Physiotherapy- UltraSound Therapy in Rehabilitation Medicine

A bit of introduction

Okay, science and tech lovers, some folks do not know this, so let's talk about it a little

Now, ultrasound comes in two forms alright, we have the diagnostic ultrasound which is basically used to check out what is going on in the body. Its solely for the purpose of examination. One thing you would have noticed, is it being used for pregnant women to check out the number of babies they carry in the early stages of pregnancy and to also check out the baby's health or activity. This type of ultrasound is also used to check out the integrity of soft tissue. It is like I mentioned before, its a diagnostic ultrasound.

The second type of ultrasound which would be our sole focus today is the therapeutic ultrasound a.k.a ultrasound therapy. Unlike diagnostic Ultrasound, it is solely for treatment purposes, that is to make people feel better, what do I mean by this ?

Read On ...

^{Image is mine, taken with Tecno Camon 19}

Now I want you to Imagine tiny sound waves, so small that even Spider-Man would struggle to spot them, doing some serious magic inside your body. That’s ultrasound therapy – which is basically the use of sound waves (ultrasonic sound) penetrating through your body to heal injuries and relieve pain.

You see, this therapy involves using a fancy device that emits these sound waves. Don’t worry; it won’t turn you into a human radio, but it might make you feel like one! These waves – too high-pitched for our ears to jam to – penetrate deep into our tissues, stirring up a healing process for our muscles and tendons.

Ultrasound therapy! It’s like magic for your body, especially when you’ve got a sore muscle or a boo-boo that needs fixing. This awesome treatment uses special sound waves that are way too high-pitched for us to hear, and these little sound waves are pros at healing stuff.

Let's Understand How It Works

Fundamentally, sound waves are the heroes of ultrasound therapy alright. They come from a fancy device and operate at frequencies between 0.75 and 3.0 MHz. These waves travel through your skin, going deep into your tissues. Once they’re in, they kind of give a gentle shake, making the area feel cozy and warm.

The Secret Healing Power

This warmth is like a comfy hug for your insides and trust me it shouldn't hurt even in the slightest if done right! It wakes up the cells in the area being treated, getting more blood to flow there. This blood brings lots of good stuff like oxygen and nutrients to help fix up the hurt spot faster. It also sweeps away the yucky, bad-for-the-body stuff, like taking out the trash, helping you heal quicker. Plus, it helps other treatments sneak deeper into your body, working better.

Different Tissues, Different Stories

These sound waves act differently depending on where they are. They're like friends who get along with everyone. They move through soft parts like muscles easily but give a little pushback in harder parts like bones. This means ultrasound therapy can be adjusted to treat different body parts just right.

How It Helps in Physiotherapy

^{Image is mine, taken with Tecno Camon 19}

What It Fixes

Ultrasound therapy is your hero when it comes to fixing soft tissue injuries, like strains, sprains, and other aches in your muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

Two Cool Techniques employed in the use of Ultrasound therapy

There are two main ways ultrasound therapy works: continuous and pulsed. One keeps the warmth going for a deep hug, while the other goes on and off like a flickering light, helping with swelling and fixing tissues.

Why It's Awesome

Compared to other treatments, ultrasound therapy is like a superhero with super-precise powers. It only fixes where it’s needed without bothering the healthy parts around it. And guess what? It’s super gentle, so no worries about scary surgeries or stuff like that! Above all, it brings good stuff to affected areas. Good stuffs like :

Blood Flow Boost
Think of the blood as a superhero rushing to help you out! Ultrasound therapy gets more blood flowing, bringing in good stuff to help fix you up faster.

Reducing Swelling and Pain
This therapy is like a magician - it makes swelling and pain disappear, so you can move better and feel good.

Reducing and breaking down Scar Tissue
Ultrasound waves are like magic for scars, breaking them down, reducing their size, and making them more flexible, so you can move easier. Trust me if you are looking for an effective way to reduce your scar tissue ultrasound therapy combined with silicon gel is your best option.

Chilling Out Muscles
That cozy warmth helps in easing pain and making your muscles feel super relaxed, a feeling that you sometimes get after a good nap.

How It Helps in Real Life

^{Image is mine, taken with Tecno Camon 19 and editted using snapseed}

What It Can Fix
From annoying tendonitis to muscle spasms and those ouchies that just don’t want to go away, ultrasound therapy works wonders!

What Science Says

Lots of smart people did research, and they say ultrasound therapy is the real deal. It mostly helps heal tissues and says ‘bye-bye’ to pain.

How It’s Done and Staying Safe

How Much and How Long
The Physiotherapists don’t just wing it; they make a special plan for each session depending on what’s wrong and what you need. Safety comes first, so no worries about getting hurt!

Teaming Up with Other Treatments

Ultrasound therapy is like a team worker when it needs to be; it can work in combination with other treatments like exercises and massages to make you feel all better.

Wrapping It Up

Ultrasound therapy isn't just some fancy gadget; it’s like a therapeutic tool in the world of physiotherapy. Using sound waves, it helps heal you, boost blood flow to particular areas, make pains go away, and so much more. It's like a superhero sidekick for skilled physiotherapists when used, helping you feel your best!

Thanks for reading, Sayonara 🖐️

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Resources for further reading

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• https://www.physio-pedia.com/Therapeutic_Ultrasound
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547717/
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/ultrasound-therapy-for-pain
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/ultrasound-therapy
• https://www.painscience.com/articles/ultrasound.php
• https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article/81/7/1339/2857679

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Credit

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^{All images used are mine}