| Defeating The Chronicity of Pain | | | | · Allow limited range of motion/stretching exercises |
| The patient who suffers from such chronic pain | | | | to increase elasticity of the tissues and cells |
| diagnosis as RSD, Fibromyalgia, Neuropathy, Sciatica, | | | | Once the treatments begin it's not an all or nothing |
| Chronic low back pain and degenerative disc disease | | | | approach and it's rarely solely one treatment method. |
| to name a few is not experiencing typical cause and | | | | The patient may experience muscle cramping and the |
| effect pain symptoms. These patients have had to | | | | interferential therapy wards off the cramps however |
| learn to live with pain, generally becoming worse over | | | | the post treatment may include using some topical |
| time. Some of the specific pain etiologies of these | | | | analgesic or sports rub to maintain the therapeutic |
| diagnoses begin as less difficult, less painful beginning | | | | effects. In almost all situations it is necessary to |
| points and over time, due to the pain, these patients | | | | begin some form of stretching exercise to increase |
| develop what are called "guarding" or "shielding" | | | | the tissue elasticity, and range of motion of any |
| behaviors in order to cope with the condition. | | | | body part affected. The stretching which is beneficial, |
| One of the easiest examples is the patient who has | | | | however also painful, can be overcome using |
| been diagnosed with chronic low back pain, CLBP, and | | | | interferential to lessen the pain so greater range can |
| due to the pain the patient limits their activities, | | | | be reached quicker. It's a multi function integration of |
| favors one side of the other due to the pain, and | | | | treatment methods to achieve elimination of pain |
| becomes sedentary and so on. The behavior changes | | | | levels. |
| due to the pain impulse result in physical changes | | | | The chronic pain patient simply wants restoration of |
| such as loss of elasticity in muscles due to inactivity, | | | | most functional ability and if he/she can eliminate pain |
| poor circulation, stress on certain muscle groups by | | | | levels on a weekly basis then progress is being made. |
| shifting the weight of movement to a non-painful | | | | For many chronic pain patients the principal difficulties |
| area, muscle spasms which add another level, and | | | | may be muscle related, ie., muscle pain due to |
| loss of muscle tone. Each time the patient changes | | | | cramping, tightness, spasms. The patient dreads the |
| their physical patterns it is common to now introduce | | | | recurrence of the muscle pain and will work to |
| another level of pain. It is common to see the CLBP | | | | eliminate that level. By using interferential as a |
| patient develop a secondary pain referred to as | | | | precursor to stop the progression of the tightness |
| sciatica. The pain is due to shielding and guarding by | | | | the cycle can be stopped, however besides |
| the patient to lessen the severity of the pain from | | | | stretching to avoid future occurrences the patient |
| the CLBP. | | | | may use an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen, or |
| When a patient begins using interferential therapy the | | | | hot moist heat, or arnica skin pain patches. Levels of |
| main purpose is not total elimination of all pain levels | | | | pain require levels of treatment options resulting in |
| but to begin to reduce the multi levels of pain one by | | | | elimination of most pain, step by step, level by level. |
| one. As an example the Neuropathy patient may | | | | The chronic pain patient should always be |
| have painful areas in more than one part of the body. | | | | remembered and treated with full knowledge that |
| There generally is a primary area which was the | | | | any chronic pain diagnosis is the result of failure to |
| precursor to the diagnosis of the original problem, but | | | | successfully treat the pain for greater than 6 months. |
| through shielding and guarding other areas of his/her | | | | The methods for treating acute pain have failed and |
| body develop pain. The interferential therapy is | | | | new levels of pain stimulus emerge which requires |
| intended to: | | | | treatment with goals of pain level elimination, one by |
| · Reduce the severity of the pain impulses position | | | | one. |
| by position, | | | | Chronic pain requires integration of treatment |
| · If inflamed reduce some of the inflammation | | | | modalities and methods to achieve beneficial results. |
| · Stop the progression of muscle tightness and in | | | | For the chronic pain patient there is no "magic bullet", |
| some situations cramping | | | | only the will to get better and education on methods, |
| · Relax the muscles | | | | options and clearly defined goals to achieve that |
| · Increase blood flow to the area for greater | | | | success. |
| metabolic processes | | | | |