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Modalities unit 1
vocab words
66
Medical
Not Applicable
01/15/2013

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Term
action potential
Definition
the all-or-none electrical response conducted by a nerve or muscle fire upon depolarization.
Term
accommodation
Definition
the process by which a nerve adapts itself to a stimulus. threshold of excitation increases as stimulus continues.
Term
active electrode
Definition
the stimulating electrode which is placed directly in the treatment area. may be smaller in size than the indifferent electrode or both may be the same size
Term
afferent nerve
Definition
sensory nerve fiber that transmits impulses from the periphery towards the CNS.
Term
alternating current
Definition
Faradic current. current whose direction alternates.
Term
all or none principle
Definition
applies to the depolarization of the nerve cell membrane. once the action potential has begun, it will spread throughout the cell.
Term
ammeter
Definition
instrument calibrated to read in amperes.
Term
ampere
Definition
unit of measure of the amount of electrical current that flows past a certain point in one second.
Term
amplitude
Definition
intensity or strength of current flowing. maximum deviation from zero.
Term
anode
Definition
+ pole or electrode of an electrical device using direct current. usually red.
Term
atom
Definition
the smallest particle of an element. composed of protons, neutrons and electrons.
Term
bipahsic
Definition
a waveform that has 2 phases. one + and one -. waveform that is both above and below the line.
Term
bipolar technique
Definition
electrode placement where both electrodes are placed in the treatment area, both electrodes are the same size, both considered active electrodes. used for stimulating muscles to produce a contraction.
Term
cathode
Definition
- pole or electrode of an electical device using DC.
Term
chronaxie
Definition
minimal duration of a stimulus necessary to produce a mimimal response at an intensity twice that of the rheobase.
Term
closed circuit
Definition
conductor forms pathway between - & + potential thereby allowing current flow.
Term
conductivity
Definition
electric conduction ability of a substance.
Term
current
Definition
flow of charged electrons or ions through a conductor. measured in amperes.
Term
current density
Definition
amount of current flow per unit area. depending on intensity applied, electrode size, and electrode placement.
Term
cycle
Definition
on period of alternating current. 0 to + back to 0 to - and back to 0.
Term
depolarization
Definition
reduction of a voltage difference across a membrane which elicits an action potential.
Term
direct current
Definition
Galvanic current.current that flows in one direction only.
Term
efferent nerve
Definition
motor nerve transmits impulses from CNS toward the periphery.
Term
electric circuit
Definition
path followed by an electric current as it flows through conductors.
Term
electricity
Definition
phenomena associated with static charges and moving streams of charge ( current electricity). associated with existence of electrical charge.
Term
electrode
Definition
a medium intervening between an electric conductor and the object to which the current is to be applied.
Term
electrotherapy
Definition
treatment of injury, disease, pain, or dysfunction by means of electricity.
Term
faradic current
Definition
an alternating current
Term
frequency
Definition
the number of complete cycles per second in an alternating current. measured in Hertz or CPS
Term
galvanic current
Definition
a steady unidirectional current. DC
Term
ground
Definition
an electrical connection with the earth or with any conductor of large capacity.
Term
hertz
Definition
a unit of frequency representing CPS.
Term
indifferent electrode
Definition
may be larger that active electrode. also called dispersive electrode. used to complete circuit so that current will flow.
Term
insulator
Definition
substance that does no easily conduct electricity.
Term
interfferntial
Definition
electrotherapy in which two medium frequency alternating currents of slightly different frequencies are applied to the body in such a way that they cross and "interfere" with one another to produce a low frequency current in the treatment area.
Term
interrupter
Definition
mechanical or electronic device for making and breaking an electrical circuit. 
Term
Ion
Definition
an atom or molecule that has either gained or lost an electron and is electrically charged.
Term
Ion transfer (iontophoresis)
Definition
the introducion of chemical ions into the tissues through the skin for medicinal purposes by the use of an electric current. (direct current)
Term
molecule
Definition
a chemical combination of two or more atoms that form a specific chemical substance.
Term
monphasic
Definition
waveform with only one phase, either + or -. the waveform occurs above the line only.
Term
motor point
Definition
a point on the skin that overlies the place on a muscle where the concentration of motor nerve fibers entering motor end plates is greatest.
Term
negative charge
Definition
The electrical charge carried by a body which has an excess of electrons.
Term
neutron
Definition
an uncharged particle present in all atomic nuclei except the hydrogen nucleus.
Term
nonconductor
Definition
a substance that will not readily conduct electricity. also call an insulator.
Term
Ohm
Definition
the unit of electrical resistance.
Term
ohm's law
Definition
the law that relates three fundamental properties of an electric current. it states that current intensity is directly proportional to EMF. and inversely proportional to resistance.I=E/R
Term
open circuit
Definition
a circuit having some break in it so that current is not passing or cannot pass. the break may be intentional, as an open switch, or accidental such as when the electrode falls of or becomes unplugged.
Term
period
Definition
one cycle of alternating current.0 to + back to 0 to - and back to 0.
Term
phase
Definition
that portion of a wave (or cycle) which rises to maximum (+ or -) and returns to baseline.
Term
polarity
Definition
the property or condition of having two oppositley charged poles
Term
polar effects
Definition
the exhibition of opposite (+ or -) effects at the two poles. changes that occur in the body tissues due to the effect of polarity.
Term
polarization
Definition
the separation of charges by a membrane; its resting state.
Term
positive charge
Definition
the electrical charge carried by a body that has become deficient in electrons.
Term
potential
Definition
the amount of charge held by a body as compared to another point or body measured in volts.
Term
proton
Definition
a particle in the nucleus of an atom that carries the unit positive charge of electricity.
Term
pulsatile current
Definition
D.C or A.C. flow of charged particles that ceases after each pulse for a finite length of time. also called pulsed current or interrupted current.
Term
refractory period
Definition

the time from the beginning of a response in excitable tissue until a new response can be excited.

 

when he Na+ and K+ "pump" must reset itself. The nerve is  less likely to respond. 

Term
repolarization
Definition
the restoration of a membrane to its resting state or electrical potential.
Term
resistance
Definition
the oppositon of a body to passage of an electric current. expressed in ohms.
Term
resting membrane potential
Definition
when a nerve fiber is in its resting state, there is a differnce in poetential between the outer and inner surface of the cell: the outer surface has a positive charge and the inner surface has a negative charge.
Term
rheobase
Definition
the minimum current intenstiy of infinite duration necessary to produce a minimally visible muscle contraction.
Term
sinusoidal current
Definition
an alternating current following the sine law.
Term
static electricity
Definition
electricity produced by friction. electrons or ions that are not moving
Term
strength-duration curve
Definition
a graph showing the relationship between the intensity of a stimulus and the duration of that stimulus.
Term
tetanic contraction
Definition
sustained muscle contraction in response to repetitive electrical stimuli of greater than 50 pps
Term
threshold
Definition
that point in electrically excitable tissue above which a response will occur and below which no response will occur.
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