Can musculoskeletal diseases be treated with ultrasound?

Reader Tran D. Trung - 38 years old, Go Vap, HCMC: Dear doctor, for about a year now, I have not been able to support my hand. Every time I wake up and support my hand, my wrist is very painful. I can still do normal activities. I touched the hollow right at the wrist joint (back of the hand) and felt a small lump, pressing on it hurts. I heard that musculoskeletal diseases can be treated with ultrasound, is that true, doctor?

MD-CKII Vo Van Man - Head of Orthopedic Trauma Department - Nam Saigon International General Hospital:

Hello Trung,

From your description, it seems that you are having problems related to your wrist joint and the small lump you felt could be related to a synovial cyst or a joint cyst. Here is some information and advice regarding your condition:

Possible causes:

Tenosynovitis of the wrist: This is one of the common causes of wrist pain, especially in office workers who frequently use computers. Tenosynovitis can cause swelling, pain and limited wrist movement.

The small lump that Trung felt on his wrist could be a ganglion cyst or a ganglion cyst – a benign tumor filled with clear or pale yellow, jelly-like fluid that commonly occurs in joints and ligaments. Ganglion cysts usually appear as soft, mobile lumps that can be painful when pressed and cause limited mobility. They are common in the wrists, hands, ankles, and knees.

Additionally, pain when leaning on the hand and increased pain in the morning may be related to arthritis, tendonitis, or ligament damage .

However, to determine exactly what injury Mr. Trung is experiencing, he needs to visit a medical facility with a reputable orthopedic trauma department.

Can bone and joint diseases be treated with ultrasound?

Ultrasound can be a useful tool in diagnosing and assisting in the treatment of conditions of the wrist joint. Ultrasound comes in two forms: diagnostic and therapeutic, with each type having different indications.

• Diagnostic ultrasound: This is an imaging method that helps determine the condition of the soft tissues around the joint, including tendons, ligaments and the ganglion cysts mentioned above.
• Ultrasound therapy: is understood as a physical agent used in physical therapy, ultrasound waves help patients relax, improve pain. Under the effect of ultrasound waves, cells work more flexibly, blood circulation is stabilized, reducing inflammation. Ultrasound therapy is the use of ultrasound waves to treat myositis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, synovitis, soft tissue trauma.

Appropriate treatments:

First, the patient should visit an orthopedic specialist or a rheumatologist for an accurate diagnosis. Ultrasound can be used to assess the patient's condition and help determine the appropriate treatment. In addition, the doctor may also prescribe an X-ray or MRI to help distinguish the nature of the tumor most clearly.

Conservative treatment: If the lump is a small ganglion cyst and does not significantly affect hand function, your doctor may advise you to monitor it without immediate intervention. Sometimes this type of ganglion cyst can disappear on its own.

Medical treatment: If inflammation or pain does not improve, your doctor may recommend medical treatments such as pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs, or physical therapy.

Aspiration: This is done by using a needle to puncture the cyst and drain the fluid out. Then injecting anti-inflammatory corticosteroids to limit the re-accumulation of the cyst fluid. This is a very simple, painless procedure, and you can be discharged immediately after. However, about 50% of aspiration cases recur.

Surgical removal of the cyst: If the cyst is causing pain or severely affecting the function of the hand, surgery may be necessary to remove the cyst. Your doctor may recommend open or endoscopic surgery, depending on your condition.

Ganglion cysts can recur after aspiration and surgical excision. However, surgery has been shown to have a lower recurrence rate than cyst aspiration.

In summary, the use of ultrasound is useful in diagnosing and supporting the treatment of some musculoskeletal diseases. For effective treatment, patients need to see a doctor for a personalized treatment plan based on their specific condition. Do not self-treat at home with incorrect methods such as puncturing cysts or squeezing fluid. This can easily lead to infection and worsen the condition.

Hello doctor

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/benh-co-xuong-khop-co-the-dieu-tri-bang-sieu-am-khong-post762033.html