Despite sharing the same name, we are not referring to the ultrasound that is used as a diagnostic tool to see inside the body, like with pregnancies. Therapeutic ultrasound has been used since the 1950s to speed up the healing of soft tissue injuries. Ultrasound therapy is a therapeutic method used by chiropractors, physiologists, and physical therapists to rehabilitate patients after an injury.
Ultrasound therapy creates a heating effect using sound waves deep inside a patient’s body to aid in muscular healing. The ultrasound therapy used in our Orlando chiropractic office creates small sound waves to treat injuries related to joints, muscle spasms, and many soft tissue issues. The head of the ultrasound probe contains crystals that vibrate, sending high-frequency sound waves into the injured area. Ultrasound gel is used to seal the gap between the probe and the skin and to increase the transmission of the ultrasound waves to the patient’s injured areas.
The sound waves actually penetrate deep into the body and cause the tissues to vibrate, creating a heating effect. This heat increases blood flow to facilitate the body’s healing process and decrease scar tissue formation. Scar tissue consists of tough protein fibers that have replaced the healthy normal tissue. Ultrasound therapy breaks down these proteins so the injured body tissue can have a better range of motion and more elasticity.
Using ultrasound therapy, heat combined with the sound waves can jump-start the healing process at the most basic cellular level, which accelerates your road to recovery. Patients do not feel any pain or burning during or after ultrasound therapy, in fact, it is usually quite relaxing.
We can speed up the healing process of many common conditions that present to our office including tennis elbow, bursitis, carpal tunnel, trigger finger, rotator cuff tears, plantar fasciitis, and even muscle spasms.
