Physiotherapy Tips, Pain Relief Guides & Health Articles

Electrotherapy is a general term for a variety of electrical stimulation therapies.  The most common of these therapies are TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) and EMS (Electrical Muscle Simulation).  Simply put, electrical currents are used to quiet down the affected nerves to provide pain relief, or to stimulate muscle fibers.There are two main theories as to why it works.  First, that the stimulation causes your body to release endorphins, your body’s natural pain killers.  The second is that the stimulation stops the receptors in your brain from receiving pain messages.  So, although you may still have the injury, you simply do not sense it and therefore become temporarily pain free.

One of the very important modalities that we often try to incorporate within a patient’s treatment plan here at Churchill Physiotherapy Clinic, is Laser Therapy. Laser Therapy works on the principle of inducing a biological response through energy transfer, in that the photonic energy delivered into the tissue by the laser modulates the biological processes within that tissue, and those within the biological system of which that tissue is a part.

The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) has long ago affirmed that Massage Therapy has many benefits to our mental health.  It reduces stress, anxiety, and depression.  The Massage Therapy for anxiety can be very beneficial for patients dealing with a number of different conditions including cancer, chronic pain, psychiatric conditions, and drug and alcohol withdrawal among others.  It has been proven to increase the neurotransmitters associated with lowering anxiety and it decreases hormones associated with increased anxiety.Research published in Applied Nursing Research shows that therapy provided during chemotherapy can help alleviate anxiety and acute fatigue.  Chemotherapy treatments are often physically and mentally exhausting for patients, therefore these findings demonstrate the value and significance of therapeutic massage within the cancer treatment regiment.