Ultrasound Quickens Wound Healing, Says Study

If you easily get bruised or wounded and suffer from prolonged healing time, then this new study might be beneficial for you. A new research has confirmed that ultrasound can help chronic wounds to heal quickly.

BBC News reports that according to a study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, a test conducted on animals have shown that wound healing time have accelerated three times faster than it ordinarily does.

There are more than 200,000 patients in the UK alone that has chronic wounds and this study will help save the government about 3.1 billion pounds. But the experts believe that while the results have been impressive, it should be tested further to check if the same results will apply on humans. 

Science Daily elaborates the process of the study. The University of Sheffield’s Department of Biomedical Science has used ultrasound transmission on mice, and have discovered that it can awaken cells in wounds, making them active, thus accelerating the healing process. 

Lead author Dr. Mark Bass of the Center of Membrane Interactions and Dynamics (CMIAD) from the same university said that patients suffering from skin ulcers can benefit from the study as patients often suffer from extreme pains that are impossible to heal, sometimes resulting in amputation. As the new measure speeds up the normal healing process, no side effects can be detected. It is not associated with drug medications and treatment, as it will mimic the mechanism of natural healing.

Dr. Bass added that as the ultrasound has now proven its effectiveness, further studies should be made to refine the process and further shorten healing time.

This study will be exceptionally beneficial for elderly patients and people with diabetes, who oftentimes find themselves victims of infected wounds. Most diabetics suffer from foot ulcers due to loss of sensation in the legs, and gangrene, which may lead to amputation.

NICE Organization adds that the ultrasound has already proven its use for other medical conditions like bone injuries. EXOGEN, an ultrasound healing system, has been found to treat fractures that have not healed for over nine months in the tibia or femur.