Longwave Diathermy: A Powerful Modality in Physiotherapy
Innovative technologies are key to improving the care of patients and recovery prospects in the physiotherapy field. Longwave diathermy is one such technology, a therapy that has grown in popularity due to its proven effectiveness in tissue repair and pain control.
Introduction to Longwave Diathermy
Long-wave diathermy generates heat deep within a specific tissue through an electric current. It can penetrate up to two inches below the skin’s surface. In physiotherapy, longwave diathermy is mostly used to treat tendinitis, arthritis, bursitis, low back pain, myalgia, ligament injuries, and ankle deformity.
How Longwave Diathermy Works
Longwave diathermy operates at a wavelength of 300 meters and a frequency range of 0.3-1 MHz. The longwave diathermy has a two-inch depth penetration range. EMFs, which include both magnetic and electric fields, oscillate as a result of longwave diathermy. Rapid alternating ion movement resulting from these fields causes heat to be produced in the tissues.
At the molecular level, the LWD causes heating of the blood vessels and the muscles. The heat that is generated gets retained due to the insulating properties of the fat tissues.
LWD has several physiological effects, such as a better range of motion, lowered tissue stiffness, improved metabolic processes, elevated deep tissue temperature, lowered muscular spasm, and reduced pain. The LWD apparatus consists of a treatment head and a cream designed specifically for LWD, which serves as a coupling medium between the treatment head and the afflicted area. Typically, the LWD is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, capsulitis, and other ailments. Additionally, it can be utilized to relieve discomfort brought on by ailments like neuralgia, kidney stones, sinusitis, and muscular spasms.
Benefits of Longwave Diathermy
Pain Relief
Patients may find it easier to handle everyday tasks as a result of deep heat produced by longwave diathermy. Frequent sessions can help patients manage their persistent lower back pain over time, which will lessen their need for painkillers. This therapy reduces discomfort by reducing inflammation and encouraging the surrounding muscles to relax.
Deep Tissue Heating
Damaged or strained muscle fibers can heal more quickly attributed to the deep heat’s stimulation of cellular repair mechanisms.
Improved Blood Circulation
In addition to bringing in nutrients that can help in healing, the heat improves blood circulation to the injured tendon, resulting in the removal of inflammatory mediators. Using Longwave Diathermy on a regular basis may help slow down the onset of arthritis by improving blood circulation and joint nutrition.
Muscle Relaxation and Flexibility
This therapy can assist in increasing the range of motion and joint flexibility by releasing stiff joints. Improved range of motion and better mobility are often felt by patients as an outcome of reduced pain and stiffness.
Accelerated Healing
A quicker recovery is facilitated by the increased metabolic activity in the treated area, which accelerates the regeneration of injured tendon fibers. The therapy aids in the restoration of the injured joint’s strength and stability by promoting the healing process.
Conditions Treated with Longwave Diathermy
Arthritis and Joint Disorders
One condition that damages your joints is arthritis. Where two bones unite in your body is called a joint. As you age, some joints deteriorate naturally. Following that typical, lifelong wear and tear, many people acquire arthritis. Certain forms of arthritis develop due to injury to joints from injuries. Another non-invasive way to treat arthritic symptoms is with longwave diathermy. It helps ease joint pain, allowing patients to do daily tasks more easily through deep heat.
Using diathermy regularly may help slow down the degenerative process by improving blood circulation and joint nutrition. By boosting collagen synthesis and metabolic activity, the treatment promotes the healing of injured ligaments.
Sports Injuries
While there are numerous health advantages to being physically active and/or participating in sports, there is also a chance of injury. Sports injuries can happen at any time during practices or games. Injury can impact a variety of musculoskeletal connective tissues.
- As if a sprinter with a hamstring issue suddenly pulls up in a race, stops, and hobbles a few feet.
- Scaphoid fractures occur when a football player lands on an outstretched hand, placing all of the weight into the palm and hyperextending the wrist.
- A basketball player without making contact with other players lands and twists their ankle.
Injuries typically caused by involuntary muscle contractions, which are lessened with longwave diathermy by warming the deep muscle tissues. The deep heat helps to heal strained or injured muscle fibers by inducing cellular healing processes.
Chronic Pain Syndromes
Pain lasting longer than three months is considered chronic. You might experience the pain continuously or intermittently. It has many different causes and can occur anywhere in your body. Aching, burning, shooting, squeezing, stiffness, stinging, and throbbing are some ways to characterize the pain.
Chronic pain that is poorly or unmanaged might affect your everyday functioning and quality of life. Your capacity to work, establish relationships, and take good care of yourself may be impacted.
By reducing inflammation and encouraging muscular relaxation in the surrounding area, longwave diathermy helps lessen pain.
Post-Surgical Rehabilitation
It’s important to remember that recovery from surgery is not a quick fix and might take anything from a few months to a year.
Following surgery, post-surgical rehabilitation typically begins in the hospital immediately and continues at home or at your physiotherapist’s office. After surgery, your muscles may become tense and stiff since you are motionless for a long time. Once more, you need to ensure that your blood circulation is not affected because surgery causes trauma, and you spend a lot of time in bed. Strength, flexibility, endurance, and muscular function can all be enhanced with longwave diathermy.
Tendonitis and Bursitis
Tendonitis (tendinitis) is the inflammation or irritation of a tendon that makes it swell. Tendons are strands of connective tissue between muscles and bones that help you move. Bursitis is painful swelling in a small, fluid-filled sac called a bursa. Bursae (the plural of bursa) cushion spaces around bones and other tissue. They’re like bubble wrap that protects structures throughout your body. These conditions usually happen after a repetitive strain or overuse injury. It’s common in your shoulders, elbows, and knees.Bursitis and tendinitis can be effectively treated with longwave diathermy. By reducing bursae swelling, the heat relieves pressure on the surrounding tissues. By calming the surrounding muscles and tissues, it lessens the pain and discomfort brought on by tendinitis. As heat stimulates blood circulation to the injured tendon, inflammatory mediators are flushed out, and nutrients that aid in healing are brought in, reducing inflammation.
Longwave Diathermy vs. Other Heat Therapies
Heat therapy is a popular technique that can be classified as either superficial or deep. Using thermal water and hot packs, superficial heat therapy makes direct contact with the skin. On the other hand, the interaction of electromagnetic waves with biological tissue produces deep heat therapy, also known as longwave diathermy.
Depth of penetration: Unlike surface-level heat treatments like hot packs or infrared radiation, which mainly heat the skin’s surface, Longwave diathermy is more effective than other heat therapies. It can reach deeper into the body, which makes it ideal for treating musculoskeletal disorders like deep joint pain and muscle strains.
Current frequency: In order to achieve deeper penetration, long wave diathermy employs a lower frequency electrical current than other types of diathermy, such as shortwave diathermy.
Application technique: While other heat therapies may contact the target area directly with a heated pad or a warm compress, long wave diathermy usually involves placing electrodes to the skin over that area.
Other Heat Therapies
Ultrasound: Although deep heating may also be achieved using ultrasound, this method is frequently seen to be more focused than long wave diathermy and may be more appropriate for smaller regions or particular tissue types.
Microwave diathermy: This method may allow for deeper penetration because it employs even higher frequencies than shortwave diathermy, but it can also be more difficult to regulate heat distribution and increase the risk of burns.
Safety and Precautions for Longwave Diathermy
Steer clear of metal- Prior to the treatment, take off all metal items, apparel, and jewellery. Burns or electrocution may result from metal reacting adversely with the diathermy.
Avoid specific regions- It is unsafe to use diathermy on the eyes, brain, ears, heart, spinal cord, reproductive organs, or genitalia.
Who are unsuitable – Diathermy is not advised for pregnant women, those with specific cardiovascular disorders, or those with liver, kidney, or cardiac problems.
Do not use implanted devices- Having metal implants, such as electrodes, dental fillings, or pins, could put you at risk during diathermy. This is due to the possibility of heat-induced burns to the metal.
Prevent applying pressure to the area- Burning the patient is the most frequent diathermy-related consequence. The diathermy tool may accumulate and burn depending on the treatment’s temperature if it is placed in one spot for an extended period of time without sufficient mobility.
Why Choose Dr. Geetanjali Physiotherapist for Longwave Diathermy?
Modern technologies are crucial to improving patient care and healing results in the physiotherapy industry. Longwave diathermy is one such technology, a therapeutic approach that has grown in popularity due to its efficacy in tissue repair and pain control. But for such therapy, you need someone you can completely trust, and that’s where Dr. Geetanjali comes in to answer all of your questions.
Proficiency and Experience: Dr. Geetanjali has years of longwave diathermy experience. She determines the ideal frequency for each patient by reviewing their medical history before drawing any conclusions.
Personalized Approach: We understand that every individual is unique, which is why we offer personalized treatment plans tailored to your specific physical needs. Dr. Geetanjali takes the time to understand your concerns and provides remedies that are best suited to you.
Safe and Effective Treatment: We provide safe and efficient therapies that are intended to improve your general health. We offer appropriate follow-ups before and after treatment so that we can monitor the severity of pain over time.
Conclusion
Longwave Diathermy is a safe treatment that relieves problems related to your muscles and tissues by applying deep heat to your tissues. It is a painless technique that can provide relief right away. Speak with us to determine whether diathermy treatment is appropriate for you if you have tense or stiff muscles, are recovering after an injury, or wish to speed up your healing process.
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