Ultrasound
Ultrasound is a specialized method of physical therapy that uses mechanical energy to promote the healing process. It can be used as a way to manage or relieve pain, treat injuries, and improve your ability to perform daily activities.
What does ultrasound treat?
Ultrasound treatments can treat a variety of conditions. It is not limited to one specific ailment or region of pain. Some common conditions that ultrasound helps treat include, but are not limited to:
- Arthritis
- Bursitis
- Tendinitis
- Frozen shoulder
- Muscle spasms
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Sprains, strains, and tears
Ultrasound treatments help to relieve pain, increase blood flow, reduce swelling, decrease inflammation, and promote tissue healing. By doing so, it is able to successfully treat and reduce the painful symptoms of multiple conditions.
How does ultrasound work?
The technology behind ultrasound treatments involves the use of sound waves. These sound waves are used to treat conditions affecting the muscles, ligaments, and bones by creating vibrations that generate heat. When the tissues vibrate, friction is produced at the molecular level, which causes the temperature of the tissues to increase, stimulating the healing process. While heating packs can be effective in warming up an affected area, they are unable to reach the tissues in the same way that ultrasound technology can.
What happens in the body during an ultrasound treatment?
There are two main ways that ultrasound works to heal and repair damaged tissues in the body. The first includes the thermal energy (heat) benefits and the second includes the non-thermal benefits. Heat enters your deep tissues during an ultrasound treatment. Heat helps to reduce pain, increase blood circulation, and allow for an easier stretch of the muscles. The thermal energy produced during your ultrasound treatment can also loosen up tight muscles.
Non-Thermal Benefits: Ultrasound technology can work in beneficial ways that are unrelated to its transfer of heat. The energy that enters the body during an ultrasound treatment creates tiny gas bubbles that gather around the tissues. These bubbles then expand and contract at a rapid pace, which is a process known as cavitation. This can help in repairing any damaged tissue, such as scar tissue and loosening up the muscles.