|
Therapeutic
Ultrasound
Therapeutic ultrasound is one of the most common
electrophysical modalities used by physicians in
today’s technologically advanced nations, and
has been for several decades. Its effectiveness
has been enhanced over the years by studies
which helped determine optimum techniques and
patterns of application, and a wide range of
injuries have shown to be responsive to this
popular, non-invasive therapy.
Therapeutic
Ultrasound is a deep heating modality that uses
high-frequency acoustic vibration above the
human audible spectrum, defined as frequencies
>17,000 Hz (therapeutic ultrasound is in the
frequency range of 0.8-1.0 MHz). Therapeutic ultrasound
reaches underlying tissues as deep as 1 to 5
centimeters.
Ultrasound energy is generated by the
piezoelectric effect; electrical energy is
applied to a crystal, causing it to vibrate at a
high frequency and to produce ultrasound.
Ultrasound is delivered by continuous or pulsed
wave and provides a high heating intensity.
Therapeutic ultrasound simply stimulates and penetrates the
repair of damaged tissues, relieves pain,
increases blood flow, relaxes muscle spasms, and
dramatically speeds the healing process.
It creates
permanent, physical changes and repairs both
hard and soft tissues problems. One of the major
advantages of ultrasound is that it is nontoxic
and nondestructive.
Some Common
Therapeutic Effects of Ultrasound:
- Stimulates healing without irritation
- Temporary analgesia
- Increased peripheral blood flow and
metabolism
- Increased vascularity with associated
hyperemia/inflammatory response
- Increased cell membrane permeability
- Breaks up and softens scar tissue and
adhesions
- Peripheral nerve conduction changes
(reversible conduction block with
high-intensity ultrasound exposure)
- Reduces nerve root irritation,
inflammation, swelling, and calcium deposits
- Relief of muscle spasms
- Enhances the body’s natural healing
process
Other therapies may be called for in cases of
severe injury, and of course it is incumbent on
the skilled therapist to design a customized
program of treatment and rehabilitation to meet
the specific needs of the patient for optimum
results. But in the initial stages of treatment,
timely applications of ultrasound can be
invaluable.
In one controlled study designed to test the
healing effects of micromassage on damaged
tissue, therapeutic ultrasound applied early on
in the treatment of experimentally induced
muscle injuries showed a positive effect on
satellite cell and fibroblast proliferation. The
test results indicated that pulsed ultrasound
applied from day one after an acute muscle
injury can promote satellite cell proliferation
phase of the myoregeneration, and also prolongs
the fibroblast proliferation period. Satellite
cell proliferation was enhanced significantly
(up to 96%) by the ultrasound treatment during
the early stages of regeneration.
The period of rapid fibroblast proliferation was
extended from 3-4 days in the control group, to
7-10 days in the ultrasound therapy groups,
without any noticeable effect on the
recapillarization process. Pain reduction is
another area where ultrasound is highly
effective. Matrix therapy is a type of nerve
block using a frequency of current
(25,000-30,000 Hertz) which can eliminate mild
to severe musculoskeletal pain without the need
for injectible pharmaceutical nerve blocks.
If you would like more information regarding
our durable medical equipment company (DME)
service or to find out how we can begin
supplying your office with portable ultrasound
units, please contact us toll free at
1-866-512-7252
or email us at
support@advancedmedsales.com.
|
