What is ultrasound therapy?
Ultrasound therapy is a treatment option for chronic pain and may be a part of your physical therapy. The goal of ultrasound therapy is to reduce the severity of your pain and promote natural healing of damaged tissues.
You may be a good candidate for ultrasound therapy if you have chronic pain from conditions like:
- Tendinitis
- Ligament tears
- Frozen shoulder
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Plantar fasciitis
- Arthritis
Your Orthopaedic & Rehabilitation Centers provider can determine if ultrasound therapy is right for you after a physical exam and a review of your medical history.
How does ultrasound therapy work?
Ultrasound therapy is a noninvasive procedure that uses ultrasound energy to heat the deep tissues of your body. This energy increases blood circulation in the area and reduces the severity of your pain.
Your Orthopaedic & Rehabilitation Centers provider applies a gel to the surface of your skin to help the handheld transducer glide easily. The transducer delivers different wavelengths of energy into the tissue.
Your provider may also use the energy to trigger the rapid contraction of gas bubbles (cavitation) that surround areas of damaged tissue to speed up the healing process.
Treatment times vary based on your condition and the treatment area. Following your therapy, you can go back to your usual activities without any limitations.
You may need several ultrasound therapy sessions to achieve the maximum benefit of your treatment, and your provider can discuss what to expect for the length of your therapy during your evaluation.
How long does it take to see the results of ultrasound therapy?
Because ultrasound therapy stimulates your body’s own ability to heal, it can take several weeks to notice the benefits of your treatment. Your blood circulation increases, sending more oxygen and nutrients into the areas of damaged tissue.
You may need other types of treatment in addition to ultrasound therapy, like rehabilitation or physical therapy, to promote optimum healing based on your specific condition and its severity.
To learn more about the benefits of ultrasound therapy, call the Orthopaedic & Rehabilitation Centers office nearest you, or schedule a consultation online now.