[coopershawk]

Ultrasound treatment and multiple myeloma

by coopershawk on Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:54 pm

Recently I fell and did some muscle damage to my back. After having X-rays, the ER MD said I had no fractures and referred me to a physical therapist.

The PT said I was an ideal candidate for ultrasound treatment but, because of my diagnosis of multiple myeloma, he wouldn't be able to use ultrasound as a treatment modality. He said that, although there is no proof that ultrasound might cause more problems with my multiple myeloma, he wasn't going to use it.

Anyone else have a similar situation?

Thanks!

[Jonah]

Re: Ultrasound treatment and multiple myeloma

by Jonah on Tue Feb 17, 2015 1:11 pm

Hi Coopershawk,

I don't have any direct experience with ultrasound being recommended for muscle damage or for fractures. However, from what I've been able to find on the subject, there seems to be some question as to whether or not it really is that helpful.

Here is a long summary of research that has looked at whether or not ultrasound makes a beneficial for healing of muscle damage:

https://www.painscience.com/articles/ultrasound.php

Unfortunately — although there are some interesting exceptions and tantalizing hopes for some conditions — ultrasound is not a promising therapy for most of the painful problems it is used for. There is a jarring, bizarre lack of quality research for such a popular, mainstream therapy. What little research is available paints a bland picture. Ultrasound therapy isn’t even on good theoretical foundations. At best, it’s more complicated and unpredictable than most therapists believe. At worst, there is no rational basis for [ultrasound] at all."

Also, this press release covers a study with rats that looked at ultrasound for muscle damage, finding no benefit:

http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/ultranil.htm

Ultrasound therapy does nothing to help an injured skeletal muscle heal any faster, according to a new study conducted in rats.

Although ultrasound is one of the most frequently prescribed treatments for one of the most common sport and athletic injuries – skeletal muscle contusions – there's really no good scientific evidence showing that it treats injured muscles effectively, said Steven Devor, the study's lead author and an assistant professor of sport and exercise sciences at Ohio State University."

There's also an extensive review of the literature related to ultrasound for fractures that you can find there:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0033918/

Authors' conclusions: While a potential benefit of ultrasound for the treatment of acute fractures in adults cannot be ruled out, the currently available evidence from a set of clinically heterogeneous trials is insufficient to support the routine use of this intervention in clinical practice."

Best of luck to you.

[coopershawk]

Re: Ultrasound treatment and multiple myeloma

by coopershawk on Tue Feb 17, 2015 2:50 pm

Hi Jonah,

Thanks for the comprehensive answer to my question! Maybe I'm not missing anything after all!

Earl McKenzie

[mikeb]

Re: Ultrasound treatment and multiple myeloma

by mikeb on Wed Feb 18, 2015 12:20 pm

Hi,

Just to add a little bit from my own experience.

Last spring I received ultrasound treatment from a physical therapist for a partially torn Achilles tendon. Concurrently I was on Revlimid maintenance therapy for multiple myeloma. My myeloma specialist was aware of the ultrasound treatment, and had no problems with me receiving it.

Unfortunately, it did not seem to help my Achilles tendon heal. Eventually, time and patience did help the Achilles tendon.

Good luck to you with your recovery from the fall, Earl.

Mike

[torimooney]

Re: Ultrasound treatment and multiple myeloma

by torimooney on Wed Feb 18, 2015 2:23 pm

I am a retired PT and was told when I was going through school and all through my working years that we don't use ultrasound on any cancer patients. At that time, it was felt that ultrasound inter­feres with the blood composition and could make cancers worse. As for me with multiple myeloma, I would forego ultrasound treatment.

Maybe ultrasound doesn't work on rats in a study quoted, as one previous poster wrote, but it certainly helps many with muscular skeletal pain.

[coopershawk]

Re: Ultrasound treatment and multiple myeloma

by coopershawk on Wed Feb 18, 2015 4:31 pm

Thanks Mike and torimooney for your comments. I think my PT received similar advice in his training as you pointed out, torimooney. Better to be safe!

Earl