If you have experienced an injury and are planning to schedule a spinal adjustment at Rushmore Family Chiropractic to alleviate pain, you might be introduced to E-Stim during your visit.
E-Stim, or electrical stimulation, is a beneficial modality that many chiropractors, physical therapists and other practitioners often use in conjunction with other treatments to help their patients recover more quickly from injury.
The electrical stimulation of E-stim actually blocks pain signals to the brain. But it does so much more. E-Stim can also strengthen your muscles and even improve blood circulation. Plus, it helps diminish inflammation – the root cause of much of the body’s pain and illness.
Anyone dealing with pain that prevents you from easily moving around is a good candidate for E-Stim. If you tell your chiropractor about your injury and the pain you’re experiencing, we may be able to use E-Stim with other adjustments to alleviate that pain and help you get moving again sooner. Those with injuries are high on the list, but so are those with general low back pain, poor muscle or motor control, those with tendonitis or bursitis, and even those who are recovering from surgery. E-stim can be particularly beneficial by those with muscle tears, speeding recovery so that the patient can begin moving and settling back into their routines.
The good thing about E-Stim is that you don’t have to do anything to reap the rewards! The treatment is applied while you are sitting or lying down. Your chiropractor might suggest some gentle movement just after the E-Stim is applied, to aid with your recovery.
While you are receiving E-Stim you might experience a gentle tingling sensation where the electrodes are applied. That sensation might increase while the procedure is being performed but it won’t rise above your comfort level. Your chiropractor will adjust the intensity of the electricity in order to block pain signals from your body to your brain, communicating with you the entire time.
E-Stim may be placed on one muscle or muscle group, in order to help them contract. This, in combination with your regular chiropractic adjustment, can help ease pain and tension and allow the body to heal quicker.
After E-Stim, your chiropractor may recommend rest, ice or elevating the injured body part.
There are some patients that E-stim is not recommended for including those with sensitivity on the skin, the presence of implanted electrical devices (pain stimulators or pacemakers), those with skin cancers or those with open wounds.
If you have questions about E-Stim or you are curious about how it may help you recover from injury, ask us at your next scheduled appointment at Rushmore Family Chiropractic! We are always happy to explain the treatments and modalities we use on our patients.
