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Ultrasound
Therapeutic ultrasound should not be confused with diagnostic ultrasound, often used in prenatal screening, but is instead a therapeutic procedure that utilizes sound waves to treat injured muscles, joints, and soft tissues. The sound waves vibrate the tissues at an exceedingly high speed, creating a deep, micro-massage effect. In the case of a recent injury, this helps to decrease scar tissue and adhesion formation, which would otherwise interfere with the body's healing process. The sound waves also decrease inflammation by destroying unwanted inflammatory cells. The sound waves accelerate healing by stimulating the activity of the cells responsible for cellular and tissue repair. Ultrasound is particularly helpful to reduce swelling found around inflammed joints and injured muscles. In chronic cases, special settings are used to create a deep-heating effect, penetrating heat further below the skin's surface than most other kinds of heat can reach. This heat, along with the vibrations that are caused by the ultrasound, help to "melt away" the muscle spasms and "knots" felt in our muscles. Because ultrasound vibrates at such a high speed it has pain relieving and muscle relaxing benefits.
What is Ultrasound?
Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves and it is administered in the region of soft tissue injuries.
How does Ultrasound work?
The sound waves, some moving with a frequency of 1,000,000 waves per second, penetrate into deep into the tissues. The vibrations and heat break down and disperse unhealthy calcium and other hard tissue accumulations.
What does Ultrasound feel like?
Following the application of warm gel the transducer (ultrasound applicator) moves smoothly over the surface of the skin. It is a pleasant and relaxing sensation with no other sensation beyond what the patient feels on the surface of the skin.
Why is Ultrasound used?
The treatment can be administered directly to the affected area and it penetrates deeply. As the temperature rises, blood flow increases and muscle spasms relax thus speeding up the healing process.
What are the benefits of Ultrasound?
Ultrasound stimulates healing without irritation and enhances the body's natural healing ability. It speeds local tissue metabolism which improves blood flow while helping to dissipate swelling and inflammation, vibrates the nerves to sedate them and vibrates the muscles to relax them.
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