Galvanization is a method of physiotherapy. Description of procedure, apparatus

Galvanization is one of the methods of physiotherapeutic treatment used in the complex therapy of many diseases.

Influencing a number of metabolic processes, this technique allows to significantly improve the patient's condition in the rehabilitation period of many diseases.

Operating principle

The essence of the healing technique of galvanizing is the use of properties of a current having a constant frequency, low voltage and a small force, which, through the electrodes applied to the skin, affects the body. In the tissues under the influence of current there is the phenomenon of electrolytic dissociation. The redistribution of ions causes a complex set of physicochemical processes, the result of which is a change in the permeability of cell membranes, enzyme activity, and the level of metabolic processes.

The intensity and duration of exposure is determined by a specialist, based on the specific nature of the pathological process.

The device for galvanization assumes the presence of two electrodes - a cathode, which reduces the ability of tissues to excite, and an anode that enhances this ability.

Important: not all tissues of the body are affected, but only those that are capable of carrying out galvanic current.

What to treat?

A number of tissues to the action of galvanic current are insensitive, since they have an insufficient amount of free liquid in the composition:

• Skin integument;
• Ligamentous apparatus;
• Tendons;
• Relaxed muscles;
• bone.

On the contrary, physiological fluids and abundant blood-supplying organs and tissues are most readily suited to such an effect:

• blood;
• Liquor;
• bile;
• lymph;
• liver;
• spleen;
• lungs;
• Kidney.

It is in these organs that the maximum effect of treatment procedures is recorded.

Effects

• Weakening the sensitivity of superficially located nerve endings, which are affected. This effect is related to the temperature and pain sensitivities, it is used when it is necessary to eliminate the pain syndrome in chronic diseases (for example, osteochondrosis, radiculopathy, spondyloarthritis).
• Improved resorption of substances into the bloodstream in the vessels. This effect finds application, for example, with anti-inflammatory therapy with the use of drugs from the appropriate group for topical application. This phenomenon is based on another therapeutic technique of electrophoresis.
• Activating effect on the sympathoadrenal system and activation of lymphatic circulation
• Activation of the activity of endocrine glands.
• Activation of reparative processes in tissues, which is necessary for traumatic lesions.

Indications

Knowledge of the mechanism of action and galvanic current effects allowed to formulate a list of situations that require the galvanic current to affect the body.

Galvanization is a pathogenetic type of therapy. This makes it possible to apply it in a wide range of diseases susceptible to this type of organ effect.

• Trophic disorders that arise due to disorders of hemodynamics and microcirculation.
• Joint lesions resulting from infectious inflammatory processes or traumatic effects (in these cases, galvanization is used during the rehabilitation phase).
• Infectious-inflammatory or traumatic lesions of the peripheral nervous system (physiotherapy in particular, galvanization and electrophoresis, are shown in the rehabilitation period) - for example, plexitis, neuritis, neuromyositis.
• Rehabilitation period after various lesions of the brain (in the absence of contraindications).
• Changes that are characteristic of the initial stages of arterial hypertension and atherosclerotic process.
• Vegetative dystonia.
• Migraine.
• Arterial hypotension.
• Some changes characteristic of angina pectoris.
• Complex treatment of neurotic conditions, neurasthenia.
• Some ophthalmic diseases.
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Some diseases of ENT organs.
• Complex therapy of chronic inflammatory processes.

The application of the galvanization method in these situations improves the prognosis of the disease and allows reducing the rehabilitation period after the transferred pathology of the nervous system or musculoskeletal system.

Preparation

Before the beginning of medical manipulation, it is necessary to carefully inspect the areas of the skin, which are supposed to be affected by electrodes. It should be intact, without rashes and irritations.

Treatment course

Throughout the procedure, it is necessary to monitor the indications of the device, not allowing the excess of the established current strength, as well as subjective sensations of the patient, without allowing the appearance of pain.

Subjectively during the galvanization procedure, the patient, with a properly selected current strength, feels twitching, paresthesia in the form of "crawling crawling," and vibration under the electrodes applied to the skin. And under the cathode, the impact, including the annoying one, is felt more strongly than under the anode. If sensations appear in the form of burning or pain, the device should be turned off smoothly, and to turn on the procedure again, setting a lower intensity of exposure.

To prevent peeling of the epidermis in course treatment, the skin should be lubricated with petroleum jelly.

With course treatment after 5-6 procedures, there may be an exacerbation of a chronic disease with a certain increase in symptoms. The patient should be informed that this effect is not a deterioration in the course of the disease, but indicates a positive effect of the treatment procedure.

Contraindications

Galvanization is a very effective way of acting on the body: a constant current affects many metabolic and biochemical processes. Therefore, when prescribing a treatment procedure, one should take into account the presence of a number of contraindications - conditions when such an effect can cause harm:

• Inflammatory processes in the acute phase, including, and purulent.
• Individual intolerance to the effect of electric current.
• Severe degree of atherosclerotic process.
• Diseases of the blood system.
• Infectious-inflammatory diseases, located in the acute phase, characterized by an increase in body temperature.
• Mechanical traumatism of skin in the intended site of application of electrodes.
• Diseases of the skin, accompanied by its damage.
• Period of pregnancy.
• The state of cachexia.
• Feverish states of any origin.
• The presence of malignant neoplasms.
• Severe arterial hypertension (with episodes of blood pressure rises up to 180/100 millimeters of mercury).
• Atrial fibrillation.
• Presence of extrasystoles.
• Severe circulatory insufficiency (grade 2-3).

Apparatus for galvanizing "Potok-1"

This device corresponds to the second class of electrical safety and is intended for carrying out of medical procedures of galvanization and electrophoresis.

Since the therapeutic device Potok-1 is not equipped with a timer, during the medical manipulation of the personnel, control over the duration of the procedure is required; Special procedural hours are used for this.

Therapeutic apparatus "Alfor Prof"

This is one of the models of devices widely used to obtain a direct current for the purpose of therapeutic effect.

This apparatus for galvanizing and electrophoresis is an improved version of the therapeutic device for performing the "Potok-1" electrophoresis, having the following features:

• The presence of a microcontroller in a modified version allows it to expand its functionality.
• Smoothly rotating, without any stops and restrictions, the intensity control knob allows a more smooth and precise adjustment of the intensity.
• When the machine is turned on, the current is always automatically set to zero level; This is the most important measure of electrical safety.
• The presence of the built-in timer in the device "Alfor Prof" greatly simplifies the process of the procedure, in particular, control over the duration of the procedure. After the set time, the equipment is turned off automatically.

• The current stabilization mode helps maintain a constant value of the preset parameters throughout the manipulation.
• Another possibility of the apparatus "Elfor Prof", in addition to galvanizing, is the electrophoresis. In this mode, local administration of pharmaceuticals is carried out.