# Ultrasonic pain relief device -- boon or scam?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultrasonic-pain-relief-device-boon-or-scam/403085>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 7, 2007, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultrasonic-pain-relief-device-boon-or-scam/403085 "2007-05-07T12:34:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultrasonic-pain-relief-device-boon-or-scam/403085/1 "2007-05-07T12:34:11Z")

</div>

My 86 year old mother has had painful chronic tendinitis that hasn’t responded to treatment from her doctor. My brother suggested we buy her this gizmo to help relieve the pain:

[Sonic Relief Portable Pain Therapy System](http://www.mendmeshop.com/)

My BS radar went to 11 when I first saw it, especially since it costs $249. I found [one clinical study that appears to test ultrasonic pain relief](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16386061&dopt=Abstract), but I cannot parse the medicalese, or even if it is applicable to this particular device.

Does anyone have any links to clinical studies on this technology?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultrasonic-pain-relief-device-boon-or-scam/403085/2 "2007-05-07T17:16:00Z")

</div>

I’d be pretty leery of a cheap ultrasound device sold for home use, but I _have_ had ultrasound treatments for neuromas in my feet. They did seem to have some effect on the sensations I was having.

Some links:

> **[Health Benefits of Exercise](https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/health-benefits-exercise)**
>
> Find out how regular exercise can boost your physical and mental health.

[http://arthritis.about.com/od/ultrasound/Ultrasound\_Therapy\_Ultrasound\_Treatments\_Physical\_Therapy.htm](http://arthritis.about.com/od/ultrasound/Ultrasound_Therapy_Ultrasound_Treatments_Physical_Therapy.htm)

> **[High intensity ultrasound damages tissue but leads to healing and pain relief](https://www.coccyx.org/treatmen/ultras.htm)**
>
> High intensity ultrasound damages tissue but leads to healing and pain relief, coccyx or tailbone pain: coccydynia diagnosis, coping and treatment

As I understood it, the machines used in a clinical setting do have the risk of causing damage to the tissues (by overheating them?) which is why they weren’t sold for home use. IANAD but I’d bet the unit you saw doesn’t have enough “oomph” to do all that much if it’s low-powered enough to be sold OTC.

> [@coccyx.org](#):
>
> Note - this is different from the low intensity ultrasound that is often used by physical therapists. That is more like a micro-massage, and doesn’t seem to be very successful.