intro to electrotherapy

Question 1

what are examples of different modalities of electrotherapy?

Answer 1

-shockwave therapy
-laser therapy
-TENS
-heat
-cold
-NMES

Question 2

what does TENS stand for?

Answer 2

transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

Question 3

what does NMES stand for?

Answer 3

neuromuscular electrical stimulation

Question 4

what is electrotherapy in physiotherapy?

Answer 4

the use of electrical currents to aid in diagnosis, treatment of different injuries and conditions

Question 5

what are electrophysical modalities used for?

Answer 5

-provide pain relief
-influence inflammatory and healing process
-increase blood flow to promote healing
-reduce swelling
-re-educate and strengthen muscles

Question 6

is electrotherapy used alone?

Answer 6

rarely used alone, adjunct to other treatment
-used in combination with exercise, manual therapy, advice and education

Question 7

what kinds of tissues absorb energy in electrotherapy?

Answer 7

-muscle
-nerve
-bone
-tendon
-ligaments
-capsule
-synovium
-bursae

Question 8

what is the inflammatory phase of healing?

Answer 8

-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

Question 9

describe vascular changes in the inflammatory phase

Answer 9

-bleeding initiates platelet activity and coagulation
-brief vasoconstriction
-clotting of blood due to platelets
-early wound matrix
-increased blood flow, imflammatory exudate etc

Question 10

what is the outcome of the inflammation phase?

Answer 10

-removal and replacement of injured tissue
-replacement of injured tissue with early scar tissue
-formation of an abscess

Question 11

what is the proliferative phase?

Answer 11

lasts approx 3-4 weeks (depends on person)
-formulation of granulation tissue
-fibroplasia and angiogenesis

Question 12

what is fibroplasia?

Answer 12

-fibroblasts from surrounding tissue produce and organise extracellular components- formation of new tissue

Question 13

what is angiogenesis?

Answer 13

formation of new blood vessels

Question 14

what is remodelling?

Answer 14

-3rd phase
-granulation tissue becomes more fibrous and less vascular
-can take months

Question 15

what are general factors that delay healing?

Answer 15

-age
-protein deficiency
-vitamin deficiency
-steroids
-colder temperature
-diabetes

Question 16

what are examples of local factors which delay healing?

Answer 16

-type and size of injury
-poor blood supply to area
-infection
-drying of wound

Question 17

define pain

Answer 17

any unpleasant sensory or emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage

Question 18

what are pain receptors called?

Answer 18

nociceptors

Question 19

what are nociceptors activated by?

Answer 19

activated by thermal, mechanical or chemical stimuli

Question 20

what do mechanical nociceptors detect?

Answer 20

-stretch of skin
-pressure on skin
-sharp, prickling pain eg cutting or pinching

Question 21

what is the gate theory of pain?

Answer 21

the somatic non noxious stimuli can inhibit the transmission of pain signals in the spinal cord

Question 22

describe the different pain fibres

Answer 22

-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

Question 23

describe the pain gate theory

Answer 23

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

Question 24

how can electrophysical agents help pain?

Answer 24

-close the gate in the spinal cord
-placebo effect