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Intramuscular Temperature Rises With Topical Analgesics Used as Coupling Agents During Therapeutic Ultrasound
J William Myrer1, Gary J. Measom, Gilbert W. Fellingham
1Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.
Journal of Athletic Training
|August 26, 2003
Summary
Nature's Chemist and Biofreeze, when mixed with Aquasonic 100, effectively increase intramuscular temperature during therapeutic ultrasound. Patient-reported heat perception did not correlate with actual temperature changes.
Area of Science:
- Physiotherapy
- Biomedical Engineering
- Therapeutic Modalities
Background:
- Therapeutic ultrasound utilizes coupling agents to transmit energy into tissues.
- The effectiveness of various coupling agents in achieving therapeutic temperature increases is crucial for treatment efficacy.
- Nature's Chemist and Biofreeze are topical agents sometimes used with ultrasound, but their impact on intramuscular temperature requires investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effectiveness of Nature's Chemist as an ultrasound coupling agent against Biofreeze, Aquasonic 100, and a sham treatment.
- To determine the impact of these agents on intramuscular (IM) temperature increase during therapeutic ultrasound.
- To assess the correlation between perceived heat and actual IM temperature changes.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 40 college students was conducted.
- Subjects received continuous therapeutic ultrasound (3 MHz, 1.0 W/cm²) for 10 minutes over the posterior calf.
- Intramuscular temperature was measured using a thermocouple, and perceived heat was assessed using a visual analogue scale.
Main Results:
- Aquasonic 100, and mixtures of Aquasonic 100 with Nature's Chemist or Biofreeze, all significantly increased IM temperatures compared to the sham treatment.
- No significant differences in IM temperature increase were found among the three active coupling agent groups.
- Perceived heat did not significantly differ among the active groups and did not consistently reflect IM temperature changes.
Conclusions:
- Nature's Chemist and Biofreeze, when used as 1:1 mixtures with Aquasonic 100, are effective ultrasound coupling agents for increasing IM temperature.
- The choice of coupling agent (among those tested) does not significantly alter the degree of IM temperature increase at the tested parameters.
- Patient perception of heat is not a reliable indicator of actual intramuscular temperature elevation during therapeutic ultrasound.