMES
what does TENS stand for?
transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
what does NMES stand for?
neuromuscular electrical stimulation
what is electrotherapy in physiotherapy?
the use of electrical currents to aid in diagnosis, treatment of different injuries and conditions
what are electrophysical modalities used for?
-provide pain relief
-influence inflammatory and healing process
-increase blood flow to promote healing
-reduce swelling
-re-educate and strengthen muscles
is electrotherapy used alone?
rarely used alone, adjunct to other treatment
-used in combination with exercise, manual therapy, advice and education
what kinds of tissues absorb energy in electrotherapy?
-muscle
-nerve
-bone
-tendon
-ligaments
-capsule
-synovium
-bursae
what is the inflammatory phase of healing?
-immediate response to injury
-acute phase lasts approx 24-48 hrs
-subacute- lasts 10-14 days
-purpose is to remove the debris and dead tissue and to destroy any invading infection before repair
-vascular and cellular changes
describe vascular changes in the inflammatory phase
-bleeding initiates platelet activity and coagulation
-brief vasoconstriction
-clotting of blood due to platelets
-early wound matrix
-increased blood flow, imflammatory exudate etc
what is the outcome of the inflammation phase?
-removal and replacement of injured tissue
-replacement of injured tissue with early scar tissue
-formation of an abscess
what is the proliferative phase?
lasts approx 3-4 weeks (depends on person)
-formulation of granulation tissue
-fibroplasia and angiogenesis
what is fibroplasia?
-fibroblasts from surrounding tissue produce and organise extracellular components- formation of new tissue
what is angiogenesis?
formation of new blood vessels
what is remodelling?
-3rd phase
-granulation tissue becomes more fibrous and less vascular
-can take months
what are general factors that delay healing?
-age
-protein deficiency
-vitamin deficiency
-steroids
-colder temperature
-diabetes
what are examples of local factors which delay healing?
-type and size of injury
-poor blood supply to area
-infection
-drying of wound
define pain
any unpleasant sensory or emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage
what are pain receptors called?
nociceptors
what are nociceptors activated by?
activated by thermal, mechanical or chemical stimuli
what do mechanical nociceptors detect?
-stretch of skin
-pressure on skin
-sharp, prickling pain eg cutting or pinching
what is the gate theory of pain?
the somatic non noxious stimuli can inhibit the transmission of pain signals in the spinal cord
describe the different pain fibres
-A delta fibres -myelinated - carry info about sharp, well localised pain
-C fibres -unmyelinated, transmit dull aching throbbing or chronic pain
-A beta fibres -myelinated large fibres carrying info about touch & proprioception
describe the pain gate theory
gate is located on the substantial gelatinous in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord through which pain information must pass on its way to the brain
-large diameter A beta fibres carrying touch pressure, vibration etc synapse with interneurons in the dorsal horn and inhibit transmission of info
-interneurons inhibit the transmissions of pain from C fibres at the synapse between 1st and 2nd order neurons using GABA etc
how can electrophysical agents help pain?
-close the gate in the spinal cord
-placebo effect
