What does IFC treatment do?
What does IFC treatment do?
Interferential current therapy (ICT, or sometimes IFC) is the most common type of electrical muscle stimulation used to treat chronic pain resulting from surgery, injury or trauma. The end goal for using ICT as part of a physical therapy or rehab program is to relieve pain and help patients heal faster.
What is IFC on TENS unit?
What is Interferential Current Therapy? IFC sends small amounts of electrical current through the skin to stimulate the tissues around an injured body part to promote pain relief and healing.
How does IFC reduce pain?
Interferential current (IFC) is a medium frequency electrical stimulation used for pain relief when targeting deep tissue. Two sinusoidal waves are crossed and interfere with each other, creating a third vector to stimulate a larger area.
How does IFC reduce inflammation?
In an IFC treatment, strategically placed electrodes send high-frequency electrical pulses through the skin into the underlying tissue. The current stimulates the muscles, causing them to relax. Tension and inflammation subside, relieving pain. Blood flow to the area increases, speeding healing.
What is IFC physiotherapy?
Interferential current therapy is an effective therapy option used by many physiotherapy clinics to relieve pain and accelerate the self-healing process, getting your body back to a healthy, pain free state. The high frequency signals of an IFC penetrate through the skin into deeper lying muscle tissues.
When is IFC indicated?
Interferential Current Therapy (IFC) is a noninvasive therapy indicated for the symptomatic relief from, and management of, chronic intractable pain and post-surgical and post-trauma acute pain. It provides a safe and effective alternative to pharmacological approaches to pain control.
What is the primary indication for interferential therapy?
The basic principle of Interferential Therapy (IFT) is to utilise the significant physiological effects of low frequency (≅<250pps) electrical stimulation of nerves without the associated painful and somewhat unpleasant side effects sometimes associated with low frequency stimulation.
When is interferential therapy used?
Interferential therapy is used for the following symptoms:
- Acute and chronic pain e.g. lower back pain and sciatica.
- Muscle spasm.
- Swelling following ligament sprains and muscle strains.
- Incontinence.
- Muscle weakness.
Is IFC safe during pregnancy?
Therefore, it is important to ensure that the patient’s skin condition is appropriately safe for IFC suction application. Houghton et al. indicate that NMES is contraindicated “anywhere” on pregnant women; however, there appears to be no evidence for this.
When do you use IFC over TENS?
Placement for TENS (Borst, n.d.) Developed in the 1950s, IFC is most commonly used for pain relief (Kitchen, 2001). IFC is also claimed to reduce inflammation, and assist tissue repair (including bone fractures), and reeducate muscle (especially with incontinence).
What does IFC mean in physical therapy?
Interferential Current Therapy (IFC) is a noninvasive therapy indicated for the symptomatic relief from, and management of, chronic intractable pain and post-surgical and post-trauma acute pain.
When do we use IFC?
Developed in the 1950s, IFC is most commonly used for pain relief (Kitchen, 2001). IFC is also claimed to reduce inflammation, and assist tissue repair (including bone fractures), and reeducate muscle (especially with incontinence).