Short Wave Diathermy: Treatment, Cost and Side Effects

Short-wave diathermy is an electric therapy that is used to subdue the pain caused as a result of underlying diseases or disorders. In this form of treatment, an electric current is passed through the body of a person to generate heat. The heat is useful for increasing the blood flow, relieving pain and enhancing the mobility of tissues during any kind of healing procedure.

Diathermy can be divided into three categories, namely, shortwave, microwave and ultrasound. As the names suggest, the shortwave form uses high-frequency electromagnetic energy to generate heat. Similarly, the microwave diathermy involves the usage of microwaves to generate heat. Lastly, the ultrasound method uses vibrations to generate heat. The end result of all these forms of the process is the same, which is to eliminate the pain experienced by the patient in a particular region of the body

A machine is used to create the high-frequency electric current in the body, which in turn produces the heat in the muscles, that is used to treat conditions. Short wave diathermy machines can be purchased from stores and people can use the same at home, without need for help from medical practitioners.

Diathermy uses high-frequency electric current to produce heat deep inside the skin of the targeted region in the body. The treatment effects tissues located almost two inches beneath the skin. It is important to know that the machine used in the procedure does not produce heat, but electricity. When the current enters the body, it is transformed into heat. Such a treatment is used during physical therapies and rehabilitation of muscles after a traumatic injury.

Diathermy can increase the blood flow and also strengthen the connective tissues between the muscles. The treatment is used in case of back pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia, neuralgia, myositis, tendonitis, bursitis and tenosynovitis. However, diathermy is not the primary treatment for any of the aforementioned conditions.

It can be used as an alternate form of treatment alongside the primary forms of remedy for the pain and discomfort. As a standalone procedure, the treatment may not work as expected. However, consult a doctor before you start the procedure for best outcomes.

Doctors will know which patients should seek shortwave diathermy treatment and who should not. If the patient suffers from back pain, arthritis, muscle spasms or any other painful disorder related to the muscle or bone may be qualified for the treatment in question.

People who have any kind of metallic implants inside the body should stay away from diathermy, as the electric current is used for the treatment. People with pacemakers, IUD, prosthesis are also disqualified from receiving this treatment. Some diseases may also lead to disqualification. For instance, patients suffering from cancer, fractured bones, bleeding disorders, severe conditions related to heart, liver or kidney and pregnancy may often cause patients to get disqualified from the treatment.

Side effects are not that serious, but if patients do not remove all of the metallic objects from their body prior to the treatment, the metal may get heated up during the treatment and may eve cause burns to the skin. Since, you become a part of the electric field during the treatment, you may also receive an electric shock if you touch any metallic items while the treatment is underway.

There is no post treatment guidelines to follow as such. Patients often feel better once the treatment has been completed. This is because blood flow is generally improved. If there are any injuries to the muscle, the excess blood flow also aid in the repair and helps the patient heal quicker.

Recovery is almost instantaneous, as many patients report feeling better once the diathermy session has been completed. However, this may depend from one person to the next, based on the cause for the pain and the muscular discomfort.

Short wave diathermy is not a very pricey or expensive treatment. It will usually take somewhere around Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 30,000 for the procedure.

Results of the treatment are permanent in most cases. The heat opens up the blood vessels and facilitates the flow of blood, which can in turn help reduce the pain and the injury in the area. However, in some cases, diathermy effects may be temporary.

Even though short wave diathermy is itself considered to be an alternative form of treatment, people may avoid the same and go for therapeutic ultrasound. In the latter procedure, sound waves are used to treat the pain and the muscular discomfort in people. The frequency of the sound is usually kept at 1.0 to 3.0 MHz. However, further research needs to be conducted on the procedure to determine whether it is really effective or not.