Third-degree burns incurred as a result of interferential current therapy

As an ancillary part of physical therapy, ice, heat, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, and interferential currents are often used as nonpharmacological modalities to treat pain and reduce edema. Although medical electrical stimulation devices are touted as having few side effects, cutaneous irritation, contact dermatitis, and bums have been noted. The following article describes a patient who incurred third-degree bums in an area treated with interterential currents.