Explained
Interferential Therapy (IFT)
In short
Interferential therapy passes two medium-frequency electrical currents through the skin, which intersect to produce a low-frequency effect in deeper tissue. It is used for pain relief and muscle spasm, and gives short-term relief that makes exercise more comfortable.
Four electrodes are placed around the painful area. Two medium-frequency currents are passed through the tissue and cross each other, and where they intersect they produce a lower-frequency stimulation deeper than surface electrical treatment reaches.
What it feels like
A tingling or buzzing sensation, sometimes with a mild pulsing. It should be comfortable — the intensity is set by what you can feel clearly without discomfort.
What it is used for
Back and neck pain, joint pain, muscle spasm, and swelling. Sessions typically run ten to twenty minutes.
The honest position
IFT provides short-term pain relief for many people. It does not treat the underlying cause, and the relief does not outlast the treatment by long. Its value is in reducing pain enough to move and exercise more comfortably.
If it is the entire treatment plan, the plan is inadequate.
When it is avoided
Pacemakers and implanted electrical devices, pregnancy, over the front of the neck, over broken skin or active infection, over areas of reduced sensation, and in people with epilepsy without specific clearance.
Is this right for you?
Whether a technique helps depends on your diagnosis. An assessment tells you what will actually work for your problem.
Book an assessment