Electrical Stimulation Names and Indications

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Approximately 9 minutes

There are four common clinical names that describe electrical stimulation devices:

 

Electrical Stimulation Device

Type of Current

Summary of Action

Russian

AC - Burst modulation

uses current to depolarize muscle and stimulate a muscle contraction

High Volt Pulsed Current (HVPC)

monophasic, pulsed

uses high intensity, short duration, pulsed current to promote charge accumulation in the tissue

Interferential Current (IFC)

amplitude- modulated AC

asynchronous waves interfere and produce a pain modulating effect; uses four electrodes

Low intensity direct current (LIDC; Microcurrent)

DC or monophasic pulsed

uses unidirectional flow of current to accumulate a charge in tissue

 

In addition to the common practice of referring to electrical devices when talking about electrical stimulation (ES or "estim), there are three common acronyms that describe types of electrical stimulation:

Electrical Stimulation Acronyms

Acronym

Description

Effect

Sample conditions

NMES

(motor effect)

neuromuscular electrical stimulation

 

activation of skeletal muscle for strengthening

Measure: manual muscle test or dynamometry

Post-operative joint repair or replacement

Muscle is innervated

FES

(motor effect)

Functional electrical stimulation

activation of skeletal muscle for reactivation or movement training and recovery of purposeful movement

Test or measure: functional task performance

Post-stroke, spinal cord injury or other paralytic conditions

Peripheral nerve innervation is intact

TENS

(sensory and circulation effect)

Transcutaneous nerve stimulation

applied over skin for pain modulation

referred to as "conventional", "sensory" or "high frequency"

Low back pain; neck pain

TENS

(motor and circulation effect)

Transcutaneous nerve stimulation

 

Twitch motor response applied to affected areas related to the pain

referred to as "acupuncture" or "low frequency"

Generalized pain

HVPC

(edema reduction effect)

High Volt Pulsed Current

Applied to joints and limbs to reduce acute swelling. The active electrode is the cathode (-) in acute stages

Acute ligament sprain

HVPC

(tissue repair)

High Volt Pulsed Current

Applied to wound in the inflammation and proliferation stages; changes in cell membrane and influx of calcium ions promotes tissue healing

early stages of healing: cathode (-) is treatment electrode

debridement stages (e.g. remodeling): anode (+) is the treatment electrode

Decubitus ulcers; pressure injury

 

Naming can be confusing! To recap, you may hear or read any of the following terms about electrical stimulation applications:

Russian, HVPC, IFC, Microcurrent, NMES, FES, or TENS

In order for therapists to reproduce the effect of electrical stimulation, best practice is to make decisions based on the waveform (e.g., DC, AC, burst or modulated AC, low intensity direct current), pulse frequency, and pulse duration

 


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