How Does a Therapeutic Ultrasound Work?
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Overview of Therapeutic Ultrasound
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Therapeutic ultrasound refers to a broad range of ultrasound techniques used to cure or treat various medical conditions or diseases. This includes, but is far from limited to, ultrasound for physical therapy, drug delivery and kidney stone disruption. Each technique varies in how it works.
Physical Therapy Ultrasound
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Physical therapy ultrasound is recommended for both muscle and joint pain. It works via a variable intensity of sound waves "shot" at the body. The energy from these sound waves can penetrate as far as five centimeters, though the intensity of the waves (and thus effectiveness) decreases the further it penetrates. One chief benefit is that these waves cause microscopic air bubbles that seem to stimulate the parts of the cell membranes important in healing inflammation, thus helping alleviate both sore muscles and joint pain.
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Lithotripsy Ultrasound
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Lithotripsy ultrasound's full name is extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Its main benefit is being a non-invasive way to break down kidney or gall stones into smaller particles, eliminating or sharply reducing the pain associated with passing them. In this procedure, the patient is often sedated or at least anesthetized as there is pain associated with it. The ultrasound is focused externally on the body toward where the kidney stones present. Beginning on the lowest power levels, the machine sends shock waves into the body acoustically, breaking up the stones. As the patient gets more used to the sensation, the power is increased, breaking the stones more effectively. The final power level used depends on the patient's pain threshold; each increase is both more effective in breaking up stones and more painful.
Drug Delivery Ultrasound
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Ultrasound waves have proved very effective in assisting drug delivery. While the ultrasound does not delivery the drug itself, it allows it to more effectively permeate the necessary body parts. For instance, when a drug is introduced into soft tissue via injection, an added burst of acoustic waves from an ultrasound machine has proved to sharply increase convective flow, introducing the drug to a larger range of tissue than would typically be achieved. This convection is achieved much like lithotripsy--the ultrasound is shot from externally near the injection site into the body in waves or bursts, effectively "pushing" the drug deeper into the tissue. As the wave penetrates deeper, its diameter expands, increasing the drug's range.
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