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Ultrasound Therapy: What Is It and How Does It Work?

 

Ultrasound therapy (a.k.a. ultrasonography) is a common imaging technique not just used for pregnant women but for physical therapy also. It can be used to treat a variety of physical ailments from pain to tissue injuries to muscle spasms. Believe it or not, ultrasound therapy can also help with breaking down large kidney stones in order to make them easier to pass or remove. Anyone who is suffering from kidney stones can attest to this relief!! Physical therapists can use ultrasound therapy as part of a recovery plan. I can give you some insight into what ultrasound therapy is, how it works, and if you may benefit from it and HPFY has all your ultrasound therapy needs.

How Does Ultrasound Therapy Work?

After an injury or surgery/procedure, your doctor may prescribe going to a physical therapist for ultrasound therapy. I’m sure you’ve heard of it, but what exactly does it entail? It’s non invasive procedure works by using high-frequency sound waves or mechanical vibrations to promote circulation in injured or inflamed tissue that may be causing pain. An ultrasound machine functions by passing an electrical current through the crystals in a probe.

This vibrates and causes waves to travel through the affected tissue for desired effects such as:

• Pushing/moving tissue
• Dissolving blood clots
• Heating tissue
• Muscle relaxation

Ultrasound therapy penetrates deep into the body’s tissues and the sound waves produce a gentle heating known as thermal energy. This gentle heating promotes blood flow, relaxes muscles, and can reduce pain/inflammation while being used typically for ailments like:

• Muscle strains
• Bursitis
• Tendinitis
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Kidney stones
• Osteoarthritis
• Myofascial pain syndrome

Types of Ultrasound Therapy

The frequency and intensity of the ultrasound, the area needing therapy, and duration of the procedure will all dictate how physical ultrasound therapy is performed. Typically, there are two types of ultrasound physical therapy and they include:

1. Thermal ultrasound: The ultrasound wand used in this type of therapy causes the skin and muscles to vibrate and heat up. This can be utilized when treating soft tissue pain and other musculoskeletal issues and can even be adapted to treat prostate cancer, skin issues, and uterine fibroids.
2. Mechanical ultrasound: In this type of ultrasound therapy waves created by the ultrasound wand create pressure differences in tissue fluids causing bubbles. When these bubbles interact with solid objects they burst, creating shock waves. This therapy is also known as cavitation ultrasound therapy and can be used to break down kidney stones making them easier to pass or remove.

Benefits of Ultrasound Therapy

Ultrasound physical therapy has many benefits so how do you know if it will benefit your individual condition? Your doctor may suggest visiting a physical therapist for ultrasound physical therapy and has a number of benefits such as:

• Pain reduction
• Expedite healing
• Improve range of motion
• Enhanced tissue repair
• Inflammation reduction
• Soft-tissue injury recovery
• Breaks down scar tissue

When performed properly by a licensed physical therapist, ultrasound physical therapy typically poses no risk to the patient. It is noninvasive and pain-free and the process requires no anesthetic. There are no known harmful effects of ultrasound therapy so it can be safer than other therapies.

Our Top Products For Ultrasound Therapy

When to Seek Medical Attention

Normally ultrasound physical therapy is a safe and noninvasive procedure but there are some rare instances where problems can occur. Pregnant women should not undergo ultrasound physical therapy in order to avoid harm to the fetus. Also, this therapy should be avoided by those with pacemakers or other implanted devices. Tell your doctor or physical therapist if you experience superficial burns on your skin that may occur during prolonged use of ultrasound therapy. Also, cavitation ultrasounds may cause some internal bleeding or scarring and cellular activity damage. Notify your medical professional as soon as possible if any of these rare problems arise.

References:

1. How Ultrasound Physical Therapy Works
2. What is ultrasound therapy?
3. What Is The Purpose of Ultrasound Therapy?
4. What is high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)?
5. Benefits and Risks of Therapeutic Ultrasound

 

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