United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi,
Thanks to all who responded to my earlier message posted on here. What enormous help everyone was! After ebing in PT for a week and a half (and the PT didn't seem to understand she was dealing with nerve damage as she kept saying ..." your muscles are just tight".)SO.... I found a OT and was amazed after my first visit.
Without even having the results of my EMG, she pinpointed which nerves are damaged and what muscles are affected. She also noted that my bicep does most all the work in that arm and is ALWAYS rock hard. (I just thought I had a big muscle in that arm- which I do:)
She used ultrasound on it that day and gave me some nerve stretches.I was not expecting any change.
The day after my appointment I noted my arm felt different. My fingers could move easier and I could stand straight and have my arm sit flat against me. I have never been able to do this my whole life! It has always stuck out straight in front of me at my elbow!
anyway needless to say I am amazed and elated already and I have hope I WILL function better.
I was just wondering if anyone else has found any relief with the ultrasound?

Ivy,

I'm so glad you found a knowledgeable OT!!!

I'm very interested in learning more about ultrasound therapy. Would you please post more about it?

Thank you!

Mica

They use ultrasound a lot in sports med/physical medicine and rehab (physiatry) to break up adhesions in the muscle fibers. When the muscles are injured or tight or there is pain, the muscle fibers do not lie straigh. Instead they bunch up and stay "kinked", hence tightness and pain and difficulty moving. The ultra sound undoes all this and get them to lie flat again. That way movement is possible as the muscle fibers are relaxed once again. Like when you get a knot in your muscle, the fibers are all bunched together.
Ultra sound uses thermal (heat) energy to do this.
"When sound is propagated through tissues, the degree that any medium is exposed to heat depends on the tissue thickness."
http://arthritis.about.com/gi/dynamic/o ... erapy.html

http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/ult ... erapy.html
It's also a very basic (and sometimes painful) way to diagnose stress fractures.. off topic I know, but
interesting!

When I did PT (I mean practiced, not as a patient) we rarely used it on kids/babies if ever, as they cannot tell you accurately if the intensity is too high. It can produce nasty tissue burns (deep tissue burns) and so should not be used on children until they can tell you what they are feeling, and it is used very carefully on those with sensory loss; low intensity.

It's a neat tool to use!
Marieke (32, LOBPI)

Very interesting!

Too bad we'll have to wait to try it!!!!!

Marieke
We can always count on your for good information.
Thanks so much... I may speak to my doctor about using it on my muscles because my deltoids are like rocks and always on... so is my biceps ... I just can use them properly even with working with the Myotrac.

This is very interesting but will have to wait.
I am packing and moving next week and need my muscles right now. Even if they function wrong they help...LOL..

Thanks again for the info.

Kath robpi/adult

Boy! Am I glad someone else answered what it was b/c I had no idea... she only told me it can break up scar tissue and relax muscles and tendons. When I saw her my next visit I told her the extraordinary results. She was a bit shocked and didn't think it would work that well.
She did the same thing again, but the two days following I haven't noticed a difference in my pain level- although my arm is still notably able to straighten farther.
I am just learning about all this myself but anything that helps I am super thankful for!

just posting real quick. when i had 3 months of PT it was stretching and ultrasound and massaging.

the ultrasound and massage helped a LOT...

but now, months later after only stretching by myself...the pain and tightness is back.

Its wonderful if you can afford to keep up with it. I just cant right now - bills are too much as it is.

Caiti,
Students at local masage traing schols ned practice so it is very inecpensive to go there for a massage.
Some is beter than none.

HUGS,
Carolyn J
LOBPI/69

Cakegirl, where in Kansas are you? I also live in Kansas and my granddaughter with obpi. CMB