Therapeutic Ultrasound

“Oh ya!!! The clog is gone! … My breast definitely still is sore [and] feels bruised, but oh so much better!!! Thank you again so much.” - New mom in Squamish with recurrent mastitis, after having her first ultrasound treatment.

A blocked (or plugged) duct is an area of the breast where there is an obstruction of milk flow. KellyMom provides an excellent comparison of plugged ducts versus mastitis. A plugged duct usually comes on gradually and affects only one breast.

The International Breastfeeding Centre suggests that if your blocked duct has not resolved naturally within 48 hours, Therapeutic Ultrasound often works. They state:

“An ultrasound therapist with experience in this technique has more successful results.

If two treatments on two consecutive days have not helped resolve the blocked duct, there is no point in getting more treatments. Your blocked duct should be re-evaluated by your doctor or at our clinic. Usually, however, one treatment is all that is necessary. Ultrasound may also prevent recurrent blocked ducts that occur always in the same part of the breast.”

The dose used depends on the size of the blocked duct, and averages 10 minutes per section of blocked duct. This treatment does not take long, ranging from 10-20 minutes, once daily, for up to two treatments.

This non-invasive protocol has been validated in research and is offered by Glow Physio.

To learn more about how this technology can treat mastitis, read this article by the International Breastfeeding Centre 

Therapeutic Ultrasound can be used to treat vaginal and rectal scars. These scars can cause pain and restriction during intercourse, sitting, and other activities. Scarring can also occur from trauma, surgery, chronic hemorrhoids, and other pelvic health issues.

Tears that occur from childbirth, including those that occur spontaneously and those from episiotomies, can create excessive scar tissue. This can cause pain and hypersensitivity to the area, and can also impact sexual function.

Scars that result from surgery, hemorrhoids, and other conditions can also benefit from Therapeutic Ultrasound. These sensitive areas are treated using evidence-based protocols to improve the body’s natural capacity for healing.

Using high frequency sound waves to break down scar tissue and speed healing can reduce pain, improve function, and improve one’s quality of life.

Therapeutic Ultrasound can be benefician for Pelvic Pain, Vaginal Pain, & Rectal Pain

Therapeutic Ultrasound is a validated modality for many types of pelvic pain. Some of the types of pain that benefit from this technology include Dyspareunia (painful intercourse), Endometriosis, Hemorrhoids, and Interstitial Cystitis.

A study on pelvic pain in women with mild to moderate endometriosis “concluded that ultrasound therapy had an excellent effect in the management of chronic pelvic pain as a result of endometriosis as well as reducing adhesions and can be considered as an alternative method for treating such cases.”

The Interstitial Cystitis Society states that Real-Time Ultrasound and Therapeutic Ultrasound, both of which are offered by Glow Physio, can be beneficial for Interstitial Cystitis.

“Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves applied through a wand or probe on your skin to produce an internal image or to help treat pain. Real-time ultrasound can let you see your pelvic floor muscles functioning and help you learn to relax them. Therapeutic ultrasound uses sound waves to produce deep warmth that may help reduce spasm and increase blood flow or, on a nonthermal setting, may promote healing and reduce inflammation.”

They also mention another type of therapy, Interferential therapy, which is also offered by Glow Physio. They state that “Interferential therapy is a kind of electrical stimulation delivered from electrodes placed on the skin. The impulses “interfere” with each other at the point of pain deep in tissues and can replace and relieve the sensations of spasm.”

Peyronie’s Disease is a common problem in men, affecting 10% of the population. Scar tissue occurs in the penis after trauma or post-operatively, including radical prostatectomy or pelvic surgery. It causes reduced blood flow to the penis and forms plaques. This may present initially as a soft tissue injury; however, it then leads to pain, penile curvature, shortening, and indentation. The end result is a deformity of the penis. 

This disease significantly impacts sexual function, relationships, and psychological wellbeing, resulting in significant distress. Only 12% of affected men recover without treatment.

Therapeutic Ultrasound has been proven to be effective for this disease in a 2020 randomized controlled trial. Glow Physio offers an evidence-based treatment plan for Peyronie’s Disease that includes Therapeutic Ultrasound in the exact specifications that were proven effective by the research study. This is augmented by further treatment techniques and strategies to enhance recovery from this disease.