The effectiveness of the therapeutic ultrasound on the psycho-physiological functioning in patients who presented with neck pain.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the therapeutic ultrasound on the psycho-physiological functioning in patients who presented with neck pain. There is a limited number of scientific studies which provide information on clinical effectiveness of the therapeutic ultrasound and its effect on the psycho-physiological functions. The present study investigated 100 patients (average age 55), 69 females and 31 males, who presented with neck pain. Treatment protocol consisted of 15 treatments spread over three weeks (five treatments per week). Patients were separated into the two groups (test and control). Both groups of patients undertook programed isometric exercises specific for the cervical spine as well as transcutaneous electrical stimulation. The test group received continuous therapeutic ultrasound on the neck five times a day with the intensity of 0.5 w/cm2, while in the control group ultrasound machine was switched off during the therapy. It has been found that programed isometric exercises specific for the cervical spine in combination with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) had the same therapeutic effect on the psycho-physiological functioning as the combination of these two therapies with the therapeutic ultrasound.