Differences Between Ultrasound and Electrical Stimulation in Wound Healing

When a patient enters a physical therapy clinic for wound therapy, a physical therapist must decide the best way to provide care. The therapy that is decided upon depends on the client, the therapist, and the goals that are trying to be achieved. Through a literature review, I will compare two methods of wound care treatment: therapeutic ultrasound and electrical stimulation. This paper will look at the way these two treatments work and how these treatments are beneficial in wound healing. The benefit of this literature review will be to provide a source of information in choosing an effective or optimal treatment regime for the patient with delayed wound healing. This literature review has found that ultrasound works by stimulating the release of mediators and attracting monocytes to the area, stimulating fibroblasts, epithelial cells, and indirectly, monocytes in accelerating the growth of new tissue. Electrical stimulation is used to accelerate and enhance healing by retarding bacterial growth, increasing local circulation, and enhancing the natural process of tissue repair. Finally, electrical stimulation increases the number of leukocytes, increases collagen synthesis, and accelerates wound epithelializaton