Ultrasound uses high-energy sound waves to view images of internal tissues and organs on a computer screen. First used for medical purposes in 1956, it is now a well-established diagnostic tool. Perhaps best known for its images of the unborn, ultrasound has a great many advantages as a method for diagnosing musculoskeletal problems. At Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine, our doctors use ultrasound to diagnose a broad spectrum of musculoskeletal injuries and chronic conditions quickly and painlessly.
If you are troubled by pain, dysfunction or disability, contact our offices for a consultation with one of our outstanding specialists. We will get to the root of your problem and offer you a number of treatment options.
What Ultrasound Helps Us to Diagnose
With the help of ultrasound, our skilled doctors can not only pinpoint your trouble spot, but investigate its details with real time images. The many injuries and conditions we diagnose in this way include:
- Sprained ankles
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Rotator cuff tears
- Pinched nerves
- Bursitis
- Joint problems
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
Our patients appreciate the benefits of ultrasound — such as its convenience and immediate results — and so do we.
Advantages of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound
When compared to other imaging techniques, musculoskeletal ultrasound has a great many advantages for healthcare providers and patients alike, in terms of:
Safety
Because musculoskeletal ultrasound is noninvasive, painless (except for an occasional feeling of pressure), and does not use radiation (as X-rays do), it is considered very safe. Ultrasound has a fine track record when it comes to the absence of side effects and no necessary downtime.
Availability, Convenience, and Relatively Low Cost
Because ultrasound equipment is widely available, low cost (unlike MRI and CT scans), and portable, all kinds of doctors, including our own physiatrists, can have ultrasound devices in their offices for immediate use. Moreover, since ultrasound images can be viewed in real-time, it is possible for patients and doctors to communicate precisely where the pain is and which movements make it worse. The doctor can also use ultrasound to guide minimally invasive procedures such as aspiration (withdrawing fluid) and injection.
Inclusive Use
Patients need not remain still while having an ultrasound which makes it possible to use this type of diagnostic imaging on babies and children (not to mention fetuses). Also, the fact that ultrasound involves no radiation makes it usable on patients with pacemakers who are unable to undergo MRI scans. In addition, patients with a tendency to claustrophobia are comfortable with ultrasound because it is an open process, unlike the MRI tunnel that is unnerving to some.
Image Quality
Ultrasound provides clear images of soft tissues — e.g.muscles, severed or enlarged nerves, tendons, and ligaments (which X-rays do not) and can help the doctor focus precisely on targeted areas. It also provides clear images of cartilage. Since the doctor can move the transducer, angling it as she/he wants, the targeted area can be visualized at high resolution from various angles.
In spite of all the advantages of ultrasound imaging for musculoskeletal conditions, it is not the best diagnostic tool in every case. Fortunately, at Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine, we had several other diagnostic options available.
Suffering from an undiagnosed musculoskeletal pain? Contact Our Skilled Diagnosticians
Put an end to your suffering. Give us a call so we can use ultrasound or another appropriate method of diagnosis to get you on the path to wellness and comfort with an effective treatment plan.