Electrotherapy
Ultrasound treatment
"Ultrasound is the sound above the 16 000Hz frequency range. Therapeutic ultrasound for medical purposes has been used for nearly 70 years. The propagation of ultrasound is best in the largest bones (care must be taken because of warming), smaller soft tissues, water and air. The power of ultrasound (intensity) is given in Watt/cm2. For propagation a media is required (e.g. Paraffinum Liquidum or prefabricated material). Ultrasound can be used continually or in pulsed mode.Mechanism of action:Physical effects: selective heat, micro-massage effect.Biochemical effects: drug can be delivered through the skin into the body (phonophoresis).Biological effects: pain management, vasodilation, relieving muscle spasms, softening connective tissues.The size of the conductor head is usually 6.4cm2, 4cm2 or 1.4 cm2 in area. Sometimes the irregularities of the body surface cannot allow the conductor to be tightly placed (e.g. hands, feet, fingers, wrist). In this case use underwater ultrasound treatment. The water temperature should be neutral. The water used for treatment must be free of gas.Combination of ultrasound and electric currentsPurpose: The combination of stimuli have different effects than the individual stimulus effects (diadynamic, Trabert, mid-frequency TENS)The advantage of these combined treatments is that deeper tissues can be stimulated. The combined treatment also saves time (two treatments are done at the same time)."