The technology used in the healthcare and medical industries is always changing and advancing. These advances allow healthcare professionals to provide better, higher-quality care to patients. When it comes to the chiropractic field, two services that help patients with pain management were recently created – ultrasound therapy and hydrotherapy. Take a closer look at these recent advancements to see if one of them is right for you.
Ultrasound Therapy Isn’t Your Typical Ultrasound
Mention the word “ultrasound” to people and the first thing they think of is pictures of fetuses. Maybe you also know that ultrasound is used to create crystal clear images of bones and muscles. That isn’t really related to what happens in ultrasound therapy.
Ultrasound therapy is a therapeutic service offered to patients who are experiencing pain as a result of a muscle injury. This process uses sound waves created by an ultrasound machine to promote and encourage the healing of muscles.
Researchers are still unsure as to how or why ultrasound therapy works, but there are a few theories. The first is that the ultrasound waves have a thermal effect on the muscles. This thermal effect can do everything from increase extensibility of the surrounding joints or ligaments to dramatically reducing muscle spasms and pain, which helps speed up the healing process.
Another theory is that the ultrasound waves reduce inflammation by causing the body to attract more cells to the site of the injury. When this happens, blood flow is increased, and the body naturally starts to heal itself faster.
Benefits of ultrasound therapy include:
Relief of pain without pills
Flexibility to be used with other treatment options such as physical therapy or chiropractic care
Reduction of muscle inflammation
Reduction of muscle spasms
Sped up healing process
Negligible side effects
To learn more about the therapeutic benefits of ultrasound therapy, click here to read a clinical study published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health.
Hydrotherapy – Using Water to Heal Injuries and Reduce Pain
Hydrotherapy uses water to naturally reduce pain and speed up the healing process of a current injury. Patients often prefer this type of treatment because it has no side effects and is relatively pain-free.
Hydrotherapy uses water set to a high temperature, which provides patients with numerous benefits that help with the healing process. Warmer water allows patients to fully relax while exercising, encourages circulation of the blood throughout the body, and reduces pain.
Hydrotherapy has been successful in helping patients with a variety of illnesses and injuries ranging from sports injuries to neuromuscular conditions. The benefits patients receive from hydrotherapy vary from person to person, but some of the more common benefits include:
Re-education of paralyzed muscles
Relief of pain without pills
Drastic reduction of muscle spasms
Noticeable increase in the range of motion of joints
Strengthening of muscles that have become weakened due to injury or illness
Improvement of circulation
Improvement of coordination and balance
The type of hydrotherapy that you undergo will vary depending on your injury and what part of the body needs to be treated. Some examples of hydrotherapy treatment options include wraps, warm baths, compresses, and saunas. It can even involve doing exercises in a heated pool.
Read this article published by the Australian Journal of Physiotherapy to learn more about how successful hydrotherapy has been in treating patients with lower back pain.
Work with a Healthcare Professional to Find the Best Pain Relief Option
After an injury or chronic illness, it can be difficult to find a treatment option that provides natural pain relief. Luckily, the professionals at Health First Injury & Pain Centers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are here to help. Our team will evaluate your individual case and provide you with one or more treatment option. Some of the treatment options that we may recommend include physical therapy, ultrasound therapy, chiropractic care, and hydrotherapy.
When creating a treatment plan for you, our goal is to create a long-term plan that gives you significant pain relief and helps reduce your risk of having that pain recur. Our staff will take a number of factors into consideration including your pain level, type of injury, previous health history, and lifestyle.
Whether you need help with a work-related injury, a sports injury, or just regular aches and pains, we can help. Call our office to schedule an appointment at one of our many DFW clinics. We look forward to creating a plan that provides you with long-term pain relief.