Using Ultrasound Therapy Machines to Reduce Joint and Muscle Pain

Ultrasound therapy machines are used by trainers, chiropractors, and therapists for treating joint pain, arthritis pain, and muscle pain. Many people believe that this type of therapy alleviates their pain and also helps in their healing process.

In the ultrasound therapy, very high frequency sound waves generated by the ultrasound machines are allowed to deeply penetrate the skin of your painful or injured area. In this procedure, a probe or wand with a rounded head, which is further attached to a home ultrasound machine, is used by holding it in hand. A gel is rubbed on the skin and the probe head is then gently moved on the affected body area by making small circular motions.

The ultrasonic (high frequency) waves are generated by the vibration on the head of the hand held probe. These waves then travel all through the skin causing tissue vibration in the affected areas of the body. This vibration of tissues heats them up, resulting in many beneficial effects on the injury. This is so because now the heated area draws more blood as a result of which large amounts of nutrients are delivered to the affected area. The main aim here is to somehow increase the flow of blood so that large amounts of nutrients reach the affected cell tissues.

The dosage of therapeutic ultrasound can easily be varied by slightly altering the frequency of the ultrasound beam. All the necessary controls for achieving this are placed on the control panel of ultrasound machine. A much deeper penetration of waves is achieved when the frequency is lowered, successfully dealing with any deep tissue injury.

High frequency dosages are normally used for all those injuries which are much closer to surface of the skin. A normal therapy session lasts about 4 - 12 minutes depending upon the injury.

There are some areas which should be avoided during the usage of ultrasound therapy machines. You should never use ultrasound therapy machines near the brain, spine, face, lungs, liver, kidneys, testicles, or ovaries. Care should also be taken when ultrasound therapy machines are used on pregnant women or people taking coagulant medicines.

Ultrasound therapy is usually safe when it is administered by some trained person or therapeutic professional. This is due to the ability of the handheld probe to burn the surface tissues or even cartilage and bones if continuously, kept in place, on some area for a long duration.

Ultrasound therapy machines are now also available for fibromyalgia treatment and rehabilitation. As fibromyalgia involves a soft tissue inflammation, therefore a particular type of portable ultrasound machine is used in its treatment. It is essential to purchase quality ultrasound therapy machines, which are approved by FDA. They should also be covered with a minimum one year warranty.

Today you can also purchase ultrasound therapy machines for personal use at home. These models would cost you few hundred dollars. You should however consult your doctor before using such ultrasound therapy machines.

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Christine Beggs is the founder and CEO of EZUltrasound.com, the leading provider of portable home ultrasound machines to relieve pain and speed healing. Over the past 2 years, Christine has strived to deliver affordable, therapeutic ultrasound machines to anyone who needs them. Working closely with doctors and physical therapists, Christine has first hand knowledge of ultrasound therapy, its benefits and applications, and has a passion for sharing this knowledge in her articles. She developed EZUltrasound.com to relay her continual dedication to improving the quality of people's lives through the use of therapeutic ultrasound. To find out more, please visit www.EZUltrasound.com.

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Physical Therapy Ultrasound Helps Reduce Joint and Muscle Pain

Physical therapy ultrasound has been around since the 1940's, when therapists learned that ultrasound waves could destroy brain tissue and used it to treat patients with Parkinson disease. Patients could also receive treatment for ulcers and arthritis using ultrasound waves. Ultrasound is a form of heat therapy, and heat has been proven to loosen muscles and tissues and help people relax. With physical therapy ultrasound patients can receive noninvasive treatment for back, neck, knee, and leg pain.

What Is Ultrasound in Physical Therapy?

Ultrasound makes high frequency sound waves that when placed on an area of the body cause vibrations. These vibrations, rather than the actual ultrasound machine, is what causes the production of heat. The vibrations happen deep within the tissues. Blood is drawn into the tissues from the vibrations and bring more nutrients and enzymes that help heal damaged areas.

Ultrasound can help patients who need relief from pain, inflammation, and frequent muscle spasms. The vibrations of the molecules within the tissue also increases the flexibility of joints and can help speed the healing of scar tissue. The therapist will choose whether to use ultrasound continuously or in pulses depending on the location and intensity of the pain. A therapist may also choose to apply ultrasound for a short period to help loosen muscles before exercise therapy.

How Does Physical Therapy Ultrasound Work?

A sound head is used to administer the ultrasound waves to the affected area. A therapist will squirt a hypoallergenic gel onto the probe to help reduce friction when using the sound head. For several minutes the therapist will rub the sound head in circular motions across the skin, allowing the sound waves to vibrate the tissues. The sound head must move continuously or the high frequency waves can cause slight burns or hot spots.

Physical therapists can also use an anti-inflammatory gel in conjunction with the hypoallergenic gel when administering ultrasound. The ultrasound waves cause the medicated gel to enter the body, helping to reduce inflammation and swelling of the tissues.

Patients will either sit in a chair or lie on a table to receive treatment. Depending on the area being treated, patients may need to change into a gown or robe before receiving treatment.

Specific Conditions Helped by Ultrasound Therapy

Ultrasound therapy works best on conditions that cause swelling and muscle soreness. Some common conditions that would benefit from ultrasound therapy include:

muscle spasms
nerve compression
arthritis and osteoarthritis
carpal tunnel
fibromyalgia
myofascial pain syndrome
rheumatoid arthritis
whiplash
tendinitis
sprains
herniated discs

Physical therapy ultrasound is a modality that is used in conjunction with other therapies. The duration of ultrasound therapy is dependent upon the severity of the pain and whether or not the therapy seems to be showing favorable results. Ultrasound therapy is generally safe for most patients. However, patients who have pacemakers, open wounds, have a chance of being pregnant, or recently had surgery should inform the therapist before receiving treatment.

Read more about a medical advice. Visit Medical Pulse.

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