How to choose a method of physical therapy for therapeutic, preventive and rehabilitative purposes?

When prescribing physiotherapy procedures, it is necessary to know and constantly remember the general contraindications to physiotherapy. The appointment of any physiotherapy procedures is prohibited for the following diseases and pathological conditions of the patient:

• malignant neoplasms,
• systemic blood diseases,
• severe exhaustion of the patient (cachexia),
• hypertension stage III,
• severe atherosclerosis of the cerebral vessels,
• cardiovascular diseases in the decompensation stage,
• bleeding or tendency to bleeding,
• the general serious condition of the patient,
• feverish condition (patient's body temperature above 38 °C),
• active pulmonary tuberculosis,
• epilepsy with frequent seizures,
• hysteria with severe convulsive attacks,
• psychoses with psychomotor agitation

It should be noted that in specialized medical institutions where cancer patients, patients with various forms of tuberculosis (including pulmonary) and systemic blood diseases are treated, various methods of physiotherapy are widely used. However, these institutions have their own regulatory documents governing medical activities and their own methodological recommendations for the use of the effects of certain physical factors. In other medical and health institutions, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the general contraindications for physiotherapy.

In addition to general contraindications, there are contraindications to specific physiotherapy methods depending on the diagnosis of the disease or pathological condition of the patient, as well as on the characteristics of the manifestations of the action of the physical factor. It should be remembered that in some cases they are absolute (the presence of metal objects in the patient's area of impact or an electric pacemaker), in other cases - the approach is strictly individual.

Physiotherapeutic effects result in various clinical effects. Their presence and severity under the action of certain external physical factors depend on the properties of these factors and on the ability to initiate certain biological reactions. A comparative analysis of the data on the effectiveness of the corresponding physiotherapy methods for various pathologies over a 20-year observation period allowed us to compile groups of lists of therapeutic physical factors that have a corresponding significant clinical effect. In each list, the physiotherapy methods are designated by serial numbers in decreasing order of clinical effect: the greatest - for the method with the first number, the least - for the method with the last number.

Physiotherapy methods that provide pain relief

• Transcranial electroanalgesia
• Diadynamic therapy
• Short-pulse electroanalgesia
• Amplipulse therapy
• Fluctuation
• Galvanization and medicinal electrophoresis
• Ultrasound therapy and medicinal phonophoresis
• Laser irradiation and medicinal photophoresis
• UHF therapy
• UHF therapy
• Inductothermy
• Magnetic therapy

Physiotherapy methods that have an anti-inflammatory effect

• Galvanization and medicinal electrophoresis
• Ultrasound therapy and medicinal phonophoresis
• Laser irradiation and medicinal photophoresis
• UHF therapy
• SMV therapy
• UHF therapy
• Inductothermy

Physiotherapy methods that have an antispasmodic effect

• Inductothermy 2. UHF therapy
• Electrosleep therapy
• SMV therapy
• UHF therapy
• Galvanization and medicinal electrophoresis
• Laser irradiation and medicinal photophoresis
• Ultrasound therapy and medicinal phonophoresis
• Fluctuation

Physiotherapy methods that improve vascular microcirculation

• Magnetic therapy
• Darsonvalization
• Ultratonotherapy
• Laser irradiation and medicinal photophoresis
• Inductothermy
• UHF therapy
• SMV therapy
• Ultrasound therapy and medicinal phonophoresis
• Diadynamic therapy

Physiotherapy methods that improve regenerative action

• Magnetic therapy
• Laser irradiation and medicinal photophoresis
• Darsonvalization
• Ultratonotherapy
• SMV therapy
• UHF therapy
• Ultrasound therapy and medicinal phonophoresis

Physiotherapy methods that have a sedative effect

• Central electroanalgesia
• Electrosleep therapy
• Galvanization and medicinal electrophoresis
• Magnetic therapy
• Inductothermy

Physiotherapy methods that have a hypotensive effect

• Electrosleep therapy
• Central electroanalgesia
• Galvanization and medicinal electrophoresis
• Magnetic therapy
• Inductothermy
• UHF therapy

Physiotherapy methods that have an immunocorrective effect

• UHF therapy
• SMV therapy
• Laser irradiation and medicinal photophoresis
• Ultrasound therapy and medicinal phonophoresis

Physiotherapy methods that have a desensitizing effect

• Medicinal electrophoresis
• Electrosleep therapy
• Laser irradiation and medicinal photophoresis
• Galvanization
• UHF therapy
• Magnetic therapy

Physiotherapy methods that have an antipruritic effect

• Laser irradiation and medicinal photophoresis
• Ultraviolet irradiation
• Irradiation with visible and infrared light
• UHF therapy
• Magnetic therapy

Physiotherapy methods that reduce cutaneous receptor sensitivity

• Darsonvalization
• Ultratonotherapy
• Laser irradiation and medicinal photophoresis
• Irradiation with visible and infrared light

Physiotherapy methods that have a neuromyostimulating effect

• Electrical stimulation
• Diadynamic therapy
• Short-pulse electroanalgesia
• Amplipulse therapy
• Ultrasound therapy and medicinal phonophoresis
• Interference therapy

Physiotherapy methods that improve venous outflow

• Darsonvalization
• Ultratonotherapy
• Laser irradiation and medicinal photophoresis
• Magnetic therapy
• Inductothermy

Physiotherapy methods that inhibit excessive growth of connective tissue (prevention of occurrence and treatment of keloid scars)

• Ultrasound therapy and medicinal phonophoresis
• Laser irradiation and medicinal photophoresis
• Diadynamic therapy
• Amplipulse therapy

Physiotherapy methods that stimulate secretory functions

• UHF therapy
• SMV therapy
• UHF therapy
• Inductothermy
• Laser irradiation and medicinal photophoresis
• Galvanization and medicinal electrophoresis

Physiotherapy methods that have a bronchodilatory effect

• Inhalation therapy
• UHF therapy
• UHF therapy
• Inductothermy
• Ultrasound therapy and medicinal phonophoresis
• Laser irradiation and medicinal photophoresis

Physiotherapy methods that have a bactericidal and bacteriostatic effect

• Ultraviolet irradiation
• UHF therapy
• Laser irradiation

Physiotherapy methods that have an adaptogenic effect

• Hydrotherapy
• Massage
• Electrosleep therapy

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