---
title: "What Is Interferential current therapy? TENS and Pain Glossary"
description: "Interferential current therapy is a form of electrotherapy that uses a medium frequency alternating current, delivered through electrodes, and clinicians use it..."
url: https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/interferential-current-therapy
publisher: Analgesic Healthcare
phone: +1-800-749-1188
contact: https://analgesic.multisites.ai/contact
---

Therapy

# Interferential current therapy

Interferential current therapy is a form of electrotherapy that uses a medium frequency alternating current, delivered through electrodes, and clinicians use it in pain care.

Interferential current therapy, often shortened to IFC, is a type of electrotherapy. A 2022 narrative review in PMC describes it as a medium frequency alternating current therapy that reportedly reduces skin impedance and can reach deeper tissues. The same review says clinicians commonly use it to alleviate pain, mainly of musculoskeletal origin. Do not assume a home [TENS unit](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/tens-unit) offers it. If your device lists an interferential mode, ask your clinician what it is for and how to use it. Compare the options in [TENS vs EMS, NMES and interferential therapy](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/guides/tens-vs-ems-nmes-interferential).

## Related terms

-   [Electrotherapy](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/electrotherapy)
-   [TENS](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/tens)
-   [EMS](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/ems)
-   [NMES](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/nmes)

## Sources

1.  [PMC: Analgesic Effects of Interferential Current Therapy: A Narrative Review](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8779694/)

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