Faradic Current

Faradic current is a short-duration interrupted current, with a pulse

duration ranging from 0.1 and 1 msec and a frequency of 50 to 100 Hz.
Faradic currents are always surged for treatment purposes to produce a
near normal tetanic-like contraction and relaation of muscle. !urrent
surging means the gradual increase and decrease of the peak intensity.
Forms of faradic current:
"ach represents one impulse#
$ %n surged currents, the intensity of the successi&e impulses increases
gradually, each impulse reaching a peak &alue greater than the preceding
one then falls either suddenly or gradually.
$ 'urges can (e ad)usted from * to 5-second surge, continuously or (y
regularly selecting frequencies from + to ,0 surges - minute.
$ .est period /pause duration0 should (e at least * to , times as long as
that of the pulse to gi&e the muscle the sufficient time to reco&er /regain
its normal state0.
$ 1he most comforta(le pulse is either 0.1-msec pulse, with a frequency
of 20 Hz or 1-msec pulse with a frequency of 50 Hz.
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Physiological effects of faradic current:
1. Stimulation of sensory nerves: %t is not &ery marked (ecause of the
short duration. %t causes refle &asodilatation of the superficial (lood
&essels leading to slight erythema. 1he &asodilatation occurs only in the
superficial tissues.
2. Stimulation of the motor nerves: %t occurs if the current is of a
sufficient intensity, causing contraction of the muscles supplied (y the
ner&e distal to the point of stimulus. 3 suita(le faradic current applied to
the muscle elicits a contraction of the muscle itself and may also spread
to the neigh(oring muscles. 1he character of the response &aries with the
nature and strength of the stimulus employed and the normal or
pathological state of muscle and ner&e. 1he contraction is tetanic in type
(ecause the stimulus is repeated 50 times or more - sec4 if this type is
maintained for more than a short time, muscle fatigue occurs. 'o, the
current is commonly surged to allow for muscle relaation i.e. when the
current is surged, the contraction gradually increases and decreases in
strength in a manner similar to voluntary contraction.
3. Stimulation of the nerve is due to producing a change in the semi-
permeaility of the cell memrane: 1his is achie&ed (y altering the
resting mem(rane potential. 5hen it reaches a critical ecitatory le&el,
the muscle supplied (y this ner&e is acti&ated to contract.
!. "aradic currents will not stimulate denervated muscle: 1he ner&e
supply to the muscle (eing treated must (e intact (ecause the intensity of
current needed to depolarize the muscle mem(rane is too great to (e
comforta(ly tolerated (y the patient in the a(sence of the ner&e.
#. $eduction of swelling and pain: %t occurs due to alteration of the
permea(ility of the cell mem(rane, leading to acceleration of fluid
mo&ement in the swollen tissue and arterial dilatation. 6oreo&er, it leads
to increase meta(olism and get red of waste products.
*
%. &hemical changes: 1he ions mo&e one way during one phase of the
current4 and in the re&erse direction during the other phase of the current
if it is alternating. %f the two phases are equal, the chemicals formed
during one phase are neutralized during the net phase. %n faradic current,
chemical formation should not (e great enough to gi&e rise to a serious
danger of (urns (ecause of the short duration of impulses.
Indications:
1. "acilitation of muscle contraction inhiited y pain: 'timulation must
(e stopped when good &oluntary contraction is o(tained.
2. 'uscle re-education: 6uscle contraction is needed to restore the sense
of mo&ement in cases of prolonged disuse or incorrect use4 and in muscle
transplantation. (he rain appreciates movement not muscle actions, so
the current should (e applied to cause the mo&ement that the patient is
una(le to perform &oluntarily.
3. (raining a new muscle action: 3fter tendon transplantation, muscle
may (e required to perform a different action from that pre&iously carried
out. 5ith stimulation (y faradic current, the patient must concentrate with
the new action and assist with &oluntary contraction.
7. 5hen a ner&e is se&ered, degeneration of the aons takes place after
se&eral days. 'o, for a few days after the in)ury, the muscle contraction
may (e o(tained with faradic current. %t should (e used to eercise the
muscle as long as a good response is present (ut must (e replaced (y
modified direct current as soon as the response (egins to weaken.
#. )mprovement of venous and lymphatic drainage: %n edema and
gra&itational ulcers, the &enous and lymphatic return should (e
encouraged (y the pumping action of the alternate muscle contraction and
relaation.
,
%. *revention and loosening of adhesions: 3fter effusion, adhesions are
lia(le to form, which can (e pre&ented (y keeping structures mo&ing with
respect to each other. Formed adhesions may (e stretched and loosened
(y muscle contraction.
+. *ainful ,nee syndromes: 3fter trauma, there is inhi(ition of muscle
contraction, leading to muscle atrophy. For eample, after knee surgery
e.g. menisectomy, there should (e no gross effusion of the knee as it
causes difficulty in o(taining the motor point of the muscles.
-. )nhiition of .uadriceps contraction y pain: 3s in rheumatoid
arthritis, su(luation of patella, chondromalicia patellae and chronic
effusion of the knee.
Contraindications:
/ S,in lesions: 1he current collects at that point causing pain.
/ &ertain dermatological conditions: 'uch as psoriasis, tinea and eczema.
$ 3cute infections and inflammations.
$ 1hrom(osis.
$ 8oss of sensation.
$ !ancer.
$ !ardiac pacemakers.
$ 'uperficial metals.
(he mechanism of pain inhiition and muscle spasm:
9ain has an inhi(itory effect on the large anterior horn cells.
'timulation of the afferent ner&e fi(ers decreases this inhi(ition and
influences the alpha motor neurons. 'u(sequently, facilitation of
transmission of impulses to the etrafusal fi(ers follows with inhi(ition
of the antagonists, allowing a more natural sequence of mo&ements.
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&ontrolled muscle contraction:
'er&o-mechanism is the integration of neural circuits in the spinal
le&el and the higher centers. &ontrolled muscle contraction results from:
$ "citation of the small efferent fi(ers, which cause contraction of the
intrafusal fi(ers.
$ 'tretching of muscle spindle, which sends information to the anterior
horn cells, recruiting the motor unit, leading to muscle contraction.
$ %nhi(ition of the anterior horn cells supplying the antagonistic groups.
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