Interferential Current Treatment Research Articles

The efficacy of interferential current treatment on knee osteoarthritis: A pilot randomized double-blind study comparing the effects of different carrier frequencies

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of different carrier frequencies of interferential current (IFC) treatment on a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), 10-m walk test, and the amount of paracetamol taken. Patients and methods: The double-blind, randomized controlled study included 61 patients (16 males, 45 females; mean age: 63.7±9.8 years; range, 50 to 80 years) with knee osteoarthritis who were randomized to three treatment groups: 2,000 Hz, 4,000 Hz, and 8,000 Hz. The study was conducted between February 2019 and October 2019. Subjects received IFC treatment for 20 min five times per week for three weeks. All subjects were prescribed a home exercise program. Patients were evaluated at baseline and at three and seven weeks. The primary outcome was VAS to assess knee pain. Results: Treatment with IFC yielded significant results in VAS pain, WOMAC pain, and WOMAC function parameters in all three groups, but no significant difference was shown among the three groups. The WOMAC stiffness parameter was found to benefit from the treatment only in the first group, while the 10-m walk test improved for the first and third groups. The number of paracetamol tablets taken differed significantly neither in nor among the treatment groups. Conclusion: Previous trials have found a significant reduction in knee pain levels and an increase in function with IFC treatment, although there is no consensus on which carrier frequencies and duration to choose for IFC treatment. In this study, we detected significant benefits for all the different carrier frequency groups but were not able to show any to be superior to the others.

Correlation between change in pain, disability, and surface electromyography topographic parameters after interferential current treatment in patients with chronic low back pain.

[Purpose] Surface electromyography (SEMG) topography is used to objectively assess patients with low back pain (LBP). This study aimed to investigate the correlation between SEMG topographic variables, pain, and disability in patients with chronic LBP (CLBP) after interferential current (IFC) treatment, and to evaluate IFC treatment efficacy using SEMG topography. [Participants and Methods] Twenty nine patients with CLBP were recruited for a 6-week IFC treatment. Pain and disability scores, and the root-mean-square difference (RMSD) of SEMG topographic variables (relative areas [RAs] at flexion and extension) were compared before and after the intervention by repeated measures ANOVA; the correlation between variables was also explored and p-value was set at 0.001. [Results] Significant positive correlations between changes in pain score and the RMSD of RA at flexion (r(29)=0.593), and between changes in pain and disability scores (r(29)=0.426) were observed. All participants showed statistically significant improvements in the RMSD of RA at flexion, pain score, and disability score after IFC treatment. [Conclusion] SEMG topographic variables are closely associated with changes in pain score in patients with CLBP after IFC treatment. The RMSD of RA at flexion can be used as an objective marker in IFC treatment efficacy evaluation.

Effects of Interferential Current Treatment on Pain, Disability, and Balance in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Study

Effects of Interferential Current Treatment on Pain, Disability, and Balance in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Study

Effects of Interferential Current Treatment on Pain, Functional Ability, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Chronic Stroke Patients with Lumbago; A Randomized Controlled Study

Effects of Interferential Current Treatment on Pain, Functional Ability, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Chronic Stroke Patients with Lumbago; A Randomized Controlled Study

The Efficacy of Interferential Current Treatment on Knee Osteoarthritis

The Efficacy of Interferential Current Treatment on Knee Osteoarthritis

Is interferential current effective in the management of pain, range of motion, and edema following total knee arthroplasty surgery? A randomized double-blind controlled trial

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of interferential current implementation following total knee arthroplasty surgery. Design: Double-blind randomized controlled study. Setting: Orthopedics and traumatology in-patient clinic. Participants: From an initial enrollment of 132 patients, 113 who met the study inclusion criteria were randomly separated into two groups: the interferential current group (n = 57) and the sham current group (n = 56). A total of 98 patients completed the study: 49 in the interferential current group and 49 in the sham group. Intervention: Patients in the interferential current group received interferential current treatment for 30 minutes, twice a day for five days postoperatively. For the patients in the sham interferential current treatment group, the same pads were applied to the patients for the same time periods but no electrical stimulation was applied. Main outcome measures: Patients were assessed in respect of pain, range of motion (ROM), edema, and the amount of paracetamol used at baseline and on the 5th and 30th days after surgery. Results: No significant difference was determined between the groups in respect of pain, ROM, and edema at days 0, 5, and 30. At the end of the 5th day, the amount of paracetamol used was significantly lower in the interferential current group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: In this study, both groups showed significant improvements in pain, ROM, and edema with no significant difference between the groups. Although there was a significant difference in paracetamol intake of the two groups, this cannot be argued as showing the effectiveness of interferential current.

Comparison of different electrotherapy methods and exercise therapy in shoulder impingement syndrome: A prospective randomized controlled trial

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess and compare the effects of different electrotherapy methods and exercise therapy on pain, function and quality of life in shoulder impingement syndrome. MethodsEighty-three patients (66 females, 17 males; mean age: 48.2 ± 7.33 years) with shoulder impingement syndrome were selected and 79 of them were randomly allocated into four groups. Group 1 (n = 19, mean age: 47.89 ± 7.12 years) was given hot pack and exercises, Group 2 (n = 20, mean age: 47.70 ± 6.51 years) was given hot packs, exercises and interferential current, Group 3 (n = 20, mean age: 48.50 ± 8.34 years) was given hot packs, exercises and TENS and Group 4 (n = 20, mean age: 48.55 ± 7.89 years) was given hot packs, exercises and ultrasound three times a week for four weeks. Assessments were made before treatment, right after it and three months after that using the visual analog scale (VAS), Short Form-36 (SF-36) and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) outcome measures. ResultsAt the fourth week and third month assessments, all groups showed significant improvements in terms of pain, DASH and SF-36 physical component scores (p < 0.05). In intragroup comparisons, a significant difference between pre- and post-treatment results was found only in SF-36 mental component scores of Group 2. No significant difference was observed between the groups in any stage of the study period (p > 0.05). ConclusionApplication of ultrasound, interferential current and TENS in addition to exercise therapy in shoulder impingement syndrome treatment had similar improvements in terms of pain, function and physical component of quality of life. However, interferential current treatment showed significantly better outcomes for the mental component of quality of life. Level of evidenceLevel I, Therapeutic study.

Effect of interferential current therapy on pain perception and disability level in subjects with chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial

Objective: To assess the short-term efficacy of transregional interferential current therapy on pain perception and disability level in chronic non-specific low back pain. Design: A randomized, single-blinded (the assessor collecting the outcome data was blinded), controlled trial. Setting: A private physiotherapy research clinic. Subjects: A total of 64 individuals, 20 men and 44 women, mean (SD) age was 51 years (11.93), with low back pain of more than three months, with or without pain radiating to the lower extremities above the knee, were distributed into a control (n = 20) or an experimental group (n = 44). A 2:1 randomization ratio was used in favour of the latter. Interventions: A transregional interferential current electrotherapy protocol was performed for participants in the experimental group, while the control group underwent a ‘usual care’ treatment (massage, mobilization and soft-tissue techniques). All subjects received up to 10 treatment sessions of 25 minutes over a two-week period, and completed the intervention and follow-up evaluations. Outcome measures: Self-perceived pain was assessed with a Visual Analogue Scale. Secondary measure included the Oswestry Low Back Disability Index. Evaluations were collected at baseline and after the intervention protocol. Results: Significant between-group differences were found for interferential current therapy on pain perception (p = 0.032) and disability level (p = 0.002). The observed differences in the between-group mean changes were of 11.34 mm (1.77/20.91) and 13.38 points (4.97/21.78), respectively. Conclusions: A two-week transregional interferential current treatment has shown significant short-term efficacy, when compared with a ‘usual care’ protocol, on self-perceived pain and functionality in subjects with chronic low back pain.

Effects of the carrier frequency of interferential current on pain modulation and central hypersensitivity in people with chronic nonspecific low back pain: A randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Interferential current (IFC) is commonly used for pain relief, but the effects of carrier frequency of the current and its action on pain mechanisms remain unclear. This randomized placebo-controlled trial tested the effects of IFC in people with chronic nonspecific low back pain. One hundred and fifty participants were randomly allocated into three groups: 1 kHz, 4 kHz and placebo. The primary outcomes were pain intensity at rest in the first session (immediate effect of the IFC), after 12 sessions, 4months after randomization (follow-up) and during movement (first and last session). The secondary outcomes were disability, global perceived effect, functional performance, discomfort caused by the IFC, use of analgesics and physiological measures of pain. Only during the first session, there was a significant decrease in pain intensity in the active groups. However, there were no differences in the improvement of pain at rest or during movement in the active groups compared to the placebo group in the remaining sessions. The frequency use of analgesics was significantly decreased in the active groups. For pain physiology measures, there was a significant increase in pressure pain thresholds in both active groups compared to the placebo group and a reduction in the temporal summation in the 1 kHz group compared to the other groups. These results suggest that although the IFC has changed some physiological mechanisms of pain and showed decrease frequency use of pain medication, there was no change in the primary aim, pain intensity. WHAT DOES THIS STUDY ADD?: The interferential current (IFC) presented advantages in the physiological measures of pain and showed decrease frequency use of pain medication. Future studies should investigate analgesic intake with IFC treatment.

Interferential Current Therapy in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of different amplitude-modulated frequencies of interferential current (IFC) and sham IFC on knee osteoarthritis. A randomized and single-blind study was performed on 60 patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis. The patients were allocated to three active IFC groups (40, 100, and 180 Hz), and one sham IFC group. Treatments were performed 5 times a week for 3 wks consecutively. Each patient was assessed at the end of the treatments and at the first month using the following measurements: visual analog scale (pain at rest, pain on movement and disability), physician and patient judgments regarding treatment effectiveness, 15-m walking time (in minutes), range of motion (ROM), the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and paracetamol intake (g/wk). Although there were significant improvements in all variables, except WOMAC stiffness and range of motion, measured in all groups at the end of the treatment and during the follow-up, this improvement was greater in active IFC groups than in the sham group. The improvement in WOMAC stiffness was observed only in active IFC treatment groups (P < 0.05). No significant difference between different amplitude-modulated frequencies of IFC treatments was observed. This study demonstrated the superiority of the IFC with some advantages on pain and disability outcomes when compared with sham IFC for the management of knee osteoarthritis. However, the effectiveness of different amplitude-modulated frequencies of IFC was not superior when compared with each other.

A single-blind investigation into the hypoalgesic effects of different swing patterns of interferential currents on cold-induced pain in healthy volunteers

Johnson MI, Tabasam G. A single-blind investigation into the hypoalgesic effects of different swing patterns of interferential currents on cold-induced pain in healthy volunteers. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2003;84:350-7. Objective: To compare the analgesic effects of differing swing patterns of interferential current (IFC) on cold-induced pain. Design: Single-blind intervention study in which subjects completed 6 cycles of the cold-induced pain test[mdash ]2 pretreatment, 2 during treatment, and 2 posttreatment. Setting: Laboratory. Participants: Forty healthy volunteers. Interventions: Subjects were randomly allocated to receive 1 of 4 IFC treatment interventions: 1[int ]1, 6[int ]6, 6[and ]6, or burst. IFC was administered for 20 minutes via 4 electrodes attached to the forearm (quadripolar application) at a strong but comfortable intensity using amplitude-modulated frequencies of 1 to 100Hz. Main Outcome Measures: Change in pain threshold and self-report of pain intensity and unpleasantness from pretreatment baseline. Results: Two-way repeated-measure analysis of variance found significant effects for time and group by time interaction ( P[lt ].01), but effects for groups failed to reach statistical significance ( P=0.1). This suggests that when all groups are considered together, subjects experience a rise in pain threshold when IFC devices are switched on but not when they are switched off. However, the rise in pain threshold was not dependent on the swing pattern employed. Analysis of pain intensity and unpleasantness ratings found no effects for group or group by time interaction. Conclusions: There were no differences in the hypoalgesic effects of different swing patterns. [copy ] 2003 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Release of mediators by DMSO-differentiated HL-60 cells exposed to electric interferential current and the requirement of biochemical prestimulation

Purpose : Controversial results have been obtained with respect to the influence of biochemical prestimulation upon the action of electromagnetic fields on mammalian cells. Examined in detail has been the influence of a modulated low-frequency (interferential) current upon the release of four mediators by DMSO-differentiated HL-60 cells with and without prestimulation by the chemotactic peptide N -formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP). Materials and methods : Human promyelocytes (HL-60) cells differentiated to granulocytes by dimethylsulphoxide were exposed to a so-called interferential current (IFC) in a suspension culture. The influence of IFC treatment, an amplitude-modulated 4000 Hz current used in therapeutic applications, on the release of prostaglandine E 2 (PGE 2) , leukotriene B 4 (LTB 4) , thromboxane B 2 (TXB 2) and interleukin 8 (IL-8) was investigated. Effects of a static magnetic field were also studied. Results : In no case were significant differences between exposed and sham-exposed samples observed after 15 min exposure to selected modulation frequencies (0-125Hz, 250 μ A cm -2) . Therefore, the influence of prestimulation with different concentrations of fMLP on the release of the four mediators was investigated. fMLP alone enhanced the release of PGE 2, LTB 4, TXB 2 and IL-8 with half of the maximum (ED 50) effective concentration of ~10nM. Prestimulation with various concentrations of fMLP and subsequent exposure to IFC 125Hz (15 min, 250 μ A cm -2) had no effect at low or high concentrations of fMLP, while in the middle range of concentration of ~100 pM fMLP a significant enhancement of PGE 2, LTB 4 and IL-8 was observed. This synergistic effect of fMLP and IFC was examined in detail in prestimulated cells (100pM fMLP) by varying the exposure time, current density and modulation frequency in the range 0-50 Hz. Window effects for the release of PGE 2, LTB 4 and IL-8 were obtained for exposure time, current density and modulation frequency whereas, in the release of TXB 2, no field effect was detected. Conclusion : The study has demonstrated the synergistic action of chemical stimulation and electric current exposure, and the existence of windows for cellular activation status, exposure time, current density and modulation frequency.

Response of cytosolic calcium, cyclic AMP, and cyclic GMP in Dimethylsulfoxide‐differentiated HL‐60 cells to modulated low frequency electric currents

The action of interferential current (IFC), an amplitude-modulated 4000 kHz current used in therapeutic applications, upon intracellular calcium, adenosine 3′:5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP), and guanosine 3′:5′-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) was investigated. Human promyelocytes (HL-60) were differentiated to granulocytes by dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) treatment and exposed for 5 min at 25, 250, and 2500 μA/cm2 current density. No significant changes in cytosolic free calcium were detected as a function of modulation frequency of the IFC. However, intracellular cAMP reacted in a complex way to modulation frequency, resulting in stimulations and depressions within the range of frequencies studied (0–125 Hz). The “windows” of modulation frequency, where statistically significant increases or decreases in cAMP were noted, coincided with those published earlier for mouse fibroblasts. Cellular cGMP content was always lowered by IFC treatment. Furthermore, no significant influence of IFC current density upon the three second messengers was noted. These results, which also include data relating to treatment with sinusoidal 50 Hz current, contribute to a more detailed understanding of the primary biophysical mechanisms of signal transduction by time-varying electric fields. Bioelectromagnetics 19:452–458, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Response of cytosolic calcium, cyclic AMP, and cyclic GMP in Dimethylsulfoxide-differentiated HL-60 cells to modulated low frequency electric currents

The action of interferential current (IFC), an amplitude-modulated 4000 kHz current used in therapeutic applications, upon intracellular calcium, adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP), and guanosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) was investigated. Human promyelocytes (HL-60) were differentiated to granulocytes by dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) treatment and exposed for 5 min at 25, 250, and 2500 microA/cm2 current density. No significant changes in cytosolic free calcium were detected as a function of modulation frequency of the IFC. However, intracellular cAMP reacted in a complex way to modulation frequency, resulting in stimulations and depressions within the range of frequencies studied (0-125 Hz). The "windows" of modulation frequency, where statistically significant increases or decreases in cAMP were noted, coincided with those published earlier for mouse fibroblasts. Cellular cGMP content was always lowered by IFC treatment. Furthermore, no significant influence of IFC current density upon the three second messengers was noted. These results, which also include data relating to treatment with sinusoidal 50 Hz current, contribute to a more detailed understanding of the primary biophysical mechanisms of signal transduction by time-varying electric fields.