Electrophoresis for spinal hernia: indications and effectiveness of use

Almost every patient who is admitted to the physiotherapy department for neurological complications of osteochondrosis, such as protrusion and hernia of the spine, is prescribed various options for electrotherapy. One of the most common and effective methods of using direct electric current is electrophoresis. Is it possible to do electrophoresis for herniated intervertebral discs? How does this treatment work? What are the possible contraindications, and with what drugs can this therapeutic effect be carried out?

Cervical hernia on MRI.

Mechanism of action of electrophoresis

Electrophoresis is one of the methods of percutaneous administration of drugs. Knowing the specific density and resistance of body tissues, the parameters of the electric current, and the physicochemical properties of the drug substance, it is possible to accurately determine the concentration of the drug at a given depth, including in paravertebral tissues. What kind of treatment method is this, and how does electrophoresis work?

Recall that the ordered movement of charged particles along a conductor is called electric current. The human body is a collection of conductors of the second kind, where there is no movement of free electrons, unlike metals. But in tissues there is movement of free ions in liquids charged both positively and negatively. Drug electrophoresis is based on this property.

If you place electrodes (cathode and anode) on the human body and induce a direct current, then a potential difference arises between the electrodes, and the movement of various ions in the underlying liquids between the electrodes occurs, both from “plus to minus” and vice versa. It is known that each cell contains up to 70% water, so even dense tissues can be considered permeable to direct current, with the exception of bone.

If a medicinal substance is placed on one of the electrodes, which dissociates into ions under the influence of current, then it begins to move into the tissue according to the potential difference. The movement of a drug that has broken up (dissociated) into ions in a solvent is described by simple rules:

• positively charged ions are repelled from the anode as ions of the same name (also a “positive” electrode);
• negatively charged drugs are repelled from the cathode (“negative” electrode).

Medicines move under the influence of Coulomb forces of electrostatic repulsion of like charges and attraction of opposite ones, which follow the direction of the current. Inside the skin, the medicine accumulates in the depths in the form of a depot, and from there it is slowly consumed in the tissues for up to 2 weeks. Electrophoresis not only allows the medicine to remain in the body for a long time, but also allows you to significantly increase their activity by placing them directly where they are needed, for example, to the deep back muscles. This means that even a small amount of the medicinal substance, about 5% of the amount applied to the electrodes, produces a pronounced therapeutic effect.

Electrophoresis apparatus

Electrophoresis is one of the most effective methods for treating a wide variety of diseases. It is an important stage in the complex therapy of most diseases. And it allows you to quickly get rid of not only the symptoms, but also eliminate its root cause.

Electrophoresis is physiotherapy, the healing effect of which is enhanced by the combined effects of electric current and medicinal substances.

How did he appear?

The healing properties of the method became known at the beginning of the 19th century. And largely thanks to the discovery of the most important properties of current, including galvanic. The method is based on the theory of electrolytic dissociation by S. Arrhenius, developed in 1787. According to it, during electrophoresis, drugs are introduced into the body according to their polarity: cations (positively charged ions) with anodes, anions (negatively charged ions) with cathodes. Since 1802, electrophoresis has been actively used in medical practice not only for the treatment, but also for the prevention of various pathologies.

How does the therapeutic effect occur?

During therapy, a high concentration of a drug is introduced into the patient's body, which, using direct current, enters the very center of the disease through the skin. At the same time, the integrity of the skin is preserved and not even the slightest damage occurs. On the eve of the procedure, the medicine itself is placed in an aqueous solution, where it breaks down into ions. Then a pad soaked in this solution is applied to the patient's body. And on top there is a protective gasket through which electric current is passed. Drug ions penetrate the mucous membranes into the body and are evenly distributed in the cells and intercellular fluid. Thanks to electrophoresis, the drug can be delivered to any organs and tissues through the blood and lymph. And the amount of a substance that can be absorbed during therapy depends on the size and charge of the ion, as well as the concentration of the drug in the solution during the procedure. The properties of the solvent used and the electric current density also play an important role. The duration of the procedure is prescribed by the doctor individually, taking into account the patient’s age, the condition of his skin, the general condition of the body and the current pathology.

What does electrophoresis treat?

Electrophoresis treatment is used in a wide variety of branches of medicine, including in the treatment of diseases of the spine and joints. This method has gained such popularity due to its effectiveness, painlessness and absolute safety. Using electrophoresis, it is possible to eliminate microcirculation disorders in various organs to which it is impossible to deliver the drug through the bloodstream.

Also, the electrophoresis treatment method is used in the treatment of pathologies such as:

• neurological disorders (neuritis, neurosis);
• cardiovascular diseases (hypertension and coronary heart disease);
• respiratory diseases (acute and chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchial asthma);
• ENT diseases (otitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis and pharyngitis); - gynecological pathology (endometriosis, cervical erosion, cervicitis);
• urological diseases (cystitis, pyelonephritis);
• pathology of the male reproductive system (prostatitis);
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, gastritis, cholecystitis, gallbladder dyskinesia)

Electrophoresis is not only an important part of conservative treatment, but also the main stage of rehabilitation therapy after surgical interventions. It has an excellent anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, promotes rapid healing of postoperative wounds, and relieves swelling. The method has also found application in dermatology, where it is successfully used in the treatment of seborrhea, rosacea and acne scars. Thanks to 2–3 electrophoresis procedures, useful and necessary substances penetrate deep into the skin cells, which, in turn, allows you to achieve an excellent rejuvenating effect. Electrophoresis also allows you to get rid of cellulite in the shortest possible time.

A full course of treatment promotes the rapid removal of fluid and harmful substances from the body, thus normalizing metabolism and tissue nutrition.

What are its advantages?

Electrophoresis is not only more effective, but also safer and more useful than other methods of drug administration. Other “advantages” of using the method include:

• A longer lasting effect due to the accumulation and slow release of the drug into the bloodstream.
• Slow elimination of the drug from the body.
• No side effects.
• The method allows you to administer one or several medications at once to any part of the body.
• The medicine is delivered in low doses, comfortably and painlessly to the desired area of ​​the body, without affecting other organs or the body’s environment.
• High efficiency of treatment is ensured by electric current, which further increases the activity of the drug substance.
• The method makes it possible to accurately dose the drug by changing parameters that are selected individually for each patient (current strength, electrode size, procedure duration and solution concentration)

How to treat with electrophoresis.

There are various electrophoresis treatment techniques. Each of them is selected by the doctor individually depending on the current pathology and condition of the patient’s body. In the treatment of hypertension, neuroses, peptic ulcers of the stomach and duodenum, as a rule, the method of ion reflexes according to Shcherbak is used. The specialist uses medicinal and protective pads with an area of ​​120 - 140 square meters. cm, which are applied diagonally to the body, for example, on the right shoulder and left hip. The procedure uses solutions of metal and non-metal ions. It lasts 20 minutes with breaks. The current density increases gradually, depending on the patient's condition.

The Ionic Collar technique is usually used to treat neuroses, hypertension, and chronic insomnia. You can get rid of the unpleasant manifestations of these diseases in just a few procedures. During these procedures, solutions of calcium, iodine, bromine or magnesium are used.

A medicated pad with the first electrode is applied to the neck and upper chest, and a protective layer of soft tissue is placed on top. The second electrode is installed in the area of ​​the lumbosacral spine, and the pad under the electrode is moistened with warm distilled water. During the procedure, two drugs from two ions with different charges are delivered to the body at once, each of which allows you to enhance the effect of the other.

For the treatment of various cardiovascular pathologies and neurological diseases, general electrophoresis using the Vermeule method is used. A medicated pad measuring 15 x 19 cm is impregnated with a medicinal solution and applied to the interscapular area. As a second electrode, two are used at once and installed on the back surface of the calves. The duration of one procedure is about 30 minutes. Depending on the patient's condition, the current density constantly increases.

In the treatment of neuritis of the facial or trigeminal nerve, as well as various diseases of the brain, physiotherapy with Bourguignon electrophoresis is especially effective. In this case, medicinal pads soaked in a medicinal solution are placed on the closed eyelids. The gasket for the second electrode is on the back of the neck. The procedure is carried out for half an hour at low current. In the complex treatment of stomach and duodenal ulcers, metabolic disorders, as well as inflammatory pathology of the brain, nasal electrophoresis is used. Cotton swabs soaked in a medicinal solution are inserted into both nostrils, and a second electrode is placed on the back of the neck. With the bath method, the drug solution itself is poured into a special container for electrophoresis, and the patient puts his hands or feet into it. This method is effective in the treatment of arthritis, polyarthritis and other joint diseases, as well as any pathology of the nervous system.

For the treatment of intervertebral disc herniation, electrophoresis with caripazim is successfully used, which is also carried out at the Kuntsevo Center. Karipazim is a natural herbal preparation that is obtained from the papaya tree. It contains biologically active substances - papain, chymopapin, proteinose, which have a positive effect on collagen cartilage tissue. That is why Karipazim is successfully used in the treatment of various diseases of the musculoskeletal system, as well as various forms of intervertebral hernias.

The method is also shown:

• as part of complex therapy of discogenic radiculitis;
• in the treatment of Schmorl's hernias;
• is prescribed for keloid scars, glenohumeral periarthritis, post-traumatic contractures (limited range of motion in the joints).

To prepare the medicinal composition, caripazim is dissolved in 5 - 10 ml of physiological solution. Add 2-3 drops of dimexide to the resulting composition. When treating an intervertebral hernia, a specialist soaks a medicated pad with a warm solution of Karipazim and applies it directly to the cervical vertebrae. A second pad soaked in aminophylline solution is placed on the shoulders or lower back. Another combination: a pad with karipazim is on the lower back, and a pad soaked in aminophylline is on the hips. The procedure is carried out within 10 - 20 minutes. One course of treatment, depending on the indications, can range from 15 to 20 sessions.

For successful treatment of a herniated disc, it is recommended to undergo 2-3 courses of treatment with electrophoresis with caripazim. The break between courses should be at least 1 - 2 months. As a result of treatment, it is possible to significantly weaken the impact of the hernia on the nerve and relieve pain. Karipazim effectively softens the hernia, so even with the chronic form of the disease, a complete cure is observed.

Contraindications:

Treatment with electrophoresis is an important stage in the complex therapy of various pathologies, however, there are a number of contraindications for its implementation:

• current intolerance;
• dermatological diseases, damage to the skin in the affected area (including eczema, dermatitis, purulent diseases);
• deficient conditions of the circulatory and urinary systems;
• presence of an electrical pacemaker;
• kidney disease;
• pregnancy;
• tuberculosis;
• allergic reactions to the drug;
• heart failure;
• malignant tumors.

It should also be remembered that children and the elderly should receive electrophoresis at a lower dose than an adult.

You can make an appointment with a FTO doctor by phone.

How does the device for electrophoresis work?

The standard technique for performing the electrophoresis procedure for protrusions or hernias is as follows. Stationary Amplipulse-5 (about 39 thousand rubles), or portable Potok (11 thousand rubles) devices, or more modern devices are used.

Any device is an alternating current rectifier, previously electron tube, currently semiconductor, with regulation of the current strength on the electrodes. Almost all devices operate from a standard alternating current network with a frequency of 50 Hz and a voltage of 220 V, are manufactured according to the second class of protection and, accordingly, do not require grounding devices. The device must be equipped with a milliammeter (either analog with an arrow, or digital in modern devices). There is a potentiometer, or rheostat, that allows you to slowly and smoothly regulate the current in the patient circuit between the electrodes. In older models, there is a separate shunt to the ammeter, which allows you to switch the limits of the measured current from 5 and 50 milliamps.

Apparatus.

In new models, the shunt is integrated into the microcircuit. The device is equipped with output terminals with mandatory polarity markings: “plus” - red and “minus” - white. The kit includes marked wires and a variety of electrodes that can be used as an anode, and in another circuit, as a cathode, since both electrodes are made of the same material. Electrodes are usually made of thin lead because they can bend and follow the curves of the body. Electrodes must be regularly cleaned of lead oxide as oxidized electrodes become less effective. Modern electrodes are made of special fabric impregnated with graphite. They are non-toxic, elastic, and conduct electricity well.

Progress of the procedure

Electrophoresis for osteochondrosis is practically not difficult to perform.
You will need two fabric pads into which the electrodes must fit freely. The electrode must be completely hidden under the material on both sides. Before the procedure, the pads are boiled, squeezed out and cooled. The medication solution is placed on the pad in strict accordance with existing standards. Typically, the solution should only be present on the positive or negative anode. Electrodes are applied to the affected area (neck, chest or lower back) at some distance from one another. They are securely fixed using cellophane filled with sand or a special film. Sometimes, instead of pads, the plates are placed on gauze bandages placed on the patient's skin.

The man covers himself and turns on the equipment. The current strength increases gradually, based on the patient’s well-being. He should feel a slight tingling sensation in the place where the electrodes are. There should be no pain or burning sensation. If this requirement is ignored, a burn may occur on the skin. An electrophoresis session for osteochondrosis lasts ten to fifteen minutes. The weight of the course, according to the decision of the attending physician, ranges from ten to twenty procedures. They are carried out every day or every other day.

Advantages and disadvantages

The general advantages of electrophoresis are as follows:

• the drug is administered actively and purposefully, since only those drugs that have an ionic form in solution are selected for electrophoresis, and the drug accumulates under the skin;
• the drug acts for a long time, has a therapeutic effect several days and even weeks after the end of the course;
• the medicine can be administered specifically, that is, paravertebrally or deep into the musculo-ligamentous apparatus of the spine, if we are talking about protrusions and hernias;
• An important point is the almost complete absence of adverse reactions, because the medicine does not pass through the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and does not irritate the gastric mucosa. Quite often, the drugs for electrophoresis that are used for protrusions or hernias will be nicotinic acid and aminophylline, and in the case of electrophoresis there is no need to be afraid of their usual side effects characteristic of oral use;
• electrophoresis differs favorably from injections in the method of drug delivery. After all, if there is a spasm of capillaries in the pathological focus, such as in chronic back pain due to the presence of a protrusion or hernia, then the injection often does not resolve for a long time. And the electric current is guaranteed to deliver medications evenly exactly where they are needed, bypassing the blood;
• electrophoresis helps to bring into the depths of the tissues only the medicine that is necessary: ​​no impurities, ballast substances, which are contained in abundance in tablets, do not enter biological tissues during electrophoresis. In the same way, no associated solvent, without which various injections and intravenous infusions are impossible, is used. Therefore, the body is not loaded with excess fluid, microcirculation is not disrupted, and post-injection infiltrates and complications do not form;
• finally, electrophoresis is a completely painless, bloodless, and atraumatic method of drug administration, which is well tolerated by both adults and children.

Electrophoresis also has disadvantages. The most important of them is that not all drugs are suitable for this method of treatment, since not all of them disintegrate into ions, and having disintegrated, not all remain active in a dissociated state. Medicines that do not dissociate into ions are unsuitable for electrophoresis, that is, electrically neutral molecules. The second drawback is that a small electric current is not capable of creating fairly high concentrations of the drug, and it cannot be increased, otherwise the procedure will turn into an unpleasant and painful procedure. Finally, under the influence of electric current, many drugs change their activity, or even become useless, such as some anticoagulants.

Advantages of the method

Electrophoresis is a method of physiotherapy that, using direct electric current, accelerates the delivery of medications to diseased organs without damaging the skin.

Spinal electrophoresis has some advantages compared to other treatment methods:

• Drug substances are charged and take on the form of ions, which provides greater therapeutic activity.
• The speed of delivery of the active substance increases significantly compared to the use of tablets, as well as injections.
• Due to the high concentration of the medications used, a small dose is sufficient.
• Medicines penetrate into tissues through the ducts of the skin glands. Therefore, circulatory disorders, thrombosis and even vasospasm will not be an obstacle for them.
• The active substance reaches its destination immediately, bypassing the organs of the digestive system. Consequently, the medicine is not exposed to digestive juices and penetrates unchanged to the diseased organ. At the same time, it does not cause injury to the digestive tract, does not harm the liver, or damages the body’s filtration system.
• A minimum of foreign impurities penetrates into the body.
• Medicinal substances are retained in tissues for a long period of time, which increases their effectiveness.
• Not only medications have a therapeutic effect. Electric current also has a beneficial effect. It activates blood circulation, reduces swelling, stops inflammatory processes, relieves pain, and strengthens the immune system.
• The possibility of allergic manifestations and side effects is minimal.

Electrophoresis is one of the safest methods of therapy used in the treatment of the spine.

Indications and contraindications

Electrophoresis is very similar to galvanization. Galvanization is different in that it applies direct current, but does not contain any medicine. Therefore, electrophoresis can also be called “medicinal galvanization.” Indications for electrophoresis will be:

• chronic inflammatory diseases of the musculoskeletal system (myositis, rheumatism, osteochondrosis and its complications);
• compression neurovascular syndromes;
• plexitis, neuritis and neuralgia;
• syndrome of acute pain in the neck (cervicago), chest and lower back - lumbago;
• chronic myofascial tonic syndrome, causing constant back pain.

Many of the above conditions are inevitable companions of discogenic exacerbations of osteochondrosis.

Electrophoresis is indicated in the initial stages of hypertension and coronary heart disease (with the exception of unstable angina). This method is used for pathologies of the lungs and bronchi, gastrointestinal tract, various gynecological and urological pathologies, diseases of the ENT organs and in many other cases.

General contraindications to electrophoresis include any tumor growth, both malignant and benign, active tuberculosis, suppuration, streptoderma, erysipelas at the sites where electrodes are applied and bleeding wounds, disorders of the integrity of the skin such as eczema and psoriasis, skin mycoses .

Special contraindications include intolerance to exposure to electric current, foreign metal prostheses in the intended area of ​​influence, severe cardiovascular insufficiency, and heart rhythm disturbances.

Treatment with electrophoresis

When exposed to even the weakest electrical impulses on the human body, a therapeutic effect can be achieved, but if certain medications are used, the effect will be much higher. Thus, long-term remission can be obtained with treatment.

When is electrophoresis prescribed?

What drugs are used

Often, doctors use anti-inflammatory and anesthetic drugs to conduct electrophoresis for cervical osteochondrosis. Below are the most common ones.

Table. Review of drugs used in electrophoresis.

Novocaine solution

Often, to completely eliminate the painful manifestations of osteochondrosis, it is necessary to conduct not one session of electrophoresis, but several . But if the use of painkillers is fraught with serious consequences, then when carrying out a physiotherapeutic procedure, complications do not arise on other organs.

Electrophoresis

Executing the procedure

In order for this therapeutic procedure to be successful and bring the desired effect, it is necessary to carefully prepare for it. To do this, you need to prepare two clean fabric pads, the dimensions of which must correspond to the dimensions of the device’s electrodes. The procedure must be carried out according to technology, therefore, after each electrophoresis session, the pads must be processed (as a rule, they are boiled). After cooling, a medicine is applied to the pads (which one is decided by the attending physician), after which they are applied to the affected area.

Clean cloth pads are used for the procedure.

The doctor must check the electrodes, or more precisely, the distance between them, before starting the therapeutic procedure. After the patient is covered with a warm blanket, you can turn on the device. Electrophoresis requires heat for maximum effect, so patients are bundled up.

Is it possible to do electrophoresis for a herniated disc?

The therapeutic effect of electrophoresis consists of two factors:

• direct influence of electric current, that is, galvanization;
• additional effect of the administered drug.

The therapeutic effect of direct current is to shift the ratio of ions in tissues. The receptors are irritated, local and even general reflex reactions occur. The permeability of cell membranes changes, blood vessels dilate, blood circulation and lymph flow increase. Soft tissues are better supplied with blood and regenerate, and the resorption of inflammatory infiltrates is enhanced. These changes have a beneficial effect on foci of chronic inflammation, which often cause persistent pain in various parts of the spine in the presence of protrusions and hernias.

The effect of a drug depends on its ability to dissociate, that is, break down into ions. And most often for complications of osteochondrosis, the following medications are used:

• novocaine (+);
• aminophylline (-);
• lidase (+);
• analgin (-);
• pyridoxine (vitamin B6, +);
• thiamine (vitamin B1,+);
• cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12,+).

For each medicinal substance, it is indicated in parentheses on which electrode it should be applied, and accordingly, it is this electrode that should be adjacent to the corresponding part of the spine. After all, the medicinal substance is repelled from the electrode, being similarly charged. An electrode of opposite polarity should be located on a different surface of the body, or at a considerable distance, but on the same surface, to create a skin depot.

You should know that many medications require preliminary preparation, so Lidase is taken in an amount of 64 units and diluted in distilled water, which is acidified with a weak solution of hydrochloric acid so that the final pH of the solution is from 5 to 5.2.

Indications for the procedure

Electrophoresis will benefit people suffering from a variety of spinal diseases:

• osteochondrosis;
• herniated intervertebral discs;
• arthrosis;
• bursitis;
• tendenitis;
• tenosynovitis;
• protrusion of the vertebrae;
• neuralgia;
• neuritis;
• neuropathy;
• pain syndrome in the back area.

The use of spinal electrophoresis is possible both as an independent method of treatment and as an integral part of a set of measures intended for the rehabilitation of a patient after surgery.

During the procedure, several types of medicines are used: magnesia, aminophylline, karipain, karipazim.

The procedure lasts no more than a quarter of an hour. The course of therapy consists of 10-20 daily sessions (they can be carried out every other day).

How is the session conducted?

Before starting work, prepare the device by changing the limit value of the ammeter depending on the current strength prescribed by the doctor. Electrodes with pads moistened with the appropriate preparation are applied and secured to the patient. It is strictly forbidden to apply electrodes directly to the body, since as a result of chemical reactions, either an acidic or an alkaline environment can form under the electrode and cause a chemical burn. Between the electrode and the body there must be a pad of calico or flannel, at least 5 mm thick, moistened with water. This kind of gasket reduces skin resistance, helps eliminate the effect of electrolysis on the skin, and makes the penetration of the medicinal substance more uniform. The electrodes are connected to the wires with terminals, the wires are connected to the “output” of the device, observing the polarity, and the device is connected to the network.

Application of electrodes

It is extremely important to place the electrodes correctly. For cervical osteochondrosis, a galvanic collar can be used, when one of the collar-shaped electrodes is located on the back, neck and shoulder girdle, and the second in the lumbar region. Accordingly, if a doctor prescribes a drug with a positively charged sign, then an anode should be placed on the shoulders so that the medicinal substance is repelled from it and penetrates deep into the skin. If a medicinal substance with the opposite sign is prescribed for electrophoresis, then this electrode should be the cathode. The standard current strength for cervical osteochondrosis is from 6 to 15 milliamps, and the session duration is from 5 to 15 minutes. Procedures can be performed daily or every other day; the course consists of an average of 15 procedures. After each procedure, the time gradually increases by 2 minutes, and the current strength is increased by 2 milliamps. In the case of lumbosacral osteochondrosis, one of the electrodes is applied to the lumbosacral region, and two paired electrodes of opposite polarity can be located on the anterior surfaces of the thighs. The current strength is also up to 15 milliamps, the duration of one session is up to 20 minutes, the duration of the course is up to 20 procedures, either daily or every other day. When conducting electrophoresis for protrusions and hernias in the thoracic region, special techniques for applying electrodes are also used.

After the signal light comes on, the required current strength is set using a potentiometer, depending on the readings of the device. It is important that the current strength at the very beginning needs to be set less than necessary, since then the current will spontaneously increase somewhat, since the skin resistance under the electrodes will decrease. After 3-4 minutes, the current strength is finally adjusted taking into account the patient’s sensations. There should be no burning sensation, unpleasant sensation, or feeling of “goosebumps” under the electrodes.

After the required time has passed, the current strength is gradually reduced to 0, and only then the electrodes and pads are removed from the patient.

During the procedure, the patient may feel a slight tingling or warmth under the electrodes, but without pain or discomfort. If a strong burning sensation or severe pain occurs, it is necessary to reduce the current strength or stop the procedure.

Lithium or zinc electrophoresis

These microelements are needed for the normal functioning of ligaments, tendons, joint capsules and capsules, and connective tissue.

Indications

Progressive course outside the period of exacerbation of arthrosis and spondylosis.

Features of the method

A napkin moistened with a 2% zinc sulfate solution or a 3-5% lithium chloride solution is placed between the anode electrode and the patient’s body. The amount of liquid is 2-5 ml.

Duration of treatment

• daily;
• the session lasts 15-30 minutes;
• course of treatment of diseases - 10-20 procedures.

Iodine electrophoresis

The procedure has a good absorption effect due to the microelement used (iodine).

Indications

• progressive arthrosis and spondylosis beyond the acute stage;
• pronounced bone and fibrous changes;
• enlargement of the joint area.

Mode of application

It is performed by galvanization by placing a cathode electrode with a negative charge on the patient’s body with a medicinal pad soaked in a 2% solution of potassium iodide (2-8 ml), depending on the degree of joint damage.

Duration of treatment

15-30 minute procedures are carried out over 10-20 days.