Hi Sara,
Of course Knot can offer much more valuable information than I can, since I've only experienced ionto as a patient and I have NO medical expertise. But I just wanted to reinforce that you are NOT having a normal reaction to it. I had ionto for about 4-6 weeks last year for peroneal tendinitis from running (tendon that runs behind the ankle and wraps under the foot). The ionto was mildly helpful for me, got rid of the acute "I can't walk for more than 100 yards without limping" pain but didn't return me to running (massage did though, amazingly well).

But, I never had anything more than mild tingling from the treatments. We did twice a week. I think the machine worked on some sort of watt/minute measurement (takes less time at higher wattage, more time at lower wattage) and they would always take 5 minutes adjusting the settings to my comfort. I think my skin must be thick, because they kept asking, ok, do you feel anything now? does it hurt now? and every time they were able to crank it up as high as it would go (they always seemed surprised). Afterwards the therapist would rub a little cream on the areas that the electrodes had contacted. But I never even had redness.

I did have weird systemic reactions that I attribute (perhaps erroneously) to the dexamethasone. On days I had treatments, I would be jittery after the treatment and couldn't sleep at all. I was also off/irritable and it seemed to aggravate acne... I attributed the mood/sleep symptoms (which were pronounced and completely limited to days I had treatments) to the dex because I've had similar experiences other times I've had to take medications with steroids -- but, according to the package inserts anyway, this kind of systemic reaction is supposed to be unusual with ionto (as opposed to steroids taken orally or through injection), so maybe it was coincidence .

Anyhoo you shouldn't be swelling. I hope you are able to find another treatment that works.