Therapeutic ultrasound is used primarily for two different effects: the deep heating treatment and non-thermal uses. Ultrasound is also used to reduce edema and inflammation, to help heal tendinitis and bursitis, promote healing in fractured bones and to break down scar tissue.
Deep Heating Effects: Ultrasound is often used to provide deep heating to soft tissue structures in the body. Deep heating tendons, muscles or ligaments increases circulation to those tissues, which is thought to help the healing process. Increasing tissue temperature with ultrasound is also used to help decrease pain.