Injuries to the tendons, ligaments, muscles, and cartilage heal very slowly. The problem is that people will try to continue to use the already injured body part, so the injury is continually stressed. Treating with therapeutic ultrasound helps reduce pain and swelling and speed up the healing process by relaxing the affected area. Professional athletes use it before and after strenuous exercise to prevent and protect against these types of injuries.
Chronic ailments, including arthritis and swollen disks, in which swelling and pain are present can also be treated with therapeutic ultrasound. It can increase flexibility in atrophied joints, which are joints that are unused and frozen. Athletes with chronic ailments from previous injuries will use it to prevent the affected area from impacting their performance.
Therapeutic ultrasound relives muscle strains, muscle tension, and trigger points effectively. Trigger points are sensitive spots in the muscle where there’s poor circulation and atrophy. Those who suffer from muscle tension headaches and migraines can use the machine on the back of the neck and across the upper back for relief. The machine releases the trigger points, which are usually the cause of pain. Releasing the trigger point means draining the buildup of lactic acid and toxins in that particular sensitive spot in the muscle and increasing circulation and nutrients to the area.
Length of Treatment
Each session of ultrasound therapy lasts about 5-10 minutes and is administered 2-4 times per day until the treated area heals. Treatments can either be done in a professional clinic or at home. At home, the patient can use a light weight, handheld portable ultrasound machine along with ultrasound gel or therapeutic gel to treat himself/herself.
Pain relief is noticed immediately when using therapeutic ultrasound, and it should gradually decrease over a 2-3 week period depending on the severity of the injury or condition. Even after the pain is gone, it is recommended that the ultrasound therapy continue once or twice a week to ensure that the pain doesn’t recur.