
Electrotherapy/Ultrasound
How a Home Ultrasound Machine Could Benefit YouMany people have chronic pain. If you do not want to risk addiction to prescription pain relievers or are unable to take pain relief medications, a portable ultrasound machine at home may help relieve your symptoms. Ultrasound refers to wavelengths of energy that you cannot see or hear. They are therapeutic in how they affect soft tissues. Here is what you need to know about having an ultrasound therapy machine at home and how it could help you. What Therapeutic Ultrasound Therapy Is Therapeutic ultrasound therapy refers to the use of ultrasound energy on a particular part of your body that is causing you pain. The idea behind it is the wavelengths of energy are able to stimulate better circulation to your soft tissues. The improved circulation promotes blood flow and healing to injured areas that cause chronic pain. The circulation also lessens swelling. The wavelengths range from 800,000 Hz to 2,000,000 Hz, and they are applied to your skin with the use of a firm but smooth transducer. How Ultrasound Therapy Works The 800,000 Hz to 2,000,000 Hz wavelengths of energy have thermal and mechanical effects on soft tissues. The warming effects of these wavelengths encourage the healing and repair of damaged tissues. Stiff, tight or contracted tissues are able to relax with the application of heat from the ultrasound waves. The mechanical effects of ultrasound therapy decrease the size of the tiny gas bubbles in your soft tissues. This has an anti-inflammatory effect. The transducer fits into your hand, and you control the wavelength of the ultrasound waves and the duration of the session. You can also have another person hold the transducer and apply it to the affected area of your body. A layer of gel is typically applied to the skin in order to act as a lubricant for the transducer. Who Should Consider an Ultrasound Therapy Machine at Home? People with chronic pain or an injury that is slow to heal should consider an ultrasound therapy machine for their home. For example, if you have tendonitis in your arm or shoulder, your doctor may prescribe physical therapy and stretching in order to strengthen your tissues. However, this will not necessarily help your pain. The ultrasound therapy machine could lessen your pain even as the physical therapy exercises prevent you from re-injuring your tendon. People who are unable to use medications for pain relief, people who do not respond to pain medications or people who do not get enough relief from physical therapy and pain medications should also consider ultrasound therapy. |