To ease arthritis pain, you do not necessarily have to rely solely on pain pills and steroids. There are a few alternative treatments that may help you find relief. One of these treatments is bioelectric therapy.

What Is Bioelectric Therapy?

Bioelectric therapy is the delivery of a precise dose of bioelectric current through electrodes placed on the skin. These currents cause a biological change and interrupt pain signals to the brain.

Bioelectric therapy relieves pain by blocking pain messages to the brain. For example, when you hurt your finger, the pain-sensing nerves in your finger send a message to the spinal cord and brain. The message is registered as pain, causing you to interpret your body's urgent message to "treat the injury." There are certain cells in the spinal cord that act as a "gate," regulating the traffic of painful impulses. Bioelectric therapy overloads these cells by electrical stimulation, causing a "traffic jam," which stops painful impulses from reaching the brain.

Bioelectric therapy also prompts the body to produce pain-blocking chemicals -- called endorphins -- that decrease or eliminate painful sensations. Endorphins, along with other body chemicals that modify nerve impulses, block the message of pain from being delivered to the brain.

What Conditions Are Treated With Bioelectric Therapy?

Bioelectric therapy can be used to treat a number of conditions known to cause pain, including:

• Complex regional pain syndrome (also known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy or RSD)
• Back pain
• Muscle pain
• Headaches and migraines
• Disorders of the blood flow in the upper and lower limbs
• Arthritis
• Temporal mandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome
• Disorders of the nervous system, such as peripheral nerve damage (polyneuropathy) and diabetic neuropathy
• Pain and ulcers of the skin resulting from poor circulation or scleroderma

What Happens During the Treatment?

First, several small, flat, rubber adhesive discs (called electrodes) are applied to your skin at prescribed areas to be treated. Sometimes, rubber suction cups (called a vasopneumatic device) may be applied to your skin.

The electrodes are hooked up to a computer that programs the precise treatment dosage required. High frequency, alternating electrical currents (around 4000 pulses per second) are applied through the electrodes. The currents move through the skin quickly with little discomfort.

During treatment, your response to the electrical stimulation is monitored. This allows your therapist to adjust the electrical stimulation being applied, as needed.

The actual treatment time is about 20 minutes.

Does Bioelectric Therapy Hurt?

When electricity is applied, a mild vibrating, tingling or gentle tickling sensation is common. This sensation should not be uncomfortable; you should feel relaxing, soothing pain relief.

As the currents are applied, you will provide verbal feedback to the therapist. If the sensation becomes too strong, tell the therapist right away so the treatment can be adjusted. It is incorrect to believe that more sensation is better. Rather, you should be comfortable and enjoy the treatment.

 VitaDocs Medical Reference provided in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic