Ultrasound in eSports Medicine

Ultrasound (US) is a valuable tool that physicians can use for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

If you have pain or numbness in your hands, it may be a symptom of tendonitis or a pinched nerve. A doctor who is skilled in US can use it to evaluate your tendons and nerves for evidence of injury, such as swelling or tears.

US has 2 big advantages over other imaging modalities such as x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs. First, there is NO radiation in US (or in MRIs), so you can be rest-assured it is safe, even if you are still growing or are pregnant. Secondly, it is done in real-time, allowing for dynamic evaluation. What that means is that we can move your joints around to see how well your tendons and nerves are moving, and if they are getting compressed, or pinched, with certain activities. Other imaging modalities are static, or still pictures only.

If your symptoms are severe enough that you need an injection, US allows for precise needle placement. Some doctors will just look and feel for the right spot to stick you with a needle; however, US lets us see not only the target under the skin, but also where the needle is, and where the medicine will spread.

Skills vary by physician, so make sure your doctor has had appropriate training.

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