What Is Ultrasound Therapy?

Generally when we hear the word “ultrasound,” we usually associate it with pregnant women seeing their unborn babies in a mass of black and white on a monitor. When ultrasound technology is used as a diagnostic tool for purposes such as this, the ultrasound waves are emitted at a low frequency.

Rehabilitation offices such as my chiropractic office also utilizes ultrasound technology, which is referred to as ultrasound therapy. In these cases, it is used to treat deep pain, spasms, and stiffness in soft tissue in musculoskeletal injuries, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. Ultrasound therapy, which is non-invasive, is often used when the muscles are too tight for traditional manipulation. This often occurs in patients who have suffered car accidents or chronic back and neck pain from other injuries.

The success of ultrasound therapy is determined by a combination of the chiropractor’s knowledge, their ability to utilize the therapy with the correct technique, and the pathology of the injury. The chiropractors at Reiss Chiropractic are thoroughly trained in using ultrasound therapy.

What Happens During the Therapy?

The chiropractor applies an ultrasound gel to the afflicted area, which helps the transmission of the ultrasound waves. A “wand” is passed over the skin where the pain is, which emits the ultrasound frequency. Although the ultrasound emits a high-frequency sound wave, it is undetectable to humans. Instead, it is emitted as thermal energy. Patients feel little to no heat and often find the treatment relaxing. The high frequency generates heat and vibration which helps to facilitate the healing process of the injured tissues by improving blood flow as the ultrasound “massages” these tissues at the cellular level. It increases the elasticity of collagen in joints, scar tissues, and is able to increase motor and sensory conduction in order to reduce pain and any inflammation in the tissues.

Although utilizing ultrasound therapy provides temporary pain relief, it doesn’t cure the underlying sources of back and neck pain. II t needs to be combined with the other services that I offer such as spinal adjustments, electrical muscle stimulation and exercise.

If you have suffered injuries at work or from a car accident or have been suffering from neck or back pain, contact our office today for more information to see if ultrasound therapy is a possible treatment option for your pain.