Therapeutic Ultrasound Old – Arcata Animal Hospital

Therapeutic Ultrasound

Non-invasive pain relief for pets — coming soon!

What is therapeutic ultrasound (TUS)?

Therapeutic Ultrasound (TUS) is not the same as Diagnostic Ultrasound (which is when an ultrasound probe is used to obtain images of internal organs). TUS is a non-painful, non-invasive treatment that uses a higher intensity sound wave which creates pressure waves that are passed deep into tissues. This absorbed energy is either converted into heat energy (thermal effects) or mechanical energy (non-thermal effects) depending upon the settings used by the operator. These effect enhance healing, help improve tissue extensibility and provide pain relief.

How does it work?

TUS allows heat energy to penetrate and target deep tissue structures at a much greater depth than a hot pack used on the surface of the skin. Since the heat is targeted to deep tissues, the skin is not over-heated. Heat has many therapeutic effects, including: improving blood flow, increasing tissue metabolic rate and nerve conduction, increasing collagen extensibility, increasing pain threshold (relieving pain), decreasing muscle spasm and joint stiffness.

TUS also has non-thermal effects in which heat is not produced, but vibrations are transmitted deep in tissues. These vibrations have many beneficial effects, including the stimulation of cell membranes, altering their structures and impacting certain cellular functions. This result in beneficial healing effects including: increasing blood flow, increasing protein synthesis, promoting tissue repair, fibroblast activity and bone healing.

What conditions are helped by TUS?

Soft tissue repair
Pain and inflammatory conditions
Bursitis and tendonitis
Ligament sprains
Muscle strains or spasms
Fibrotic myopathy or muscle contracture
Scar tissue adhesions
Bone healing
Wound healing
Post-surgical healing after an FHO (femoral head ostectomy)