Exploring the Use of Ultrasound in Physiotherapy Treatments

Did you know that Ultrasound is used not just to diagnose, but healing as well? Whenever people hear the word ultrasound, x-ray, and medical imaging are the first thing that comes to mind. Ultrasound is primarily used to get accurate images of our internal organs without the need to open the skin and muscles of our body.

However, ultrasound is also helpful in providing stimulation to muscles and tissues which is how physiotherapy works. Ultrasounds provide a non-invasive treatment option that can help to speed up the process of recovery for many people. With a well-trained user of these ultrasound technologies, ultrasound can be used to perform physiotherapy in a large number of situations.

So, let us explore the use of ultrasound in physiotherapy treatments in India.

How Does Ultrasound Physiotherapy Work?

Ultrasound physiotherapy includes a professional operator using specific values of ultrasound to pass through the affected area of the body to provide stimulation and heating to the damaged tissues and muscles underneath the skin of the patient. The heating and stimulation improve the flow of blood around the affected area and improve the healing of bone fractures.

This substantially decreases the pain and swelling in the affected area while also curbing inflammation and boosting the healing speed of the muscles, tissues, and bones. Depending on how severe or deep the injury is, you will be subjected to different values of ultrasound waves,

How is Ultrasound Physiotherapy Performed?

To perform the procedure of ultrasound physiotherapy, first, a gel is applied which is supposed to help the sound waves reach the body’s intended area. The gel can either be applied to the probe that emits the sound waves or the affected body part itself. This is dependent on the machine that is being used.

After the gel is applied, the probe is hovered around the affected body part for about 5-10 minutes. During this process, the patient will either feel a pulsing effect or a slight increase in warmth in the area where the probe is being placed. The sound waves are adjusted according to the severity of pain or damage suffered by the patient. These sound waves will also help to boost elasticity in the tissue which will help to reduce the pain and swelling.

What Types of Ultrasound Physiotherapies Are Used?

Ultrasound in Physiotherapy is used for two primary purposes: to provide heat to body tissues and increase energy in the affected area. There are two ways in which ultrasound physiotherapy tries to achieve these outcomes:

1. Deep Heating – In this, the physiotherapist attempts to provide heat to the deepest tissues in the patient’s body. This is needed to improve the circulation of blood and restoration of motion. Both of these are needed to allow proper healing and reduction in the pain inflicted upon the affected part.
2. Cavitation – Cavitation involves physiotherapists using ultrasound to cause an increase in the contraction and expansion of gas bubbles around injured tissue. This is known to increase the healing rate of the damaged tissue to provide quicker pain relief.

When Is Ultrasound Not a Viable Option?

Due to the non-invasive nature of ultrasound, it is generally very safe to apply the procedure on any affected patient; however, there are scenarios where ultrasound should be avoided. These scenarios include:

• Treatment of patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases and issues related to them.
• Treatment around the eye as the ultrasound waves are capable of damaging the retina of the eye.
• Treatment near the abdomen, pelvic regions, or lower back in menstruating or pregnant women. The effects of ultrasound waves are not yet known on a developing fetus.

Conclusion

Becoming a professional in Physiotherapy provides you an opportunity for a decent earning while working with a wide assortment of techniques to treat your patients. So, if you wish to enroll in Bachelor of Physiotherapy in India, contact CEDP today.