Electrotherapy
Iontophoresis
"The procedure basically means that drugs are injected to the body via current.The medicine in the form of ions slowly penetrates different layers of the skin and reaches the area to be treated. The substance can be enter the bloodstream, or appear (e.g. in case of knee joint iontophoresis) in synovial fluid as well. The process is used because of its local impact, but the absorbed drug can have an overall effect as well (which is why it is always necessary to ask the patient about drug sensitivity).Analgesic agents (e.g. lidocaine), steroids, circulatory enhancers (e.g. dionin) certain denudation facilitating drugs (e.g. hyase) come from the positive pole, while the majority of non-steroidal gels and the denudation facilitating potassium jodatum come from the negative pole into the skin. The treatment time is dosed: generally 15-30 min, with the surface of the electrod and the current playing smaller roles. Dionint (and solution-based drugs) should be sprinkled on the material between, but e.g. gel drugs should be pressed onto the surface to be treated and wiped. Then apply cellophane on the wiped surface (so that gels, ointments are more likely to enter the skin, not the material in between). The congestion causing dionin should be used to relieve painful muscle spasms, while non-steroidal anti-inflammatory gels should be used when treating pain of superficially located arthritis or soft tissues."