The patient, a 67 year old lady, sustained neck injuries before October 1994. Her head was flung backwards when she was forced to brake her car all of a sudden. In 1989 and 1991, she also slipped in her bath room and hit her head against the wall. She had been treated at the hospital with Ultra-Sound diathermy since 4 months back. On and off, she also wore a neck collar. She was still having difficulties in turning her head prior to the start of Sonotron Therapy. She also had a painful spot at the area of her right shoulder blade.


RESULT AFTER 1ST THERAPY SESSION ON MAY 18, 1995.

Prior to the start of Sonotron Therapy, the patient complained of tightness in the right side of her neck whenever she tried to turn to the right.  She was only able to turn very slightly to the right. Even though she had just completed a session with Ultra-Sound diathermy, she registered a tightness score of 10 out of 10 when she turned her head.

She was then asked to locate, by herself, the most painful spot in her neck. She located it by turning her head to the right. As for the painful spot at her back, she registered the 'pain on pressure' as 8 out of 10.

Immediately after the Sonotron treatment, she registered an increase in the range of motion of her neck and she was able to turn comfortably. She reported a tightness score of only 4 out of 10. Simultaneously, she reported that the 'pain on pressure' at her back had improved to a score of 0 out of 10. She felt no more pain in her back when pressed but only some sort of soreness.


RESULT AFTER 2ND THERAPY SESSION ON MAY 19, 1995.

Prior to the 2nd therapy session, she reported a 'pain on pressure' score of 6/7 out of 10. She also reported a tightness score of  4 out of 10 in her neck when turning to the right. She observed that she was able to turn her head to drive comfortably, especially when reversing her car. She couldn't do it the last time.

This time, the patient discovered another new pain spot (P2) in her back next to the old one (P1). When pressed, she reported a pain score of 8 out of 10.

Immediately after treatment, she registered an improvement in pain for P1 with a score of 3/4 out of 10. She evaluated the treatment as "excellent" and no more soreness was observed. 

As for the new pain spot, P2, she reported a fast drop in pain to a score of 5 out of 10. She evaluated the treatment to be "good". As for her tightness, she observed a drastic improvement with a score of only 2 out of 10. She commented that the treatment was "excellent" because she was able to turn her head easily to look at the back of herself without moving her body.


RESULT AFTER 3RD THERAPY SESSION ON MAY 20, 1995.

Prior to treatment, she felt a much lower pain in her back at P1 and P2. She registered a 'pain on pressure' (P1) score of 1/2 out of 10 and at P2 with a score of 3/4 out of 10. She also reported no more tightness (a score of  0 out of 10) in her neck when she turned to the right. She observed that she was able to turn her head freely now. She also found that when she lifted her head upwards, she registered a new pain, with a score of 8 out of 10 behind her neck.

Immediately after treatment, she registered no more pain when lifting her head upwards even when she lifted her head quickly. As for the pain spot P1, she reported a fast drop in pain, to a score of 0 out of 10. She evaluated the treatment to be "excellent". She also reported a drop in the pain spot P2, to a score of 1/2 out of 10.

GENERAL COMMENT

1. Pain score was measured by patient, using his best judgment.

2. Pain Score 0  - No pain
Pain Score 10 - Excruciating pain

3. Operator of device was always the same person.

4. Interactive communication was always encouraged between patient and operator of  device in order to gauge the degree of improvement in patient's problem as treatment  progressed. Treatment ended when patient felt comfortable enough or when pain disappeared.