Therapy and Treatment
Muscle stimulation (EMS) is an electrotherapy procedure that can be applied to treat muscles. Depending on the settings of the electrical impulse, its effects can include improving blood circulation, regaining muscle strength, increasing muscle mass, halting atrophy, relieving stiffness and spasms, etc. Let’s look at the basics.
If you have joint inflammation, back pain, or any joint pain bothering you, you are almost always referred to physiotherapy, where you will very likely receive ultrasound therapy. If getting there is difficult or you are short on time, you can also buy a therapeutic ultrasound device. A good, usable device can be purchased for around 25,000 forints. That way you can use it at home.
Muscle stimulation uses electrical impulses applied to muscles to cause them to contract. Although there are serious physiological foundations behind muscle excitation, the essence is relatively simple to understand. The goal is to get the muscle to work not only when the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord) sends the command, but also to be able to activate it artificially.
Although ultrasound treatment is an excellent and effective method, it is not always suitable or applicable for everyone. What are the contraindications of ultrasound therapy? I discuss this in the third part of my film series on therapeutic ultrasound treatment. You can watch the previous part (Does the ultrasound beam itself heal?) by clicking here.
Therapeutic ultrasound treatment is almost a default physiotherapy method for muscle and joint complaints. But does the ultrasound beam itself heal, or does it only set the healing process in motion? I discuss this in the second part of my video series about therapeutic ultrasound treatment. You can watch the previous part (How ultrasound works) by clicking here.
The frequency of the ultrasound wave primarily determines how deeply it can penetrate tissues and thus what effect it is capable of producing. I discuss this in the fourth episode of my video series on therapeutic ultrasound treatment. You can watch the previous episode (Contraindications of ultrasound treatment) by clicking here.
The therapeutic ultrasound beam can be continuous or pulsed (intermittent). The continuous beam contains a lot of energy, which is excellent for chronic complaints. Fresh injuries are generally more sensitive to high energy, so in acute cases pulsed (with short breaks) ultrasound treatment is more appropriate. I discuss this in the fifth part of my video series about therapeutic ultrasound treatment.
Acute and chronic conditions require ultrasound beams of different strengths (intensities). A fresh injury needs a different treatment than one that has been present for a few months. I discuss this in the sixth episode of my video series about therapeutic ultrasound treatment. You can watch the previous episode (Information about continuous and pulsed ultrasound modes) by clicking here.
Ultrasound treatment sessions are relatively short. However, how long they last does matter! If they are too short, they will be ineffective. If they are too long… well, you can even damage tissues and make the situation worse. You can learn the simple rules for determining a safe treatment time in the seventh episode of my video series about therapeutic ultrasound treatment.
The M-Sonic 901 therapeutic ultrasound is an easily operated and adjustable device. I present this in episode 13 of my video series about therapeutic ultrasound treatment. You can watch the previous episode (Performing the ultrasound treatment) by clicking here.
Ultrasound is a sound wave (that is, a mechanical vibration). Its frequency is so high that it cannot be heard by the human ear. During treatment, the ultrasound beam is directed at the affected area. The beams penetrate the body, collide with tissues and cells, and transfer their energy to them. As a result, the treated tissues warm up, which accelerates blood and lymph circulation, removing toxins from the affected area and bringing healing substances.
