Why do electrophoresis for a child?

When is electrophoresis used in children:

Medicinal electrophoresis is widely used in pediatrics, as it allows one to avoid injections that frighten children, and allows one to reduce the concentrations and doses of drugs, reducing their side effects and preventing allergic reactions. The medicinal effect is “targeted”, because the drug is injected into the skin exactly in the affected area. At the same time, a so-called “depot” of the drug is created in the skin, which makes the effect more long-lasting. Electrophoresis is used in all medical fields, from surgery (for example, cleaning infected wounds with electrophoresis with enzymes), to cosmetology, dermatology and dentistry. In children, it is actively used in the treatment of neurological diseases, in the treatment of bone fractures, and in bronchopulmonary diseases.

Will electrophoresis help get rid of a hernia?

Galvanization is prescribed for hernias as an auxiliary or primary method of treatment. It is not able to get rid of advanced forms of the disease. Its main action is aimed at stimulating the natural regenerative abilities of tissues and relieving pain in the initial stages of the disease.

The use of electrophoresis for hernia leads to:

changes in the permeability of cell membranes - cells become more sensitive, regenerative capacity increases;
dilation of blood vessels, which promotes blood flow and the supply of more essential nutrients;
increased lymphatic drainage - decomposition products are removed more quickly;
the occurrence of local and general reflex reactions.

Thanks to this, the affected tissues are restored faster, the foci of inflammation are reduced, and the pain syndrome is weakened.

After treatment, most patients experience a decrease in the volume of the hernia by 50% or more, its structure becomes more homogeneous and less dense. In the case of small hernias, in some patients their complete disappearance was recorded.

A little physics: what is the mechanism of action of electrophoresis

The administration of medicinal substances is based on the properties of equally charged particles to repel, and oppositely charged particles to attract. During electrophoresis, a drug is placed under the active electrode, the active ions of which have the same charge as the electrode: negatively charged substances are placed under the cathode with a negative charge, and positively charged substances are placed under the anode with a positive charge. Ions of all metals and most alkaloids are introduced from the positive electrode, and acid radicals and metalloids are introduced from the cathode with a negative charge.

The injected ions enter the skin to a depth of 1 mm, mainly through pores, sweat glands and hair follicles. Further migration of the substance into deeper tissues is achieved through diffusion.

Medicinal substances are retained in the skin for up to 3 weeks, reducing the need for large doses of active substances. For local effects, 5–10% solutions of substances are used, and for segmental reflex effects, 1–2% solutions are used. All solutions of medicinal substances are prepared using distilled water to avoid the formation of unwanted active ions. The current strength is usually limited to 5 mA in children and up to 12 mA in adults.

An important advantage of administering drugs using electrophoresis is the activation of active substances due to dissociation into active ions. Drug electrophoresis allows you to create a high concentration of the active substance directly in those areas of tissue where treatment is necessary. At the same time, due to the targeted action and low concentrations, the overall effect of the drug is reduced, which makes it possible to prevent many side effects, including common allergic reactions.

Contraindications to the use of electrophoresis

Like any other method of physiotherapy or drug, electrophoresis has its own contraindications that you need to be aware of:

presence of a pacemaker;
heart failure;
tumors;
heat;
various inflammations at the acute stage;
poor blood clotting (pathology, menstruation is a natural process and is not a limitation);
severe form of bronchial asthma;
skin diseases such as dermatitis;
cuts, wounds or other damage in the area where the electrodes are applied;
allergy to medication and intolerance to electrical procedures.

Side effects are rare, but they do exist. This may include redness, itching, or swelling at the electrode site if you are allergic to a medication or have a reaction to electrical current. At the 2-3 session, there may be an increase in temperature and pain due to inflammatory diseases, but after the end of the course they disappear on their own.

Duration of electrophoresis procedures

The amount of ions introduced into the body is determined by the strength of the current, the area of the active electrode and the duration of the procedure. In children, depending on age, it can reach 20 minutes. In pediatrics, it is always preferable to increase the procedure time instead of increasing the current intensity to avoid discomfort in children. In any case, a slight reddening of the skin will be noted under the electrodes - due to local expansion of microvessels from irritation by acidic and alkaline electrolysis products.

Indications for prescribing electrophoresis for children

Physical procedures occupy a special place in the complex treatment of various diseases in children. They are prescribed for colds, neurological pathologies, and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Main indications include:

Damage to the central nervous system (as a result of hypoxia, ischemia, cerebral palsy).
Traumatic brain injuries, brain infections, their consequences.
Asthenic syndrome.
Diseases of the ENT organs and oral cavity.
Respiratory diseases (pneumonia, bronchitis).
Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.
Pathologies of the urinary system.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system (hypo- or hypertonicity of muscles, hip dysplasia).
Birth injuries of the back or head, pathologies of the cervical spine.
Lesions of peripheral nerves (neuropathy, neuritis).
Inflammatory processes of internal organs with bacterial damage.

Electrophoresis is prescribed only by a doctor (pediatrician, orthopedic traumatologist, neurologist or urologist). The specialist selects the required dosage of the medication, current strength, number of procedures, and identifies contraindications. The advantage of physiotherapy is that when drugs are administered there is no systemic effect on the body; the drug acts locally at the site of the lesion.

Electrophoresis is used for the following diseases:

Nervous diseases: perinatal pathology of the central nervous system, hypertension syndrome in children, muscular dystonia syndrome, neuritis, neuralgia, migraines, sleep disorders, enuresis in children
ENT diseases: sinusitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, otitis
In the treatment of ARI - pharyngitis, tracheitis, pneumonia
Vision pathology – for the correction of myopia, astigmatism, farsightedness
For kidney pathology: for the treatment of pyelonephritis, cystitis.
Diseases of the digestive system: stomach and duodenal ulcers, colitis, gastritis, cholecystitis
Pulmonary diseases: chronic and acute bronchitis, bronchial asthma, pneumonia
Surgical diseases: recovery in the postoperative period, treatment of scars
Dermatology: atopic dermatitis, acne scars, seborrhea, rosacea

How to treat hypertension in infants

Hypertonicity in infants is very common. When examining a child, a pediatrician and neurologist can easily identify it. In some cases, the increased tone goes away on its own by 3–4 months. In addition to the main symptoms, doctors rely on the following reflexes of the child, which, with normal development, should disappear by the 3rd month of life:

step reflex. With the body in a vertical position, the baby begins walking movements on a flat surface;
support reflex. On the floor, the child places his foot on the entire foot, and not on the toe;
symmetry/asymmetry reflex. When the baby lies on his back and presses his chin to his chest, his legs extend and his arms bend. When tilting the head to the left, the left limbs bend; when tilting to the right, vice versa;
tonic reflex. In the position on the stomach, the arms and legs are bent; in the position on the back, they are straightened.

In addition to pediatrics and neuropathology, osteopathy is widely popular and effective in treating tone in children. This is the main alternative to traditional treatment: massages, physiotherapy, aromatherapy, therapeutic exercises, drug treatment, which in most cases only relieves symptoms. The main task of the osteopath in this case is to find the cause of abnormalities in infants and eliminate hypertonicity.

The doctor collects a detailed medical history and asks how the pregnancy and childbirth proceeded. For osteopathy, the human body is a single whole, all its organs and systems are inextricably linked with each other. The specialist has very sensitive fingers, and all the manipulations he performs are extremely soft and gentle.

Disorders of the nervous system, which causes muscle tone in infants, are treated by an osteopath with a special massage. These procedures do not cause pain or discomfort in children, therefore they are absolutely safe. The positive effect will be noticeable after the first sessions. The child experiences an improvement not only in muscle tone, but also in appetite, sleep, and digestive processes. The osteopathic doctor triggers the necessary mechanisms in the baby’s body, aimed at correcting the functioning of the brain centers and metabolic processes between them.

Parents should listen to the doctor’s recommendations, but self-medication is unacceptable, since the osteopathic doctor performs extremely delicate and gentle manipulations with the child, requiring certain knowledge, skills and qualifications. The duration of therapy is different for each patient, so return visits to the clinic may be repeated after one to two weeks.

How does the medicinal electrophoresis procedure work:

The medicinal electrophoresis procedure is performed in a physiotherapy office or, if necessary, in any medical office and even at home. It is important to carry out procedures on intact skin.

Electrodes with electrode pads soaked in water and a medicinal solution are placed on the surface of the skin. Dry electrodes must not be used. Electrodes with pads must fit tightly to the skin, otherwise uneven distribution of current can lead to skin irritation. Electrodes with medicine or drugs are applied to areas of the body that require therapeutic effects.

Before the procedure, the child is explained that he must immediately inform the doctor of any unpleasant sensations. A slight tingling or tingling sensation is considered normal during the electrophoresis procedure.

Then turn on the device and slowly increase the current. A typical electrophoresis procedure takes 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the age of the child. After the procedure, the physiotherapist turns off the device and removes the electrodes. Redness of the skin under the electrodes is considered a normal reaction to the procedure.

Indications for procedures

Electrophoresis is prescribed to all patients diagnosed with a hernia who experience severe pain - an inevitable companion to this disease. Other indications depend on the type of protrusion.

Each type of intervertebral hernia has serious complications, so you should not delay treatment.
See how easy it is to get rid of a hernia in 10 sessions

Indications for electrophoresis for cervical hernia

For herniated intervertebral discs in the cervical spine, electrophoresis is prescribed for:

dizziness and migraines;
surges in blood pressure;
weakness in the upper limbs;
loss of sensitivity in the limbs;
limitation of movement, muscle weakness.

Read more about cervical hernia in this article.

Indications for electrophoresis for thoracic hernia

For a thoracic hernia, electrophoresis is indicated for anyone who has:

numbness, tingling in the upper extremities;
limited mobility due to muscle hypertonicity.

Read more about the symptoms and treatment of thoracic intervertebral hernia here.

Indications for electrophoresis for lumbar hernia

For a lumbar hernia, electrophoresis is prescribed if the following symptoms are present:

tingling sensation, numbness of the lower extremities;
problems with urination;
the feeling that “your legs won’t obey you.”

Read about other symptoms in the article “Intervertebral hernia of the lumbar spine.”

When you need to urgently call a neurologist at home

In newborns and children of the first year of life

The baby's sleep is disturbed: there are difficulties falling asleep, shallow and restless sleep with frequent awakenings.
When the fontanelle bulges.
If the fontanel is painful, crying when touched)
With frequent and profuse regurgitation, even with small amounts of food.
When any convulsions occur.
If the child has a forced position of the legs: with the toes tucked, or the feet are extended as if the child is “standing on tiptoes.”
With monotonous crying, refusal to feed, sluggish sucking.

In children older than one year

For severe or frequent headaches.
For neck pain.
If the child complains of shooting or piercing pain in the back when moving.
For muscle twitching or tics.
If your child experiences fainting.
With constant absent-mindedness.
With forgetfulness, sudden changes in mood.
If the child experiences unmotivated crying or aggression.
If speech, reading, or writing impairment is obvious.
With a sharp decrease or impairment of vision, taste, hearing, and smell.
With low learning ability, progressive educational retardation.
With “bad behavior”, uncontrollability.
With increased fatigue.
If you see a lack or a sharp deterioration in contacts with other children.
For bedwetting of urine or feces (for children over 5 years old, if it occurs more than 2 times a week).
If a change in gait is obvious, refusal to stand on a leg.
In case of sleep disturbance, if there is difficulty falling asleep.

In case of head injuries, loss of consciousness, severe convulsions, or the child’s condition is unclear, CALL AN AMBULANCE IMMEDIATELY.

Hypotonia in newborns

Hypotonia, or decreased muscle tone, is usually found at birth or in infancy. If your baby has hypotension, he may be born lethargic, have difficulty sucking at the breast, and get tired quickly when feeding. When examined, such a child’s arms and legs easily extend at the joints; he can spread his hips almost without resistance to an angle of more than 90 degrees. A child with hypotonicity of the muscles of the cervical and shoulder girdle has difficulty controlling the head and has delays in the development of grasping skills and fine motor skills.

As a child with reduced muscle tone gets older, he or she will experience difficulty speaking, have incorrect posture, hypermobility in the joints, and decreased physical endurance.

Nasal electrophoresis with calcium

In the nasal area, electrophoresis is used to treat otolaryngological diseases, lung diseases, and dental pathologies. Electrophoresis acts locally and systemically, and its effect contributes to:

reducing the inflammatory process;
reducing swelling;
accelerating regeneration processes;
activation of the body's defense mechanisms.

Most often, electrophoresis with calcium in the nose is prescribed for:

inflammation in the nasal cavity and sinuses (sinusitis, rhinitis, etc.);
inflammation in the ears (otitis media);
dental diseases (pulpitis, granulomas, etc.);
lung diseases (bronchitis, pneumonia).

Before electrophoresis is carried out in the nose, the nasal sinuses are washed with water to free them from mucous masses and contamination. Next, special tampons are moistened with a calcium-containing preparation and placed into the nose to a depth of 1-2 cm. An electrode with two plates is placed in both nostrils, and the other in the area of the lower cervical vertebrae. During the procedure, the drug is well absorbed through the nasal mucosa and penetrates the nasal sinuses.

Preventative examinations of newborns by a neurologist

An experienced neurologist will be able to promptly diagnose a disease or developmental disorder of a child, prescribe additional diagnostic procedures: functional and ultrasound studies, conduct complex treatment, and involve the required specialists in the treatment process: physical therapy doctor, physiotherapist, psychologist, speech therapist, osteopath and others.

It is important to identify existing diseases in time, in the first months of life, in order to prevent delays in the child’s development or limitation of his capabilities.

The sooner treatment is prescribed, the more optimistic the prognosis will be. Timely, comprehensive therapy will save the child from age-related complications and many psychological problems, ensure his full development and create conditions for achievements in life.