Electricity

Electric current

Currents

• Direct current- continuous and smooth- galvanic therapy

• Low frequency pulsed or alternating current- faradic and interferential therapy

• High frequency alternating produces warming or heating –high frequency therapy -diathermy

conductor/insulators

• Electric force will cause free electrons to travel from negative to positive through a metal wire

• Non metal do not allow passage of electricity they are known as insulators

• Human body is mainly made of water. ‘Electricity and water do not mix’ result can be lethal. Water can be a conductor especially when salt is added –sodium chloride

ions

• Salt in water the sodium and chloride split apart and this is called ionisation.

• Ionisation is electrically charged particles called ions.

• If molecules in a solution have ionised the solution will be a conductor of electricity and called an electrolyte.

• Electricity passess through a solution via electrodes.

Iontophoresis

• Direct current passes through the solution the ions move in one direction

• positive ions to negative electrode • Negative ions to positive electrode• When ions arrive at each end of electrode a

chemical reaction occurs.• These chemical reactions are officially called electrolysis

ionisation

• An alternating current just vibrates the ions back and forth but they do not arrive at electrodes therefore there is no chemical reactions.

• The movement of ions and the chemical reactions at the electrodes are the result of passing direct current through the body we know as Galvanic herapy

ions

• Alternating current causes vibration of ions but they do not travel and arrive at the electrodes therefore there is no chemical reaction.

• Movement of ions and chemical reactions at electrodes which are the result of passing direct current through the body we know as Galvanic Therapy.