Thermal ultrasound is used for what kind of inflammatory conditions?

• A. Acute inflammatory conditions
• B. Subacute inflammatory conditions
• C. Autoimmune inflammatory conditions
• D. Chronic inflammatory conditions

Answer: (D)

Deep heating with therapeutic ultrasound is used when the goal is to promote healing and improve motion in tissues that are in a non-acute inflammatory state. Heating raises tissue temperature, which increases blood flow, speeds metabolic activity, and loosens collagen. In chronic inflammatory conditions, the inflammatory response has often moved past the acute phase, so there’s less active swelling and more stiffness and fibrosis. The heat helps reduce stiffness, improve range of motion, and provide analgesia, supporting ongoing healing in conditions like chronic tendinopathies or osteoarthritis. Heating is avoided in the acute stage because it can worsen edema and inflammatory pain, and autoimmune flares are typically managed with caution, reserving heat for periods without active acute inflammation.