Iontophoresis Therapy

IONTOPHORESIS:

Iontophoresisis a treatment provided to our patients when prescription medications are prescribed by a Medical or Osteopathic Physician (in liquid form), to be delivered by our Iontophoresis delivery system.  The Medications are applied to specially buffered electrodes and driven through the skin by an electric current using a special waveform.  It is like a trigger point injection without the needle!

Dexamethasone (a steroid medication) in aqueous solution is applied to a gauzed self-adhesive disposable buffered electrode.  The medication soaked electrode is applied to the area of complaint and a secondary magnetized electrode is placed distally.  The medication is pulled from the medication electrode toward the magnetized electrode.  Electrodes are attached to the Iontophoresis Unit and the specialized  Iontophoresis current is applied to the medication electrode.  This accelerates the medication being driven through the skin barrier (without pain) into the area of complaint, via an Ion Transport mechanism.  (The negative electrode repels the negatively charged Dexamethasone toward the magnetized positive electrode.)  The process takes about 10 minutes to complete. 

Dexamethasone’s purpose as a steroid medication is to increase the rate of healing and the metabolic rate of the injured tissues.  Often, Xylocaine is mixed as a pain relieving medication also.

Protocol is to follow the Iontophoresis treatment with ultrasound which produces deep heating and increases circulation.  This helps to distribute the medication in the area of complaint once it is passed through the skin barrier.

Iontophoresis is a treatment alternative to trigger point injections for a localized dose of steroid medication and is an alternative to a Medrol Dosepak which would be a systemic dose of steroid medication.