Therapeutic Ultrasound Treatment in Toronto
Therapeutic ultrasound treatment is one of the many modalities we choose to employ as a treatment for injuries and certain conditions. Having a wide range of tools to choose from has always been a common practice at Global Health Physiotherapy Clinic. Ultrasound treatment is used to reduce pain, reduce inflammation, and increase blood flow to the area, which in turn speeds healing.
How does ultrasound therapy work?
A physical therapist will apply gel to the area being treated and use a frequency between 1-3MHz to heat the soft tissue. This increases blood flow to the area and speeds up the healing process. The therapist can control the depth at which the ultrasound penetrates by increasing or decreasing the frequency.
What is the difference between therapeutic and diagnostic ultrasound?
Diagnostic ultrasound is not to be confused with therapeutic ultrasound as they are used for different purposes.
Therapeutic ultrasound is a lower frequency device (compared to diagnostic ultrasound frequency) used by physiotherapists as a form of physiotherapy treatment.
Diagnostic ultrasound is typically used to produce internal images. This form of ultrasound (also referred to as sonography) uses high-frequency waves (2-18 MHz) that emanate from an external device. People almost always associate pregnancy with this form of ultrasound.
What types of conditions can be treated by ultrasound therapy?
This form of therapy reduces pain and promotes the healing of soft tissue. Therefore can be used for a wide range of conditions including but not limited to:
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Bursitis
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Carpal tunnel syndrome
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Tennis elbow
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Strained muscles
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Sprained muscles
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Arthritis
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Chronic inflammation
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Pain
Benefits of using ultrasound therapy
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Therapeutic ultrasound has no side effects and poses no risk to your health when properly performed (it should not be used near eyes, sexual organs, pacemakers, implants, or active infections).
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This form of therapy is performed externally making it safer than other options of treatment.
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Ultrasound treatment in Toronto has been clinically proven to reduce swelling and inflammation.
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It alleviates pain in many different conditions.
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There is less recovery time from an injury and ultrasound breaks up scar tissue and promotes healing.
What to expect and how to prepare for a typical treatment session
Always wear loose comfortable clothing that provides convenient access to the affected area. Your physiotherapist is going to apply gel to your skin and you must keep clothing comfortably away from the device and from wiping the gel off.
You want to be relaxed for your session because you will be sitting in the same position for approximately 5-10 minutes. The ultrasound wand will stay in constant motion and maintain consistent contact throughout the treatment. The therapist will cover the entire area in a stroking motion.
When you’re done the gel is wiped off and the rest of your session will continue depending on the program that has been custom fit to your condition.