The effect of noncontact, low-intensity, low-frequency therapeutic ultrasound on lower-extremity chronic wound pain: a retrospective chart review.

Pain associated with chronic wounds and related wound care modalities presents a persistent clinical challenge in patient care, yet evidence supporting the effects of interventions on wound pain remains sparse. In response to initial clinical observations that several patients with painful chronic lower-extremity wounds reported a reduction in wound pain shortly after ultrasound therapy was initiated, a retrospective chart review and analysis of reported pain scores was conducted. The records of 15 consecutive patients (eight women, seven men, age range 28 to 88 years) with painful, nonhealing, lower-extremity wounds treated for 2 to 4 weeks with noncontact, low-intensity, low-frequency therapeutic ultrasound were reviewed and recorded pain scores abstracted. Mean pain scores decreased from 8.07 (+/- 1.91) pre-treatment to 1.67 (+/- 1.76) post-treatment (P = 0.0003). No patients reported worsening pain after treatment commenced. This preliminary evidence suggests that prospective, controlled clinical studies to evaluate the effect of this treatment on wound-related pain are warranted.