Ultrasound waves cannot be heard by humans. They are beyond our hearing ability. Many people know ultrasound from diagnosis. Ultrasound therapy is much less known. But in physiotherapy, however, it is very popular and also recognized and is used very often. In addition, it is also used in pain therapy, among other things.
General
Ultrasound therapy is an alternative therapy. This ultrasound therapy is usually used for pain and discomfort of the musculoskeletal system. Primarily these are joint and also spinal diseases. Ultrasound is the rapid succession of sound waves, the sound of which, however, is not audible to us.
Ultrasound in medicine
Ultrasound is more familiar to us in diagnostics. It is used to detect changes and diseases of the internal organs. Soft tissues can also be examined with it. Many of us are probably also familiar with ultrasound from prenatal care. The development of the baby can be monitored during the whole time. But when it comes to ultrasound therapy, the sound waves are used to treat diseases of joints, tendons, muscles and nerves. Ultrasound therapy is also ideally suited to permanently and gently relieve stubborn muscle tension. The waves always go in one direction only and these sound waves can only be transmitted through the skin. Therefore, direct skin contact is required. And from there, the sound waves are ideally directed to the area to be treated.
What happens during treatment
During treatment with ultrasound therapy, the transducer is always needed. This is because it is precisely this head that transmits the waves. A carrier is always needed between the skin and this transducer, a special gel is usually used here. Once the gel has been applied, the ultrasound probe is passed over the affected area. Then the sound waves are conducted through the skin, to the affected area in the body.
The effect of ultrasound therapyAs far as
properties are concerned, it is so that the sound waves go into the skin, through the subcutaneous connective tissue, the individual fat layers and finally through the muscles
.
However, the sound waves do not lose any energy and reach the bone as heat. This is why ultrasound therapy is also often referred to as heat therapy. For the implementation of ultrasound therapy, an ultrasound device is required. This ultrasound device, in turn, necessarily the transducer, because this is the carrier of the sound waves.
Advantages of ultrasound therapy
- Easy to use.
- Can be used individually.
- The sound waves are completely harmless to the human body.
The implementation of ultrasound therapy
Anyone undergoing ultrasound therapy sits or lies down during the treatment. The area to be treated must always be unclothed, otherwise the sound waves cannot be conducted. The gel is now applied to the transducer and then, in careful and slow movements, the sound waves are guided regionally over the affected area. The sound waves must be distributed slowly over the skin.
You will feel almost nothing from the treatment. There is no pain. The only thing that can be noticed is that there may be a feeling of warmth. The duration of the treatment depends on the patient's symptoms. As a rule, however, the treatment time is between 5 and 15 minutes. An ultrasound therapy usually includes 10 sessions.
Variation of ultrasound therapy
Ultrasound therapy can also be carried out in water. This has the advantage that bones can absorb the sound waves much better. This means that the sound waves take away the pain and stimulate the blood circulation. In addition, this type of ultrasound therapy, in combination with the warm water, is a wonder weapon against extremely stubborn muscle tension.
Ultrasound therapy can therefore be used individually and can also be modified.
Here you can find devices for ultrasound therapy.
Published on: 27 March 2015