Therapeutic Ultrasound in Valley Stream, NY
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.
How It Can Help
Less stiffness and swelling
Ultrasound minimizes stiffness, swelling, and pain.
Better circulation
It also promotes circulation.
Range of motion
It is used to help reduce muscle pain and increase range of motion.
Why Deeper Tissue Sometimes Needs Extra Help
Some sore muscles and tendons sit deep enough that surface heat or massage does not fully reach them. Therapeutic ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves, far above the range you can hear, to reach these deeper tissues. Depending on the settings, it can create gentle warmth in the area or deliver a non-heating effect. This may help tight tissue relax and make movement more comfortable. Because the wand moves smoothly over the skin and there are no needles or medications involved, ultrasound is a gentle option for many people. It can often be used on areas that are still too sore for firm pressure.
Ultrasound has been used in rehabilitation for many years, but research on how much it helps is mixed. It is generally viewed as a supporting therapy rather than a main treatment. Many chiropractors use it to prepare an area for stretching or hands-on work, or to help ease stiffness after an injury. Results vary from person to person, and your chiropractor will combine it with other care such as adjustments and exercise if it fits your needs. Your chiropractor will be clear about what it can and cannot be expected to do.
What to Expect From Ultrasound Therapy
Your chiropractor will first make sure ultrasound is appropriate for you. A gel is applied to the skin to help the sound waves pass into the tissue. The provider then moves a small wand slowly over the area in steady circles or strokes. Most people feel nothing, or just mild warmth. It should never feel hot or painful, so speak up right away if it does. A treatment usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes per area. The gel wipes off easily afterward, and there is nothing special you need to do to prepare.
There is no recovery time, and you can return to your normal day afterward. Ultrasound is often followed by stretching, exercise or other hands-on care while the tissue is warm and relaxed. Be sure to tell your chiropractor if you are pregnant, have a pacemaker, have cancer, have reduced feeling in the area, or have a metal implant, joint replacement or blood clot near the treatment site, since ultrasound may need to be avoided or adjusted. Your chiropractor can suggest a different therapy if ultrasound is not a good fit.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does ultrasound therapy work?
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.
Is therapeutic ultrasound the same as an ultrasound scan?
No. An ultrasound scan, like the kind used during pregnancy, creates images of the inside of the body. Therapeutic ultrasound uses sound waves at different settings to deliver energy into the tissue as a treatment. It does not produce pictures. Both use sound waves, but they serve completely different purposes.
Does ultrasound therapy hurt?
It should not. Most people feel nothing at all or a mild, pleasant warmth under the wand. The gel may feel cool at first. If you notice heat, aching or discomfort during the treatment, tell your provider so the settings can be adjusted. Because it is so gentle, ultrasound is often used on areas that are too sore for deeper work.
Who should avoid ultrasound therapy?
Therapeutic ultrasound is generally avoided over a pregnant belly, over areas with cancer or active infection, over the eyes, over blood clots and near pacemakers or other implanted devices. Extra care is needed over growth plates in children and in areas with reduced sensation. Share your full health history so your chiropractor can decide if it is right for you.
How many sessions will I need?
There is no set number. It depends on your condition, how long you have had it and how your body responds. Ultrasound is usually part of a broader plan rather than a stand-alone treatment, so the number of sessions often follows your overall progress. Your chiropractor will review how you are doing and adjust the plan.
Terms You May Hear
- Therapeutic ultrasound
- A treatment that uses high-frequency sound waves to deliver energy into soft tissue. It is different from diagnostic ultrasound, which creates images.
- Coupling gel
- The gel applied to the skin during ultrasound. It helps sound waves pass from the wand into the body.
- Circulation
- The flow of blood through the body. Good circulation brings oxygen and nutrients to tissues that are healing.
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