People who suffer from acute muscle pain could try using electrical modalities, as this form of therapy can relieve their aches and inflammation effectively.
Electrical modalities are therapies that use electrical currents to treat muscle discomfort. There are different types of electrical modality therapies, including ultrasound, Interferential Current Therapy (IFC), Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENs), Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES).
They all work in different ways but their objective is to stimulate nerves and muscles through electrical impulses, which helps to eliminate neck, shoulder and lower back pain, reduce inflammation and improve muscle function. These charges encourage the body to start healing itself.
IFC, for instance, uses high frequency signals to penetrate into deep muscle tissues, while TENS emits low frequency waves across the surface of the skin. By targeting sensory nerves, the impulses from a TENS machine sends signals to the brain to start the self-healing process.
NMES sends electrical impulses to the motor nerves, which results in a contraction of the muscles. Consequently, it uses more muscle fibres and increases muscle mass, which can provide better support for the injured area.
EMS typically uses a higher frequency of electrical stimulation than EMS, contracting the muscles more intensely to help them grow and become stronger. Building this strength can help reduce swelling, heal wounds, and relieve pain, as well as protecting the body from further injury in the future.
Ultrasound waves can also be used for pain relief, as they increase blood flow in the body due to generating heat. This helps the muscles and connective tissues relax, enabling sore areas to repair themselves.
As a result, ultrasound machines can help reduce pain and inflammation, get rid of muscle spasms, and cut down on healing time for the injured party.
