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.