Ultrasound therapy uses high-frequency sound waves that pass into the tissues and either warm them gently or “stir” them from the inside. It is not an ultrasound scan: it is a treatment. Therapeutic ultrasound acts on a small area, so it suits tendons, ligaments and joints close to the surface. It helps with pain and inflammation, for example in tennis elbow or heel pain.
What to expect
Kaloyan spreads gel on the area and slowly moves the device’s small head over your skin. You usually feel almost nothing, sometimes a little warmth. If you feel burning or pain, say so at once, because it means the setting needs to change. The device works in two modes. Continuous mode warms the tissues and suits chronic pain. Pulsed mode barely warms and is used for more recent problems. When needed, Kaloyan also adds a warming gel, chosen according to the problem.
The treatment is short, and afterwards you can carry on with your day straight away. Ultrasound is most often done together with exercises or massage. You usually need about 6–10 sessions.
What it helps with
- Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow
- Inflamed tendons: in the shoulder, the knee, the Achilles tendon
- Heel and foot pain (plantar fasciitis, heel spur)
- Bursitis of the shoulder or elbow
- A sprained ankle, after the first few days
- Numb fingers from carpal tunnel syndrome
- Tight scars after surgery
Who it’s for
- You have pain in a specific spot that you can point to with a finger.
- You play sport and have a tendon problem that won’t go away.
- You use your hands a lot at work and your elbow or wrist hurts.
When it isn’t suitable
- You are pregnant, if the area is the abdomen or lower back.
- You have cancer or a blood clot (thrombosis) in the area.
- You have a pacemaker and the area is near the heart.
- The area is around the eyes, over the growth plates of a child’s bones, or over a cemented prosthesis.
- You have an infection, a wound or reduced skin sensation in the area.
