GALVANIC CURRENT

BY:

ABDULLAH RADWAN
 The galvanic current
(Direct current)
• It is an uninterrupted unidirectional flow
of electrons.
It is the only current applied according to
polarity (a positive pole and a negative
one).
• Galvanic current represents a constant
flow of electrons from the negative
electrode to the positive one with no
oscillations or alternations.
 Sources of Galvanic Current

1. Batteries (‫(البطاريات‬
2. Vacuum or valve tube
rectifiers (‫(مقومات‬
3. Motor generators (‫(المولدات‬
4. Wall plates
 Different effects of galvanic
current
I. Physical effects
II. Heating effects
III. Physiological effects
 I. Physical effects

1. Ion transfer or iontophoresis

2. Electrophoresis
 1. Ion transfer or iontophoresis

** when a direct current is applied to an

electrolytic solution (NaCl), the ions
begin to wander; those with positive
charge (Na) are attracted to the
negative pole or cathode and those
with a negative charge (Cl) are
attracted to the positive pole or
anode.
• An acidic reaction at the positive pole and an
alkaline reaction at the negative pole will occur
(only under the area of the electrodes), and
when the current is increased to sufficient
intensity, it will lead to destruction of tissues by
coagulation of proteins at the positive pole and
by liquefaction of proteins at the negative pole
(the positive pole of galvanic current hardens
tissues while the negative pole softens them
provided that a current of sufficient intensity is
applied and bare metal electrodes are used;
{surgical galvanism}).
Iontophoresis
2. Electrophoresis
It includes cataphoresis, anaphoresis and electro-
osmosis.
Cataphoresis is the electrophoresis of positively
charged particles (cations).

Anaphoresis is the electrophoresis of negatively

charged particles (anions).

Electro-osmosis indicates shifting of the water

content of the tissues through a membrane
structure with an electrical charge under the
influence of galvanic current.
Cataphoresis and anaphoresis
in acne galvanic ttt
Electro-osmosis
 II. Heating effects
(conversion of electricity into
heat)
Joule’s laws:
1.The heat is directly proportional to the
square of the current strength,
2.The heat is directly proportional to the
resistance,
3. The heat is directly proportional to the
duration of current passage.
• It was proved that the increase of
temperature in an extremity following
prolonged passage of galvanic current
through it, is due to the resulting
vasodilatation and that no heating
effect of any therapeutic value can be
generated by currents below 300
milliamperes; an intensity which
exceeded the physiological tolerance.
 III. Physiological effects

1. Galvanic hyperemia

2. Nerve and muscle stimulation

1. Galvanic hyperemia
Galvanic skin redness restricted to the area
covered by the electrodes will occur with current
application for 10-30 minutes.
It consists of 3 phases:
1. Primary period → an active reddening of the skin
my last several hours,
2. Latent period → reddening disappear entirely,
3. Renewed hyperemia → a late reaction appears
several hours after the primary reaction and may
last for several hours.
As a rule, the redness lasts longer in the skin area
under the negative pole.
2. Nerve and muscle stimulation
Application of the galvanic current to the
motor point (the point at which the nerve
enters the muscle, and it is the point where
maximum contraction is elicited by a given
current) → a concentration of ions of
sufficient intensity will result at this motor
point → stimulation of muscle and nerve
with resulting muscular contraction
whether the muscle is normal or paralyzed.
• Nerve and muscle stimulation will not
occur with high frequency currents due to:
1. the extremely rapid oscillations through
the tissues,
2. the duration of each single impulse is
much below the effective time for ionic
concentration.
(the effectiveness of an electrical stimulus
depends on its intensity, its form, and the
duration of its application)
 Electrotonus
• Closing or make of a direct current will
produce:
→ an increased irritability under the negative
pole or cathode (Catelectrotonus),
→ a decreased irritability at the positive pole
or anode (Anelectrotonus).
• These changes in irritability are called
electrotonus which are reversed on
opening or breaking of the current.
• So that, when the galvanic current is
applied to the healthy nerve and muscle
and the circuit is closed then opened, the
muscle will respond as follows:
1. Cathodal closing contraction (CCC),
2. Anodal closing contraction (ACC),
3. Anodal opening contraction (AOC),
4. Cathodal opening contraction (COC).
 Clinical application of galvanic
current
1. Muscle and nerve testing
2. Treatment of paralyzed muscles
3. Medical galvanism
4. Medical ionization
5. Electrochemical cauterization
1. Muscle and nerve testing:
Reaction of degeneration (RD)
rheobase is the minimal current amplitude
that results in the contraction of a
muscle.
Chronaxie is the minimal time over which
an electric current double the strength of
the rheobase needs to be applied, in
order to stimulate a muscle fiber or nerve
cell.
(complete reaction of degeneration)
• Lengthening of the chronaxie of a nerve
occurs during the earlier stages of its
degeneration, so that it fails to respond to
the brief shocks of faradic current but a
sluggish contraction of the muscle follows
stimulation with the galvanic current, and,
on make of the current the anodal closing
contraction (ACC) may be elicited more
readily than the cathodal closing
contraction (CCC). ACC > CCC
 (Incomplete or partial reaction of
degeneration)
• Occurs when the nerve is still capable of
being excited by the galvanic current, but
the muscle responds very weakly to the
faradic current.
(Absolute reaction of degeneration)
Failure of the muscle and nerve to respond
to both the galvanic and faradic current
 Diagnostic significance of RD
1. It signifies a separation (pathological)
between a muscle and its center at any
level from the anterior horn cell in the
spinal cord down to the muscle.
2. RD is not seen in upper motor neuron
lesions, nor in functional or hysterical
lesions.
 Prognostic significance of RD
1. It indicates changes in nerve and muscle
substance that will take considerable time till
recovery (weeks or even months).
2. The presence of RD is an indicator of an
irreparable damage. It is only a stage of reaction
and not a permanent phenomenon, because
lesions gradually improve and full restoration
may occur.
3. The presence of absolute RD (all response to
electrical stimulation ceases) means that the
treatment is neglected and the muscles had
become completely atrophied.
Testing 10 - 15 days after onset of the lesion
will enable for the differentiation between
mild, moderate, and severe cases.
1. If there is no RD → recovery in 2-4
weeks,
2. If partial RD → recovery may take 6-12
weeks,
3. If complete RD → recovery may take 6-
12 months.
2. Treatment of paralyzed muscles
To keep muscle living and prevent its atrophy till its
nerve regenerates, so recovery will be rapid and
complete.

3. Medical galvanism
It is the skin irritation and hyperemia with reflex
vasodilatation and increased blood supply of the
treated area together with absorption of
inflammatory exudates.
It is used in chronic inflammatory conditions as
counter irritant, to relieve pain and fatigue, and
as a vasodilator agent in some peripheral
vascular diseases.
4. Medical ionization
- It is the introduction of foreign ions into the tissues
using the galvanic current for therapeutic
purposes like corneal ulcers, otitis media, allergic
rhinitis, cervicitis, rheumatic pains in joints ….etc.
5. Electrochemical cauterization:
- It is the controlled tissue destruction by the
caustic effects of galvanic current (alkaline
caustic effect with tissue liquefaction if the active
electrode is connected to the negative pole and
acid caustic effect with tissue coagulation if
connected to the positive pole).
- It is used in removal of excessive hair, removal of
small skin tumors and in galvanic acupuncture.
 Therapy with galvanic current
- Denervated muscles → 5-15 milliampere
may be used
- As a general rule galvanic treatment
should start with 15-20 min period and
may extend up to 30-40 min according to
the condition.
 Techniques and precautions
1.Treatment may be given as:
- an interrupted, direct application,
- continuous galvanic treatment as in medical
galvanism, or
- galvanic bath- through a needle as in surgical
galvanism.
2. Skin sensation should be normal, otherwise
burn and skin destruction may occur.
3. Metal plate should be covered by padding and
no bare edge in contact with the skin.
4. The pad should be soaked with saline before
use.
Good luck