Hi.

Nice bit of information sdkashif.

However the question remains - why would you want to do all that in the first place?

From what I read in the information provided above, these electrotherapy modalities are utilised to interfere with nerves, their conduction velocities and pain transmission. They are also used as pain relief and the various listed benefits of Short Wave Diathermy. BUT what is causing all this pain in the first place?

I can tell you that in Australia (where I was trained and still work), you would find it difficult to find a short-wave machine. Interferential is still used but as pain relief. The best physios use advanced manual therapy techinques and exercises to achieve quick, long lasting results.

Just today, I had a patient with a 4 month history of low back pain (LBP). He was on an elliptical machine (low impact aerobic machine) when he fell off and landed heavily onto his back. He had terrible back pain and sciatica down both legs. He had 11 sessions with another physio who used ice, heat packs (H/P), ultrasound (U/S), Interferential (IFT), traction (Tx) and massage. This treatment (Rx)lasted 1.5hrs and he actualy couldn't walk the next day because of the Tx. He ceased Rx and actually began to get better but still had lingering pain.

He came to me on a referral from a friend who I have helped get better. His problem was simple - mechanical low back pain. His pain was reproducible on extension (E), lateral flexion (LF) left (L) and right (R). Forward Flexion (FF) was generally pain free but he could still feel that things were not right.

Segmental motion was blocked at L4/5 and L5/S1. Straight leg raise (SLR) was negative as were reflexes.

Rx: Mainipulation (with consent) of L4/5 and L5/S1. Immediate restoration of segmental motion. Immediate pain relief to ZERO. Increased range of motion (ROM) in FF, E and LF - all pain free. No leg symptoms. Exercises given to maintain restored ROM.

Total Rx time including assessment = 20 mins.

For $60, he walked in with chronic pain (4 months) and walked out pain-free. Addressing the problem is the first step to curing someone's pain. If his other physio had addressed his jammed-up Wikipedia reference-linkfacet joints, he would not have had all this long and painful Rx, although he liked the massage .

I grant you that his condition was simple but his story is the norm, not the exception.

I love having competitors use electrotherapy in their practices around mine because it makes it easy for me to distinguish myself from them.

However, for the good of physio, please consider treating the problem, not just giving someone an expensive pain-relief treatment session.

Electrotherapy has its place and I use U/S but it is usually for "price-sensitive" or "time-sensitive" patients who feel they aren't getting their money's worth if they spend their 20-30mins with me, never mind that they feel 85% better after 10 mins of Rx!

Let's bit the bullet and throw money into researching how manual therapy combined with exercise is best utilised.

As sdkashif's information from the unnamed source puts it - U/S has no effect on pain disorders...I also believe that IFT and SWD are also not that effective...

Use your hands - God gave them to you as a gift to help others

Please let me know if you agree or disagree