Electrotherapy

You can find the description of the Basic Line, Plus Line and Excellent Line in the dedicated section.

MEDICSTIM units are a high quality devices that assures complete patient and operator safety (the unit complies with international regulations) in addition to offering numerous types of therapeutic applications.

The electrotherapy units in the MEDICSTM series feature a control panel that is optimized in accordance with the specific field of application. All operating parameters are managed and controlled in real time by the user thorugh a large, backlit interface: the display shows all operational messages, the state of the unit during normal therapeutic operation, and any error messages.

• Training the neuro-muscular system to respond appropriately during voluntary and involuntary effort, providing an active (isometric, concentric, and eccentric) contraction and the resulting articular movements, providing proprioceptive feedback.
   
• Modulation of pain by means of the gate control mechanisms or descending inhibition mechanisms (production of endogenic opioides).
   
• Control or reduction of spasticity by stimulating (contraction and relaxation) agonists, (reciprocal inhibition) antagonists, or prevention of motorial sensation.
   
• Providing transdermal releasing of medicamentosus substances in the skin (iontophoresis).
   
• Improving or maintaining articular mobility by mechanical stretching of muscles or connecting tissue or reducing impediment to movement, caused by neuromuscular dysfunctions (e.g. spasticity), pain or edema.
   
• Facilitating healing of wounds by increasing local circulation, providing a bacterial effect, or changing the electric charges in the injured area.
   
• Slowing down or resolving edema by the activity of the muscular pump or the effect of the electric charges on the interstitial proteins (electric field phenomena).

Direct current 

Galvanic current (or direct or continuous current) is generated by the uniform movement of electric charges in the same direction. This kind of current serves best as a trans-cutaneous carrier of medicines or cosmetically active substances.

Variable currents

Variable currents are generally meant to denote all those currents where the intensity is not constant over time. We can distinguish between low, medium, and high frequency currents, and for physiotherapy purposes, this means the following frequency ranges:

- low frequency: from 0 to 800 Hz,
- medium frequency: from 800 to 60,000 Hz,
- high frequency: over 100,000 Hz.

The different types of currents can be summarized according to their specific actions (or biological effects):

• IONTOPHORETIC action = direct current (with constant intensity);
• MOTOR NEURONAL EXCITABILITY = sinusoidal currents, rectangular currents, exponential, pulse stream, triangular;
• ANALGESIC action = low frequency (50 Hz) rectangular pulses and pulse duration of 1 msec.
• TROPHIC and VASCULARISING action = direct current, rectified currents.

The ability to use direct current as a “carrier” to introduce substances in the ionic state into the tissues through the skin has been known for a long time. This technique has been tested and verified over time. Current thinking confirms that iontophoresis is an effective way of administering different substances when localised action is required. Actually, the percutaneous application of medicinal substances is notably affected by the barrier function of the corneal stratum.

Methods generally used to neutralise this effect are not always effective. Overcoming the cutaneous “barrier” stratum is not easy even when direct current is used, since substances generally prefer to enter via the glandular ducts and hair channels. In addition, the substances can only reach a few millimetres depth.

Excluding the cases where a localised surface effect only is required, the effectiveness and distinctiveness of iontophoresis lies in the fact that the substances introduced in this fashion seem to bind more stably with proteins that normally form part of surface tissue. The substance is therefore reabsorbed into the general cycle more slowly than it would have been if administered hypodermically.

The general effect is however linked with the type of substance used: direct current only functions as a medium. Therefore medicinal ionophoresis refers to substances introduced that have pharmalogical effects.