What Conditions Diathermy Helps Treat

Tenosynovitis

Tenosynovitis is characterized by severe inflammation of the sheath around the tendons. Tendons are covered with what is called synovium, which maintains the lubrication of the tendon by producing synovial fluid. An injury to the sheath may cause it to malfunction and fail to perform its job. When the sheath fails to make enough synovial fluid or any synovial fluid at all, the result is swelling and inflammation of the sheath. This inflammation is most prevalent in the feet tendons, hand tendons, and wrist tendons, but can occur with any tendons. This condition causes an individual to experience difficulty moving, swelling of the affected joint, joint pain, and tenderness of the affected joint. Shortwave diathermy helps to reduce the severe inflammation of the tendon sheaths and does so by increasing cell membrane permeability and reversing the dilation of the blood vessels that allow immune system components to cause swelling and redness in the area. Because tenosynovitis is a deep tissue inflammation, it is often difficult to treat by other means, and shortwave diathermy and microwave diathermy have shown promising results for inflammation and pain relief associated with it.