- Indications
- Myalgia
- Chronic pain of muscles or tendons
- Fractures and scar/tissue adhesions
Ultrasound therapy is a subfield of physical therapy and electrotherapy, and describes the use of ultrasound as a medical procedure that treats pain and supports the body’s self-healing processes. The frequency of ultrasound therapy generally ranges between 20 kHz and 800 kHz.
Treatment
This type of therapy uses both continuous and pulsed ultrasound. The type of ultrasound chosen is determined by the duration of overall treatment and the intensity of the treatment. The affected site can be treated locally, and the relevant nerves can also be stimulated. The treatment duration of a particular site is usually between one and two minutes. Chronic conditions may be treated for up to ten minutes, depending on severity.
Effect
Ultrasound acting on the body causes both a mechanical and thermal effect in the tissue. The mechanical effect is vibrational. Through acoustic pressure, strong compression and expansion in the surrounding tissue is created; the result is similar to a strong massage or connective tissue massage. The thermal effect arises from the absorption of sound by bodily tissue. This formation of heat can be used therapeutically, but it is also a reason for caution. The skin absorbs far less sound than the periosteum (bone skin), which can lead to severe burns even with a minimal sensation of heat on the skin. The heat formation of impulse ultrasound is markedly lower than that of the continuous ultrasound; when treating bones locally, only the impulse type is thus used.
Indications
Typical indications include myalgia, chronic muscle or tendon pain, fractures and scar/tissue adhesions
