Chronic non-specific LBP (low-back pain) is becoming one of the main causes of disabilities in adult people. If your back pain lasts more than a week, you may have chronic pain. Avoiding any type of chronic pain can affect physical strength and your ability to do everyday work.
You will be happy to know that there are different treatment options available to relieve your back pain in Salt Lake City, UT. In this session, we will discuss one of the best and effective treatment approaches.
Therapeutic ultrasound therapy
Physical therapists are using therapeutic ultrasound in the treatment of chronic back pain. It is an effective and non-invasive treatment technique. The ultrasound device uses sound waves and vibration to transmit energy and heat to the back ligaments, bones, tendons, spinal muscles. The objective of this treatment technique is to decrease pain and promote the body’s natural healing process. A trained and skilled physical therapist utilizes ultrasound treatment in two different ways:
Cavitation
Therapists might use ultrasound energy to cause rapid expansion and contraction of microscopic gas bubbles (cavitation) around the muscle tissues. It helps to increase the healing speed and reduce the recovery time.
Deep heating
Therapeutic ultrasound is also used to offer deep heating to soft tissues and improve blood circulation. This process helps to decrease the pain and improve the flexibility of muscles.
Before starting ultrasound therapy, therapists check your skin for active wounds, burns, and infections. If your skin is perfect, then the therapist will apply hypoallergenic cream or oil. After this, the therapist will use an ultrasound device to send sound waves into your back muscles. It will help you to relieve muscle tension and reduce stuffiness, pain, and discomfort.
Benefits of ultrasound therapy
Since the advantages of this non-invasive treatment technique are so broad, it can be utilized for a wide range of issues. It helps to relax the muscle and improve the blood flow by increasing muscle temperature. Ultrasound therapy is a suitable way to treat chronic back pain and speed up the slow-healing process. Some common benefits of this technique are given below:
Decrease pain
Many doctors and physical therapists recommend ultrasound therapy to manage and ease chronic back pain in Salt Lake City, UT. Muscle tightness and spasms can also lead to back pain. While healing the body’s deep tissue, this treatment also reduces muscle spasms.
Relax tissue tension
Ultrasound therapy helps to relieve the tissue tension by offering deep heat. Therapists utilize ultrasound devices to transmit sound waves into the tissue. It generates heat and helps to relieve trigger points. You can decrease stuffiness, discomfort, and swelling in your back by using Ultrasound therapy. This treatment is also used to treat soft tissue lesions and surgical wounds. You should consider this technique if you are experiencing back pain in Salt Lake City, UT, due to:
- Falls
- Auto accidents
- Sprains
- Fracture
- Jerking movement
Improve the blood circulation
Ultrasound is the best way to increase the blood flow to the affected area. Increased blood flow brings more nutrients into the tissues and promotes the body’s natural healing process. It also helps ease pain, swelling, and inflammation by maximizing the flow of the blood.
Breakdown scar tissue
The vibration and heating effect of ultrasound devices affect the fibers that cause scar tissue to form. Therapists utilize this treatment technique to break down scar tissues and improve the flexibility of muscles. Ultrasound therapy will also help you to restore your range of motion.
What are the limitations of ultrasound therapy?
Ultrasound therapy is an effective and safe treatment procedure. But exposure to low-intensity sound waves for a long period may develop the risk of burns on the skin.
So, healthcare experts ensure that the head of the ultrasound device is in motion when in contact with your skin.
Sound waves are not suitable for:
- People who have cardiovascular problems
- Pregnant or menstruating women
- Broken skin or healing fractures
- The eyes, breasts, or sexual organs
- Area with plastic implants, cardiac pacemakers
- Areas with malignant tumors
- Body parts with total joint replacements
- People with vascular issues
Final words
Ultrasound therapy is a part of physical therapy treatment used to promote the healing process. If you are living with back pain in Salt Lake City, UT, you can consider ultrasound therapy and physical exercises to ease your chronic pain from the root and restore your active life. This treatment technique should not be used without a prescription from a physical therapist or doctor.
