Ultrasound therapy is a chiropractic treatment used to help reduce muscle pain and increase range of motion. By using sound waves, we are able to stimulate deep inside the tissue. This minimizes stiffness, swelling, and pain while also promoting circulation, and pain-free movement.

This is a popular treatment because it is a non-invasive, painless procedure that achieves results for people dealing with chiropractic issues. The ultrasound device is very simple to use, and only requires a small amount of gel applied to the skin in order to treat tissue.

In a 2013 study by Hans-Joachim Schmitt, ultrasound therapy was found to relieve mild to moderate swelling and inflammation of tissue and produced more cooperative tissue when used as a primer for additional forms of therapy or recovery modalities.

Scientifically Speaking, How Does it Work?

“The waves are transferred to the body from the sound head using a suitable conductive medium (mineral oil, water or gel). The ultrasound spreads through the body as a mechanical longitudinal wave; the diameter of the sound bundle changes insignificantly. The sound is absorbed by the tissue and transformed into heat (ultrasound diathermy). To avoid the interference of sound waves in the tissue in front of the sound head with the consequence of increasing intensity, the sound head must be kept moving during treatment by the therapist in continuous circular movements. The sound is absorbed to varying extents by the tissue (the heating in the tissue layers also varies). There is a small amount of absorption and heat development in the fatty tissue, a moderate amount in the muscles and organs, and a high amount in the bones.”

The results were consistently on level with other forms of manual therapy in regards to positive feedback, decrease in application site pain, and a drop in inflammation.