If muscles have gone into spasm your Chiropractor may use a combination of TENS or Interferential electrotherapy which provide pain relief and reduce spasm. TENS (Transcutaneus Electrical Nerve Stimulation) uses electrodes placed onto the skin over a painful area to deliver electrical impulses to the nerve fibers which lie underneath the skin surface. This provides pain relief by blocking pain signals to the brain via the spinal cord and peripheral nervous system. TENS also stimulates production of the bodies own natural painkillers (endorphins). TENS can help reduce and control many common types of pain and is extremely effectively with few if any side effects.

Electrotherapy :This type of stimulation is characterised by the crossing of two electrical medium, independent frequencies that work together to effectively stimulate large impulse fibers. These frequencies interfere with the transmission of pain messages at the spinal cord level. Because of the frequency, the Interferential wave meets low impedance when crossing the skin to enter the underlying tissue. This deep tissue penetration can be adjusted to stimulate parasympathetic nerve fibers for increased blood flow.

Interferential Stimulation differs from TENS because it allows a deeper penetration of the tissue with more comfort (compliance) and increased circulation. Interferential current therapy is essentially a deeper form of TENS. In essence, IFC modulates a high frequency (4000 Hz) carrier waveform with the same signal produced by a TENS unit. The high frequency carrier waveform penetrates the skin more deeply than a regular TENS unit, with less user discomfort for a given level of stimulation. Deep in the tissues, the carrier waveform is cancelled out, resulting in a TENS-like signal deep under the skin.

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