Benefits of Therapeutic Ultrasound

 

At Dr. J's Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Nitro, WV, we offer patients therapeutic ultrasound to help with musculoskeletal issues and more. Prior to receiving this treatment, you might like to learn a bit more about it. Dr. Jay McClanahan's specialty is helping patients just like you overcome their musculoskeletal ailments with natural chiropractic treatment methods.

What is therapeutic ultrasound?

Therapeutic ultrasound is different from the kind used for pregnancy imaging tests. Therapeutic ultrasound involves sending low level sound waves into the body as a form of massage. These sound waves are able to target deep tissues that can't be reached with the hands. This type of ultrasound is completely safe and comes with minimal risk since it's a non-invasive form of treatment.

Who needs therapeutic ultrasound?

Therapeutic ultrasound comes with a wide variety of benefits. It's able to relieve pain, relax tissues, reduce inflammation, promote healing, and even improve flexibility! If you're looking for any of these benefits, come in to Dr. J's Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Nitro, WV, for an initial consultation where Dr. J will take inventory of your symptoms and goals in order to determine whether therapeutic ultrasound is the right treatment option for you.

What to Expect at a Therapeutic Ultrasound Appointment

Therapeutic ultrasound is a fairly quick procedure that is painless. After a brief consultation, you'll lay down on a table, and a warm gel will be applied to the targeted area. This gel is designed to better conduct sound waves and prevent friction between the skin and treatment tool. From there, the doctor will move a handheld device over the area that emits the sound waves. During this part of the treatment, patients often feel a warm or tingling sensation in the affected area. Then, the gel will be cleaned off, and you'll be free to resume your normal daily activities. Sessions usually don't last more than 15 minutes.

If you think therapeutic ultrasound may be a good treatment option for you, contact Dr. J's Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Nitro, WV, today. Dr. J will be happy to meet with you for an initial consultation and further discuss the suitability of this treatment option. Simply give us a call at (304) 776-1520 with any questions or to have your consultation scheduled. We look forward to hearing from you!

Relief for Soft Tissue Stress

 

For relief from soft tissue stress, you can count on Dr. Jay McClanahan of Dr. J Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Nitro, WV. Chiropractors are experts in soft tissue pain relief not just in the back but the entire body. 

What are soft tissues?

Soft tissues include fat, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and fascia that surround and support the organs and the skeleton. Without them, movement would not be possible. This makes them particularly vulnerable to injuries. Think sprains, strains, whiplash, and pain from overuse. 

What causes soft tissue stress?

You may think that soft tissue stress happens to athletes. You are not incorrect, but everyone is vulnerable to injuring soft tissue. It just takes one wrong step, and you can twist your ankle, lift a heavy box and strain your back, or take a bike ride and have screaming leg muscles. All of these result in pain and getting relief is what you need. 

Chiropractors and soft tissue stress

Chiropractors take a whole body approach to treating any pain. Not just treating the symptoms but getting to the root cause of why the injury happened. Medication is not the treatment of choice, but there are many treatments that can result in healing  and pain relief. 

Spinal manipulation is hands-on therapy that helps to realign the vertebrae in the spine. When the spine is in alignment, messages can get through from the brain unimpeded. The body has the ability to heal itself, but it needs to work at an optimal level. 

Therapeutic massage not only relaxes the muscles in the body which helps relieve soft tissue stress, but when the body is relaxed, it is more receptive to other therapies. Many different types of massage are available and one of them is right for you. 

Ultrasound therapy is not the same as the ultrasound that is used to look at babies in the womb. It uses sound waves to accelerate healing at the cellular level. It is a handheld device that the chiropractor used to bring heat directly to the affected soft tissue. 

Electrical stimulation therapy uses a small amount of electricity to cause the muscles to spasm, which tires them out and they relax. It can help with many types of soft tissue stress. This therapy can help with both chronic and acute pain. 

Therapeutic exercise can help your muscles to get stronger and stronger muscles help support the structure of the body. 

When you need relief from soft tissue stress, contact Dr. McClanahan of Dr. J Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Nitro, WV. We also serve Cross Lanes, Charleston, St. Albans and Teays Valley. For an appointment, call 304-776-1520. 

 

What is Therapeutic Ultrasound?

 

Ultrasounds are often associated with pregnant women for imaging purposes. However, the use of ultrasound technology - soundwave technology - can also be used to help with the pain. And Dr. Jay McClanahan of Dr. J Chiropractic and Wellness Center, serving Nitro, WV, and the surrounding areas, offers this therapy. Let's discuss. 

What's Therapeutic Ultrasound? 

When used in a therapeutic sense, the ultrasound waves are directed toward soft tissue, causing a deep heating effect. This stimulates blood circulation to the part to help with the healing process. Through this, ultrasound technology may also reduce pain. Ultimately, our chiropractor may use the ultrasound to improve your flexibility and enhance your range of motion. 

Sometimes, a chiropractor will use therapeutic ultrasounds to stimulate the expansion and contraction of cavitation near injured tissue. This will speed up the healing process. 

Uses of Ultrasound Therapy 

Our practitioner may recommend ultrasound therapy for either acute or chronic pain. It has the potential to promote healing, which can aid in either. Some examples of reasons a chiropractor may recommend this therapy include the following:

• Shoulder pain
• Tendinitis
• Carpal tunnel
• Ligament injuries 

Safety Precautions 

As a general rule, an ultrasound is a safe procedure that doesn't emit any radiation. However, the purpose of the procedure is to heat the tissue. If it heats too much, it could cause discomfort or damage, though. Your practitioner monitors this part of the process carefully to prevent overheating.

Pregnant women shouldn't undergo this therapy until they deliver, nor is it recommended for people with pacemakers.

What to Expect 

Wear comfortable clothing so you have no problem moving as your chiropractor requests. The practitioner will use an ultrasound wand to send vibrations to the tissue underneath the skin. These vibrations cause a heating effect that promotes circulation and potentially eases pain while speeding up healing. 

It takes about 10 minutes for this procedure. And you'll notice during that time, the practitioner will use a stroking motion to administer the treatment. 

At Dr. J Chiropractic and Wellness Center, serving Nitro, WV, Dr. McClanahan provides ultrasound therapy to help with pain and healing. To prevent complications, our practitioner takes every step possible to assist. And this is a rather quick procedure that - and we should note - doesn't usually cause any side effects. 

Book an appointment with us by calling 304-776-1520 today. 

Therapeutic Ultrasound for Soft Tissue Injuries

When you think “ultrasound,” a pregnancy is typically the first thing to come to mind. A machine that is used diagnostically to screen the body internally. But did you know that there is a therapeutic ultrasound machine designed for injuries related to soft tissues, joints, and muscle spasms? Dr. Jay McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center in Nitro, WV, takes pride in staying up to date with chiropractic methods and technology. Dr. McClanahan is excited to offer therapeutic ultrasound to his patients!

Dr. McClanahan first applies coupling gel, much like a screening ultrasound for a pregnant woman, on the skin of the problem area. He then uses the ultrasound emitting wand and passes it over the skin, the wand producing heat. The gel reduces friction and allows better transmission of the ultrasound waves. The heat helps reduce inflammation, increase blood flow, and decrease stiffness and pain. Therapeutic ultrasound has been shown to facilitate the body’s healing process as well.

Therapeutic ultrasound has been proven to:

-Break down scar tissue
-Heat tissue
-Increase the rate of healing
-Relax tissue
-Increase blood flow

Are you interested in treating your soft tissue injuries with therapeutic ultrasound? We are happy to address any concerns or questions you have! Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center is located at 642 Cross Lanes Drive in Nitro, WV 25143. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit drjbackdocwv.com or call the office at 304-776-1520.