What is IFT? 

Interferential Therapy or (IFT)  is a type of electrotherapy treatments that use electric currents to stimulate tissue which provides pain relief, reduction of swelling and many other health benefits.

IFT uses a range of frequencies which stimulate the body to get positive reactions such as increasing blood supply in an area which increases the healing speed.

IFT physiotherapy

In the USA, Interferential Therapy is approved for the symptomatic relief and management of chronic (long-term) intractable, post-traumatic and post-surgical pain. Many medical professionals use Interferential Therapy for its drug-free, non-invasive promotion of healing and pain relief. IFT in physiotherapy has become incredibly popular due to the ease of use, lack of side effects and the amazing feedback from people suffering from a variety of different conditions.

It has been shown that multiple daily treatments provide improved results.

Home treatment can help reduce pain, medication, and edema.

Interferential machines can be used to treat pain associated with:

• Back, Neck, and Shoulder Pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Spondylitis and Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Bruising and Swelling
• Postoperative Pain
• Epicondylitis
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Constipation
• Fibromyalgia
• Joint Injuries
• Overuse Injuries and Surgical Procedures
• Edema and Inflammation
• Tennis Elbow
• Sports Injuries

How Interferential Therapy works

Unlike TENS machines, which delivers intermittent pulses to stimulate surface nerves and block the pain signal, IFT machines deliver a continuous stimulation deep into the affected tissue. The stimulation both blocks pain and reduces swelling and inflammation which can cause pain.

IFT achieves the deep penetration by using a 4000Hz carrier wave to overcome the skin impedance.

4 pole interferential works by putting two signals into the tissue at slightly different frequencies. Where they cross over, the two signals “interfere” to produce a lower frequency, therapeutic current. In theory, this interference current is generated in the pattern shown in the diagram. In practice, the tissues do not conduct uniformly, so the currents rarely interfere in the expected target area. Therapists commonly use moveable electrodes to “hunt” for the best electrode positions. 

This is a slight issue for un-trained home use. Many patients find just positioning and connecting up to four electrodes a problem, without having to optimise the position.

Some expensive machines use vectored fields. These are a partial solution to this problem as they constantly move the interference zone around the volume between the electrodes, but this means that treatment is only delivered to the affected area for part of the treatment time.

In Bipolar mode, the Flexistim overcomes these problems

Early IFT units used analogue circuits and were limited in the waveforms they could produce. The Flexistim & Flexistim IF uses digital waveform generation to produce true sinusoidal bipolar IFT. This uses a 4000 Hz carrier wave but delivers an amplitude modulated, low-frequency signal to the whole area between the electrodes - not just the interference pattern.

We have spent a lot of time and effort in developing our IFT machines to overcome the problems patients have with using the device.

Our IFT machines are industry standard. This can be intimidating for some people. 

We understand this! 

That's why we have a dedicated staff who are deeply knowledgeable on all electrotherapy machines.

Feel free to get in contact with us for more information contact us.

Effects of Interference Frequencies

Physiotherapists believe that the low-frequency interference currents have the following effects:

2Hz - Around this frequency, the metencephalins are stimulated - resulting in short term pain relief.

10Hz -This frequency has a beneficial effect on the immune system and tends to make patients wakeful yet relaxed.

130Hz - This frequency stimulates the production of endorphins and results in longer-term pain relief and some local anaesthesia.

1-100Hz - This frequency sweep will increase the inflammatory rate.

45 – 90Hz - This frequency sweep will depress the sympathetic nervous system so allowing the increased activity of the parasympathetic system, and increase the blood supply.

WHAT IS INTERFERENTIAL THERAPY (IFT)?

IFT which stands for Interferential Therapy is one of the types of electrotherapy used for the management of pain. The principle of interferential therapy is to cause two medium frequency currents of slightly different frequencies to interfere with one another. For example, if circuit A carries a current with the frequency of 4000Hz and Circuit B carry a current with a frequency of 3980 Hz, then the low frequency produced will be 20 Hz and this frequency is very useful in pain modulation. A new low-frequency current known as the beat  frequency  is equal to the difference in frequencies between the two medium frequency currents produced in the tissues at the point where the two currents cross.

It is basically used for the treatment of Chronic, Post Traumatic, and Post-surgical pains. The basic principle involves the utilization of effects of low frequencies (<250pps) without painful or unpleasant side effects. The major advantage of IFT is that it produces effects in the tissue, exactly where required without unnecessary and uncomfortable skin stimulation. This technique is widely used to elicit muscle contraction, promote healing and reduce edema.

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF IFT?

Vector effect

The interference field is rotated to an angle of 45⁰ in each direction, the field thus covers a wider area. This is useful in diffuse pathology or if the site of the lesion cannot be accurately localized.

Frequency swings

Some equipments allows a variation in the speed of the frequency swing. A rhythmic mode may be a continuous swing from 0 to 100 Hz in 5-10s and back in similar time or it may hold for 1-6s at one frequency followed by 1-6s at another frequency with a variable time to swing between the two.

Constant frequency

Some treatments may be carried out with the interference fixed at a certain frequency. Rhythmic frequency is useful if several types of tissues are to be treated at once. A variation in the frequency also overcomes the problem of tissue accommodation where the response of a particular tissue decreases with time.

HOW DOES INTERFERENTIAL THERAPY(IFT) WORK?

Interferential current therapy works by sending small amounts of electrical stimulation to damaged tissues in the body. The therapy is meant to boost the body's natural process of responding to pain, by increasing circulation thus produces hormones that promote healing. IFT delivers intermittent pulses to stimulate surface nerves and block the pain signal, by delivering continuous deep stimulation into the affected tissue. IFT relieves pain, increases circulation, decreases edema, and stimulates the muscles. A frequency of 100Hz may stimulate the large diameter A-beta fibers, which have an effect on the pain gate, and inhibit the transmission of small-diameter nociceptive traffic ( C and A-delta fiber), which effectively closes the gait to painful impulses. Interferential current Increases the circulation of blood thus reduces swelling, by washing away the chemicals that stimulate the nociceptive nerve endings.

The frequency between 1 and 100 Hz is used to contract the normal innervated muscles. Different types of frequencies cause different contractions, a low frequency, causes a twitch, frequency between 5 and 20 Hz causes a partial tetany contraction and frequency from 30 to 100 Hz causes a tetanic contraction. IFT also helps to reduce edema 100Hz frequency promotes vasodilation, thus decreases edema. And a frequency of 10 Hz activates the musculoskeletal pump, used to promote venous and lymphatic return causing reduction of edema. The neurons that make the autonomic nervous system, are small and poorly myelinated like the Aδ and C fibers of the peripheral nervous system and to stimulate the autonomic nervous system, lower frequencies are utilized to increase the blood flow.

WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT PARAMETERS OF IFT?

The effect of IFT depends upon

• Frequency
• Intensity of current
• Electrode placement
• Localization of the lesion

Frequency

• 100-150Hz constant or 90-100Hz rhythmic: These frequencies are useful for pain relief, IFT acts on large myelinated fibers in the dorsal horn, blocking off small pain fibers. The higher frequencies have a triggering effect on the endogenous opiates in the mid-brain which inhibit pain.

• 0-10Hz rhythmic or 10- 50Hz rhythmic: These frequencies are useful for muscle stimulation. They produce stimulation of deep, normally innervated muscle tissue with little sensory stimulation. As the frequency increases the contraction changes from a twitch to a tetanic contraction.

• 0-100Hz rhythmic: The range of frequencies produces vasodilatation. This is stimulation and relaxation of vessel walls, giving a sinusoidal effect.

Intensity of current

• The current is increased until the patient feels tingling. As accommodation occurs the intensity is increased to the point of muscle stimulation. The duration of treatment varies between 10 - 20 minutes.

Electrode placement

• The patient is positioned comfortably and the skin is prepared for the treatment. It is cleaned and in case of any skin lesion, the area is insulated with petroleum jelly. Vacuum electrodes or pad electrodes are positioned such that the site for the treatment is accurately located and the two pairs of electrodes are positioned so that the crossing point of the two currents is over or within the lesion.

WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS OR SYMPTOMS TREATED BY IFT?

IFT works in a special way as it uses interferential rather than normal stimulation. The main clinical applications for which IFT appears to be used are

• Pain Relief in conditions such as causalgia, herpes zoster, neuralgia.
• Cervical spondylosis.
• Osteoarthritis of the knee.
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Rheumatoid arthritis.
• Frozen shoulder.
• Disc herniation.
• Spinal canal stenosis.
• Muscle Stimulation - prevent muscle wastage, re-education, maintain range of motionStress incontinence
• Reduction of Edema (Condition involving the excess collection of watery fluid in the cavities or tissues)
• Muscle injuries
• Ligamentous injuries

WHAT ARE THE CONTRAINDICATIONS OF IFT?

IFT is a common pain-relieving modality without side effects that oral painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications have. Like any other therapeutic modality, it also has some limitations like,

• Infective condition
• Malignancy
• Pacemakers
• Loss of sensation.
• Danger of Hemorrhage
• Large open wounds
• Dermatological Conditions
• Pregnant Uterus

What is Interferential Therapy and How does it Work?

The physiotherapy is an important area of medical science that deals with the movement problem and pain while moving various areas of the body such as hands, legs, shoulders, thighs, and back. A physiotherapist is an expert, who can help one get free from such pain with the help of some exercises. He also uses various devices developed by the experts of the field to help the patient get fast relief. The patient here can visit the clinic of the expert, hospital or even ask him to visit his place for effective treatment and he suggests the treatment as per the medical condition of the patient.

What is IFT?

IFT which stands for interferential therapy is one of the ways of offering electrotherapy for management for pain. The IFT treatment is often used for treating chronic, post-traumatic, and post-surgical pain. The IFT therapy has also gained prominence because of its pain-free, drug-free, and non-invasive way of healing. It has been observed that multiple treatments daily can offer improved results. Many people take IFT treatment at home on their own for pain reduction, medication, and edema. However, it must be done under medical supervision as it involves the use of electric currents.

The IFT is given by an interferential therapy machine (IFT) which can be bought from authorized physiotherapy dealers who sell equipment and machines at an affordable price.

The IFT is used for treating following pains:

• Joint injuries
• Tennis elbow
• Back/ neck/ shoulder ailments or injuries
• Knee pain
• Sports injuries
• Fibromyalgia
• Post-surgical pain
• Carpel tunnel syndrome
• Edema/ inflammation

How does IFT therapy work?

Unlike TENS, which uses intermittent pulses for stimulating the surface nerves and blocking the pain signal, the IFT makes use of continuous stimulation administered deep in the affected tissue. The stimulation leads to blocking the pain signals and a decrease in inflammation as well as swelling. The IFT machine uses a 4000 Hz carrier wave to achieve deep penetration and overcomes skin impedance.

The whole line of treatment also includes some exercises along with IFT therapy. The exercises include:

• Stretching injured muscles
• Moving stiff joints
• Strengthening muscle groups to support joints

The whole treatment will be decided by the physiotherapist based on the underlying issue.