Ultrasound Therapy and It's Uses

Baby, Fetus, Gender. These are all words we associate with ultrasound, and while an ultrasound can be used to look at these things, there are many other purposes and uses for these tests. They can be used to relieve pain, heat deep underneath your skin, Obstetrics (checking fetus development etc.) physical therapy, drug delivery, and even help to remove brain tumors. While I said earlier that Obstetrics is only one use, it still #1 use of ultrasound machines, which is probably why we think that first. In reality ultrasounds have totally revolutionized the medical field. Doctors can do many more things now, they can now have a more accurate assessment of our problems without even cutting us open. They can now relieve pain that they never could relieve before (below the surface pain.) Ultrasound has opened a world of endless possibilities.

In my opinion the best part about ultrasound machines is their deep reach. An ultrasound can reach twice as deep as a massage, which means it can get past the dermis layer of our skin and then help prevent a whole array of problems from there including inflammation, possible tumors, muscle pain/spasms. Ultrasounds can also reduce calcium buildups and swelling, facilitate the healing of muscles or bones, break up scar tissues, reduce nerve irritation, and even increase blood flow.

How does an ultrasound do all this, you might ask? An ultrasound machine works by creating ultrasonic waves - all sounds above the human ability to hear, which is at about 20,000 hertz- at a frequency of between 2 and 18 megahertz. Lower frequency images are at a lower resolution but will go deeper into the body, while higher frequency images are a much higher resolution but a won't penetrate as deep because they are more likely to be absorbed into body tissues. The first ultrasound machines only allowed the operator to diagnose the patient but as previously stated they can now be used to perform some therapeutic procedures.

Ultrasound machines used to be very expensive machines that only hospitals had, but now there are portable, easy-to-use machines so that nearly every clinic and even some households have them readily available. With medical offices now charging around 200 dollars, and some machines costing around $1,000 it's becoming more and more economical to own one yourself, if you have an ultrasound frequently, although getting one too often isn't recommended.

Cameron P is an employee of First medical products. He works with Ultrasound Machines and other products.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Using Ultrasound Therapy in the Treatment of Rotator Cuff Injuries

The shoulder is stabilized by a group of muscles and their tendons. This group of muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis), and their tendons, is called the rotator cuff or rotor cuff. The rotator cuff is important in shoulder movement and in maintaining shoulder joint stability.

Muscles and tendons can be irritated or damaged, and as a result, a rotater cuff injury can appear. The shoulder injury may occur suddenly after a specific traumatic injury, such as an acute fall on an outstretched arm and hand. Alternatively, the tendon and muscle inflammation may be due to a chronic injury that gets progressively worse over time because of daily activities that aggravate the shoulder muscles. This chronic shoulder injury is called a repetitive or over use injury. In this type of injury, repeated activities cause damage to the tendons, and might require surgery.

A rotator cuff tear can also develop within the tendons over time due to the tendons wearing thin. This is called tendinitis, which is an inflammation of the muscles. Rotator cuff tendonitis usually happens to those over 40 years of age and who repeatedly do overhead activities. Calcium deposits can also cause rotator cuff tendinitis. Calcium may deposit in the tendons due to decreased oxygen and poor blood supply. Once torn, a rotator cuff has difficulty healing due to its very poor blood supply.

Therapeutic ultrasound modalities have proven to be an effective alternative in the healing of rotator cuff shoulder injuries, because the ultra sound waves increase blood circulation and oxygen to the site of the tear. Basically, ultrasound therapy stimulates tissue beneath the skin's surface using sound waves. These waves penetrate the skin, increasing the blood supply. When blood supply increases, local swelling and chronic inflammation are reduced. In addition, these sound waves cause the soft tissue to vibrate. These vibrations help to heal, and also reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Rotator cuff ultrasound therapy has shown good results, with pain relief and increased range of motion.

For a rotator cuff disorder, a portable home ultrasound machine can be very beneficial in relieving the pain associated with this condition and speeding the healing process. While ultrasound therapy treatments were once reserved for only professional athletes, it is now possible to treat many painful conditions in the comfort of your own home with a pulsed ultrasound unit.

A soft tissue injury such as a torn rotator cuff requires a specific kind of home ultrasound machine. An ultrasound physical therapy machine for home use should utilize 1Mhz ultra sound waves. The ultrasound device should also have FDA approval and be quality manufactured. You will also want to examine the details of the warranty and ensure that the unit is covered with at least a 1 year warranty.

While a physical therapist's ultrasound machine will use continuous wave ultrasound, pulsed ultrasound is just as effective at treating painful conditions, like a rotator cuff injury, but treatments will be more frequent. You now have the opportunity to treat your torn rotator cuff daily in the comfort of your own home with a portable therapeutic ultrasound machine.

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.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.