Degenerative joint conditions worsen overtime and can cause immense pain and discomfort. Because there is no cure for degenerative joint conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, patients may use anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroid injections or undergo a total joint replacement to find relief. Depending on the severity of your condition, some of the previously-mentioned may alleviate pain, while other therapies, like diathermy, could also help with joint discomfort.
What is Diathermy?
Diathermy is a unique treatment that utilizes electrical currents to produce and apply heat to targeted tissues. Heat is used to promote blood flow and circulation, increase flexibility and decrease stiffness in joints and connective tissue. Although the treatment sounds intense, the heat generated is not applied directly to skin, but does reach areas as deep as two inches from the skin’s surface. Diathermy electrodes can also be used to seal damaged or broken blood vessels and remove abnormal growths or tumors.
What can Diathermy do for Chronic Joint Pain?
Because diathermy decreases pain and inflammation, overtime patients with arthritis will increase their range of motion and mobility. Moreover, with heat increasing circulation and blood flow to damaged areas, the body eventually promotes tissue regeneration and repair, minimizing chronic joint pain and discomfort. Patients with implanted metal devices, cancer, peripheral vascular disease or other conditions may not be candidates for diathermy. Talk to your Tulsa Pain physician about your chronic joint pain and any other concerns you may have before pursuing diathermy.
Highlights:
- Those with chronic, degenerative joint conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis may benefit from a therapeutic treatment called diathermy.
- Diathermy uses high-frequency electrical currents to deliver heat to tissues in the body—this may help increase blood flow and decrease pain.
- The pain management specialists at Tulsa Pain discuss why diathermy can be an effective treatment option for those with chronic joint pain.
Tulsa Pain is a pain management practice in Oklahoma that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain. We are dedicated to helping those who are suffering find the relief they deserve. Our team uses a balanced approach by incorporating minimally invasive, outpatient procedures, complementary and alternative medicine, and medication to help patients take control of their pain. Call 918-742-7030 or click here to Request an Appointment to meet with one of our talented pain management specialists today!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.
