Electrophoresis for a child is prescribed quite often for the treatment of certain pathologies. With its help, active substances are introduced into the baby's body, which enter directly into the affected area. For these purposes, a minimum current discharge is used so as not to harm the he alth of a small patient. The duration of manipulation depends on the age of the child.
Operation principle
Electrophoresis is the movement in an electric field of charged ions capable of transporting various particles in a liquid or vaporous medium. The principle of operation is the following. Electrode pads are placed on the dermis, wrapped in a drug-impregnated cloth. Due to the action of the current, the drug solutions decompose into ions, forming hydrophilic charged complexes, which, penetrating into biological tissues, have a therapeutic effect. Most of them linger in the skin, showing a local therapeutic effect.
The rest, along with the flow of blood and lymph, is carried throughout the body. Positively charged particles have analgesic, soothing, anti-inflammatory and dehydrating effects. Negative normalize metabolic processes, relax, dilate blood vessels. In addition, electrophoresis has a slight warming effect.
Indications and contraindications
Why is electrophoresis prescribed for children? This procedure copes well with the residual effects of a cold and is often recommended by children's doctors during the recovery period. And also it is prescribed for the treatment of the following pathological conditions:
- Birth trauma.
- Anomalies and congenital heart defects.
- Burns.
- Musculoskeletal disorders.
- Hyper- or hypotonus of muscles.
- To reduce pain in various ailments.
- ENT diseases.
- Neurological disorders.
- Diathesis.
- Eye diseases.
In addition, it is used when it is necessary to direct the action of the drug directly to the center of inflammation.
How often can I do electrophoresis to a child? Any physiotherapy treatment is prescribed with a frequency of no more than four times a year. The interval between courses must be at least three months.
This procedure is contraindicated in children:
- damage to the skin at the electrode site;
- pustules;
- dermatitis;
- high temperature;
- renal and heart failure;
- tumors;
- bronchial asthma in the acute stage;
- acute inflammatory process;
- blood clotting disorders and risk of bleeding;
- allergic manifestations to medications recommended for the electrophoresis procedure.
Advantages and disadvantages
Quite often, drug electrophoresis is prescribed for children. What it is? This is a simultaneous effect on the body of an electric current and a drug. The use of this physiotherapy method gives a good effect.
Electrophoresis Benefits:
- no feeling of discomfort;
- no risk of allergic or other adverse local or general reactions;
- duration of therapeutic effect from one to twenty days;
- it is possible to administer the medication directly to the affected area, bypassing the vascular system and gastrointestinal tract;
- Babies over 1 year old usually tolerate this procedure well.
Among the shortcomings it should be noted:
- presence of contraindications in a particular individual;
- not all drugs can be administered by this method.
Features of the action of electric current in young patients
What does electrophoresis give children? Treatment with this technique allows you to partially refuse oral or injection medication.
Let's consider some features of the child's body:
- Morphofunctional immaturity of the dermis is a thin outer layer. In himcontains a small number of cell layers, which are loosely associated with a thin cell-free layer that separates the connective tissue from the endothelium (basement membrane).
- Babies under four months old have undeveloped sweat glands, and intradermal vessels tend to dilate.
- The skin has a high intensity of molecular interaction with water, i.e. they have low resistance to electric current and absorb substances at a high speed.
- Chemical and temperature regulation is not sufficiently developed, so the electrophoresis procedure is carried out carefully.
During the period of manipulation, the duration of which depends on age, it is necessary to control the child's condition by both doctors and parents.
Under the influence of current, effects such as:
- lymphatic drainage;
- hormone regulating;
- vasodilating;
- lymphatic drainage;
- anti-inflammatory;
- muscle relaxant;
- immunostimulating.
Medicines used for physiotherapy
As already mentioned, electrophoresis is often prescribed for children. What it is? It is one of the safest and most effective methods of drug administration for many ailments. It is simple to perform, but requires an understanding of some physical laws and the pharmacological action of the drugs used. Using an electric current, various medicines are administered, while the systemic effect on the child's body is significantly reduced. In the afflictedthe center creates the maximum concentration of the active substance. The choice of drug depends on the diseases present:
- Musculoskeletal system and internal organs with pain syndrome - NSAIDs and antispasmodics: Papaverine, Metamizole sodium, Procaine, Papaverine
- Consequences of traumatic brain injuries and neuroinfections in a child - electrophoresis with Lidase, Nicotinic acid, Piracetam, Iodine, Magnesium sulfate.
- CNS damage - "Drotaverine", "Magnesium sulfate", "Ascorbic acid", "Aminophylline", "Nicotinic acid", i.e. drugs that have a dehydrating and vasodilating effect, as well as improving venous outflow.
- Polineuropathy and neuritis - anticholinsterase drugs and vitamins: "Prozerin", "Pyridoxine hydrochloride", "Tocopherol acetate".
- Asthenic syndrome - adaptogens: "Aloe extract", "Caffeine".
- Inflammatory process of antibacterial nature - antibiotics: Erythromycin, Ampicillin.
The specialist individually selects the required concentration of the solution, the strength of the current, as well as the duration of the manipulation.
Does electrophoresis help children? The answer to this question is positive. This technique is safe, allows you to create a high concentration of the active substance in the pathological focus, gives a quick and lasting effect. In addition, this physiotherapy procedure is available in almost all he althcare facilities free of charge.
Physiotherapy Methods
The essenceelectrophoresis is as follows. With its help, various drugs are introduced into the child's body, which come directly to the affected area. For this purpose, a minimum current discharge is used so as not to cause harm and not provoke pain.
The following types of electrophoresis are known:
- Cavitary - into the rectum, stomach, bladder, i.e. a drug and an electrode with a plus sign are injected into the hollow organs, and an electrode with a minus sign is on the surface. This method is effective in the pathology of the pelvic organs and intestines.
- Tub - the necessary medicine is poured into a container with electrodes in the form of a solution and a diseased part of the body, for example, a lower or upper limb, is immersed in it.
- Intratissue - initially, the patient is given medication orally or intravenously, and then electrodes are applied to the affected area. This technique is mainly used for diseases of the respiratory system - laryngitis, bronchitis.
Techniques used in childhood
The above methods are also used in children. In addition, there are several methods that are predominantly used in young patients:
- Galvanic collar according to Shcherbakov - allowed for babies from two years old. The so-called "shawl" electrode is placed in the collar region. Another, small, is applied to the region of the lumbosacral spine. Initially, the current strength is not more than three, then, it is gradually increased to ten or twelveampere. The duration of the first two sessions is no more than four minutes. In the future, the time increases to fifteen minutes. The course treatment is a maximum of twelve manipulations.
- According to Levin - used for hyperkinesis of the limbs and hypertonicity. Such conditions are characteristic of organic brain lesions. Bifurcated electrodes are placed on the fingers of the lower and upper extremities. Fifteen minutes later, the polarity on the arms and legs reverses.
- In the pathology of the joints (hip dysplasia) - due to electrophoresis, the correct formation of the tissues of the joint occurs. As a result, the range of motion in the lower extremities is restored.
- According to Vermel - for newborns and babies. One electrode is placed at the level of the second-tenth thoracic vertebrae, the second - on the anterior part of the abdominal wall. The average treatment time is about ten minutes.
- Nasal - in toddlers and preschoolers, this procedure is difficult to perform, as they categorically refuse to introduce foreign objects into the nasal cavity. Immediately before the electrophoresis procedure, the child's nose is washed with saline or ordinary boiled water. A cotton swab soaked in a solution of novocaine or calcium chloride is inserted into the nasal passages. The ends of the turundas are connected to the first electrode above the upper lip, the second is placed on the back of the neck. In terms of time, the procedure lasts no more than twenty minutes.
- According to Kellat-Zmanovsky - most often used for stuttering and spastic dysarthria. Two-bladed electrodes are placed on the side surface of the head. They supply current, with a force of three to sevenampere. The duration of the procedure is a minimum of seven and a maximum of fifteen minutes.
- According to Bourguignon - indicated for neurological anomalies localized inside the skull, traumatic and ischemic lesions of the nervous system, as well as vegetative-vascular dystonia. One electrode (forked) is applied to closed eyes, and the second - in the form of a plate - to the back of the neck.
The current during the electrophoresis of the child is added gradually. When a tingling sensation appears, it is stopped. The duration of the manipulation is from ten to fifteen minutes. Do it every other day or every day. The course of treatment is a minimum of ten and a maximum of twenty procedures.
What are the electrodes
There is a wide variety of these items:
- The most common are disposable paper ones. They are equipped with hydrophilic pads, due to which the active active ingredient of the drug penetrates through them into the dermis. Such medical products most often consist of two plates, but there are also more complex options. Immediately before manipulation, they are abundantly soaked in saline, water or medicine. The advantage of disposable electrodes is the ability to give any shape for ease of application to different parts of the body.
- Disposable cavity electrodes for electrophoresis are designed to carry out the procedure inside the cavities. They are sterile and do not require any further processing.
- Reusable medical devices - practical but demandingsterilization. They are made of cotton fabric, which has good electrical conductivity and resistance to aggressive acids and alkalis. The matter is folded into several layers, carbon fiber electrodes are placed between them, through which current is supplied.
- Special conductive elements are sewn into the rubber plates, thanks to which they become strong and reliable. Many modern devices for physiotherapy are equipped with them.
- Metal electrodes are rarely used nowadays. They are usually made of copper or lead.
- You can also make hydrophilic pads yourself. To do this, take a natural fabric, such as cotton or flannel, fold it in several layers so that the thickness is no more than ten millimeters and moisten with saline or water. The electrode is placed on the pad.
The selection of these products should be approached responsibly and it is advisable to consult with a specialist before buying.
Model Overview
To carry out physiotherapy treatment at home, you need to purchase an electrophoresis device. It is advisable to check with the doctor which manufacturer is best to buy the device. The first procedure is performed in the presence of a nurse. In addition, one must learn how to select and prepare solutions for manipulation. There is a wide range of electrophoresis devices on the market. Consider some of them:
- "Stream-1" - mainly used in medical organizations,rehabilitation.
- "Radius-01" - a single-channel portable device, like the previous one, combines several physiotherapeutic methods: diadynamic therapy, galvanization, amplipulse therapy and drug electrophoresis. It is widely used in sanatorium and cosmetology institutions, as well as in dentistry and at home.
- "Refton-01-FS" is a device that combines several functions: fluctuorization, diadynamic therapy, electrophoresis, electrical stimulation and amplipulse therapy. The electrophoresis procedure for a child can also be done at his bedside.
- Elfor is a portable device that is used both at home and in he althcare facilities.
Thus, physiotherapy is performed using different devices. Remember that the decision on the need for this manipulation is made by the attending physician of your child.
Instead of a conclusion
What physical process is used in electrophoresis? The method is based on the following phenomena: electrical conductivity of body structures, galvanization, electrolytic dissociation. During this physiotherapeutic procedure, under the influence of a constant electric current of small force, which is supplied to the body of an individual through electrodes, charged particles move in the tissues: negative particles move towards the anode, and positive particles move towards the cathode. Depending on the magnitude of the charge and the size of the molecule, the speeds are different.
Now you know the physical process involved in electrophoresis.
