Your doctor may recommend ultrasound therapy as part of your physical therapy treatment plan to help heal your pain condition or disease. Ultrasound therapy uses high-frequency sound waves via an ultrasound machine to transfer heat over your skin and deep into the soft tissues of your injured area. As with any medical device, you should consider many safety precautions before you begin ultrasound therapy. This includes proper use of the ultrasound machine by the operator and making sure you do not have any other medical conditions or diseases that would counteract with the ultrasound waves.
How It Works
An ultrasound machine consists of a console that is plugged into an AC adapter, in which a coaxial cable provides electrical current to a handheld transducer with an applicator head (which emits the ultrasound waves). Your doctor would rub a special gel on the skin of your affected area, then program the device to emit sound waves at a certain frequency from 0.8 to 3 megahertz (depending on your condition). He would move it over your skin in small circular motions for 5 to 10 minutes a session.
Equipment Maintenance
Your physical therapist or doctor should be making weekly or monthly maintenance checks on their ultrasound devices so that their patients receive proper ultrasound treatment. According to universal guidelines, ultrasonic power should have an accuracy of +/-20%. Also, ultrasound devices should be checked for proper mechanical functioning, such as the built-in timer being accurate and the prevention of overheating of the console. Lastly, the applicator should be tested to make sure a uniform amount of heat is emitted from the applicator head to your injured area.
Patient and Operator Safety Precautions
Although ultrasound therapy is generally very safe, operators of ultrasound devices must take all necessary precautions to minimize exposure to their patients and themselves to avoid any potential adverse health effects. Ensure that while the ultrasound device is emitting sound waves, the applicator is facing away from people and only onto the injured area. Also, the applicator must be kept moving slowly to avoid hotspots and burns on the skin. Lastly, the operator should not have the applicator in his hand when he turns the machine on. All safety guidelines should be followed. If you feel any pain, you should stop treatment immediately.
Parts of Your Body to Avoid
You should not use ultrasound over the skin where your organs or mucus membranes are located, which include the following; heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, bowels, vagina, ovaries, testes, rectum, brain, spinal cord, nose, eyes and mouth. It is also important that pregnant women do not expose their abdomen or lower back region to ultrasound waves as it may harm the fetus.
Medical Conditions
Ultrasound therapy should not be used if you have certain medical conditions or illnesses, which include the following: severe arterial insufficiency, cardiac disease, deep vein thrombosis, spina bifida, bone infections and bleeding disorders. Also, ultrasound should not be used on growth plates of children, as it may affect their potential growth. People with metal implants (e.g., pacemakers) should not use ultrasound in that area of the body.
Tags: injured area, sound waves, ultrasound devices, ultrasound machine, ultrasound waves, Also ultrasound
