Ultrasound
Ultrasound therapy is a highly effective treatment used by chiropractors to promote healing, reduce pain, and improve tissue function. By using sound waves, ultrasound helps to relax muscles, increase blood flow, and break down scar tissue. It can be particularly beneficial for treating soft tissue injuries, chronic inflammation, and conditions like muscle strains or joint stiffness. Whether through deep heating or pulsed settings for acute injuries, ultrasound therapy is a non-invasive and safe option for accelerating recovery.
Therapeutic Ultrasound Treatment
How Ultrasound Works
Ultrasound has been a trusted therapeutic modality used by chiropractors since the 1940s. It involves applying a round-headed wand or probe directly to the skin, with ultrasound gel applied to reduce friction and help transmit ultrasonic waves effectively.
Therapeutic ultrasound operates within a frequency range of 0.8-3.0 MHz. The waves are generated by a piezoelectric effect, where vibrations from crystals inside the probe produce sound waves. As these waves pass through the skin, they cause local tissue vibrations or cavitation, which can create deep heating effects in the tissues. Although patients may not feel heat, this vibration can promote healing.
In cases where heat isn’t desirable—such as with fresh injuries or acute inflammation—ultrasound can be applied in a pulsed form, rather than continuously, to avoid heating the area.
Treatment Duration
A typical ultrasound treatment lasts between 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of the area being treated.
Therapeutic Benefits:
In addition to the heating effects, ultrasound therapy can provide several benefits:
Increased tissue relaxation
Enhanced local blood flow
Scar tissue breakdown
The increase in local blood flow helps reduce swelling and chronic inflammation. The intensity of the ultrasound can be adjusted to meet specific treatment goals, such as using higher power for scar tissue breakdown.