Electrical Stimulation (E-Stim) Therapy in Frederick & Hagerstown, MD | Vital Alignment Chiropractic
Gentle electrical current that interrupts the pain signal and gets a guarded muscle to stop bracing.
What it is
Electrical stimulation therapy delivers a controlled, low-level current through pads placed on the skin over the affected area. Depending on the settings, it either interrupts the pain signal travelling to your brain, or drives a gentle rhythmic muscle contraction that helps pump fluid away from an inflamed area.
It's used to calm acute pain, reduce spasm and swelling, and coax a muscle that's locked in a protective guard into releasing. That's often what makes the rest of a session possible — a muscle bracing hard around an irritated joint will resist just about everything else you try.
Most people find it comfortable: a tingling or light tapping sensation, with the intensity set by how it feels to you rather than by a dial we pick. Sessions run around ten to fifteen minutes and are typically combined with adjustments and soft-tissue work rather than used on their own.