Overview of Types of Electrical Stimulation
You’ve probably heard about e-stim, or electrical stimulation, and how it can be used for pain relief. But what exactly is e-stim? How does it work? The answer to that question is simple, but can be expanded on. There are various types of e-stim, all with different goals and ways to treat injuries and pain. Simply put, e-stim is a treatment that uses electrical impulses sent into muscles, nerves, and other tissue to help heal the body. At a basic level, each e-stim device does just that. But, let’s look at the different types and how they differ in their approach to healing.
TENS
Oftentimes, people will interchange the terms “e-stim” and “TENS unit.” However, TENS is just one type of e-stim. TENS stands for “transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.” Based on the name, you may have already come to the conclusion that TENS targets the nervous system when in action. The primary goal of TENS is to reduce pain. A TENS unit sends small electrical currents into an area of the body, and those electrical currents target the surrounding nerves. The electrical currents block pain signals being sent to the brain, allowing someone who is wearing a TENS unit to complete pain free movements.
NMES
NMES stands for neuromuscular electrical stimulation, and its primary goal is to facilitate muscle contractions. NMES can be used to treat a wide variety of conditions involving musculature, including weakness, atrophy (when muscles get smaller/weaker), and flaccidity (when a person is unable to move their limb). NMES targets muscles to induce muscle control and strength gains, but can have pain relieving effects.
IFC
IFC, or interferential current, is similar to TENS, in that it helps reduce pain. However, where IFC differs is its approach to pain relief. Whereas TENS uses a low frequency and stays closer to the person/s skin, IFC uses a medium frequency and penetrates deeper into the muscle tissue. IFC may be a better option for treatment when there is pain in a deeper joint, or TENS does not reduce pain.
Russian Stimulation
Russian stimulation is related to NMES the same way that IFC is related to TENS. Russian stim uses medium to high frequency waves to induce strength gains in muscles. While Russian stim can be used in physical rehabilitation, it is often found in athletic training facilities as well. Current research shows that the best effects from Russian stim involve high intensities, which are oftentimes uncomfortable.
MCT
Microcurrent therapy uses low-level electrical currents for pain relief and tissue healing. While TENS blocks pain signals, MCT sends “normal” nerve signals to the brain, with the goal of retraining the brain to not feel pain in a specific area.
What do we use at ProTailored Physical Therapy? At ProTailored, we use a device known as H-Wave. H-Wave presents itself as very similar to many other e-stim devices. It has four patches, known as electrodes, that are placed over a painful or injured area. H-Wave sets itself apart from the previously mentioned devices by working to promote the flow of blood and lymphatic fluid to remove waste from an injured area, as well as send oxygen and nutrients to heal the injured tissue. H-Wave is backed by research and has shown to be effective in chronic pain relief and injury healing.