Is therapeutic ultrasound worth it?

It is one of the tools used in physical therapy for several musculoskeletal disorders but recent research has questioned the use of ultrasound therapy for various musculoskeletal disorders and also if it is also a long-term treatment for disorders and how much efficiency this treatment has. Ultrasound therapy is used for treatments such as arthritis and bursitis.
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Mechanism of ultrasound therapy

Ultrasound works by heating deep parts of the body which can’t be heated by standard hot packs. It also works by a process called cavitation. In this process, bubbles are formed near the area of injury. The bubbles contract and expand rapidly and this contraction and expansion thought to heal injury

Does ultrasound heal injury

It is a controversial topic whether ultrasound is effective for injury or not. Research done on two groups with arthritis was done. One with sham ultrasound and the other with true ultrasound and there was no significant difference in healing between the two groups but another research on shoulder patients indicates that ultrasound increases the healing process.

Can ultrasound hurt

Ultrasound is a very safe treatment option but it must not be used in patients with any metal object in the body or babies with cancer. It has no potential side effects but there is also not any proven evidence that it heals injury so it hurts your Pocket more. 

Placebo effects

Ultrasound  may be a placebo effect means that the mind thought that you are healing because something is done on you so we can say ultrasound is a more mental process than a physical process

Conclusion

It is a safe treatment that has no side effects but according to some research, it also has no positive effects on the body despite this fact this treatment has been still used by physical therapists for many diseases. It may be beneficial for some persons but it doesn’t have any significant effect on other people’s bodies depending on their body types. So if your physical therapist suggests an ultrasound treatment, always ask first why your physical therapist is suggesting it for you and what will be the outcomes of the ultrasound therapy on you. And if you feel that ultrasound therapy has no significant effect on you then you can ask your physical therapist to discontinue the treatment and try any other physical therapy modalities on you so that you can effectively get the maximum out of your physical therapy session.
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