The human ear can pick up these sounds, the frequency of which varies from 16 to 20,000 vibrations per second.
Infrasound is a low-frequency sound wave (that is, with a frequency below 16 oscillations), ultrasound is a high-frequency sound wave with a frequency of over 20 thousand oscillations. They are not perceived by the human hearing aid and require the use of special instruments to detect them.
It was a huge number of studies that analyzed the signs of a sound wave and the effects of ultrasound that contributed to the emergence of prerequisites that allowed the use of ultrasound on a large scale in various industries, in the production of individual drugs, in medicine, physics, modern military technology, biology, national economy and everyday life. Let us consider in more detail the effect of ultrasound on the human body.
What is ultrasound?
The influence of ultrasound and infrasound on the human bodyunique. Ultrasound is a sound wave with a high frequency that can propagate in solid materials, in liquids and in gaseous media, due to the influence of elastic forces. The origin of ultrasound can be both natural and artificial. So, in nature there are sense organs that allow you to reproduce and receive vibrations generated by an ultrasonic wave, for example, in dolphins, bats, butterflies, whales, locusts, grasshoppers, crickets, certain types of fish and birds.
Thanks to this, they are able to perfectly navigate in space, including at night, and also communicate with relatives. Dolphins and whales can send the necessary signals for tens of thousands of kilometers. In addition, dogs and cats can pick up ultrasound. The intensity and speed of propagation of ultrasound are directly affected by the characteristics of the substance in which it is transmitted: if it moves away from a source in the air, then the sound weakens rather quickly. In liquids, as well as when passing through a solid, the strength of ultrasound decreases slowly. What is the effect of ultrasound on the human body?
Different from normal sound
It differs from ordinary sound in that it propagates in all directions from the source. Ultrasound is essentially a wave in the form of a narrow beam. Such features make it possible to use it for the study of the sea and ocean floor, the detection of sunken ships and submarines, as well as variousunderwater obstacles and the exact distance.
But when propagating in water, ultrasonic waves can harm those organisms that live in it. Under the influence of ultrasound, the sense of balance is disturbed in fish, they float to the surface of the water upside down, and therefore cannot take their normal position. If the exposure to ultrasound is intense and prolonged, exceeds the permissible limits, then in the end it will cause very serious damage and even death to the fish. If its influence is temporary, and the intensity is not too high, after its termination, the lifestyle and behavior of the fish return to their usual limits.
Effect of ultrasound on the human body
Ultrasound affects the human body in a similar way. During the experiment, water was poured into a bowled palm, after which the subject immersed it in the ultrasonic space. At the same time, he experienced painful discomfort. Not everyone knows what effect ultrasound has on the human body.
It is worth noting that the essence of the biological effect of ultrasound has not yet been fully studied. But it is more likely to be based on local pressures that occur in the tissues, as well as a local thermal effect, which is directly related to the energy absorption that occurs when vibrations are suppressed. Since gaseous and liquid media are able to perfectly absorb ultrasound, while solid substances conduct it, skelet althe human body system is also a good conductor. Ultrasonic exposure in the human body primarily provokes the appearance of a thermal effect, which is a consequence of the energy transformation of an ultrasound wave into heat. What else do you need to know about ultrasound and its effect on the human body?
Stimulates circulation
In addition, it causes microscopic stretching and contraction of the tissue (this is called micromassage), and also stimulates blood circulation. In this regard, there is an improvement in the functioning of various tissues of the human body and blood flow. In addition, ultrasound can have a stimulating effect on the course of metabolic processes and reflex-nervous action. It promotes changes not only in the organs it affects, but also in other organs and tissues.
The harm of intense influence
At the same time, intense and prolonged influence destroys cells and leads to their death. This is due to the fact that cavities are formed in body fluids under the influence of ultrasound (this phenomenon is called cavitation), which causes tissue death. The ultrasound wave can also destroy many microorganisms, and this contributes to the inactivation of viruses such as encephalitis or poliomyelitis. The influence of ultrasound on a protein causes a violation of the structure of its constituent particles and their further disintegration. In addition, it destroys erythrocytes and leukocytes in the blood, its coagulability and viscosity increase significantly, it also occursROE acceleration. The ultrasound wave has a depressing effect on cellular respiration, reduces the amount of oxygen consumed by it, and causes the inactivation of a number of hormones and enzymes.
So the impact on the human body of ultrasound is still not very good.
Consequences for the human body
High-intensity ultrasound can cause the following effects in humans:
- the appearance of increased pain syndrome;
- baldness;
- hemolysis;
- clouding of the lens and cornea of the eye;
- increase in the content of lactic and uric acid, cholesterol in the blood;
- small hemorrhages in a number of organs and tissues of the body;
- significant hearing impairment;
- pathological formation and destruction of bone tissue;
- destruction of nerve cells and cells of Corti's organ. These are the main diseases caused by ultrasound exposure.
As a result of prolonged exposure to ultrasound, excessive drowsiness, dizziness, high fatigue, symptoms of vegetative dystonia (sleep disorders, memory defects, apathy, indecision, decreased appetite, fearfulness, a tendency to depression, etc.) appear.
Where is the effect of ultrasound on the body most often used?
Medical use of ultrasound
The therapeutic effect of ultrasound is due to its ability to penetrate into tissues, their heating and micromassage. NecessaryIt should be noted that ultrasound probably has a number of specific effects, since deep tissue heating is also achieved through other methods, but in some cases a positive effect occurs only after using ultrasound.
Taking into account the reflex mechanism, ultrasound can be used not only to directly affect the epicenter of pain, but also to influence indirectly.
Due to the properties mentioned above, ultrasound under a number of conditions is able to have a bactericidal, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. The use of ultrasound can be combined with other therapeutic techniques. Due to the increased biological activity, care must be taken when treating with ultrasound. Positive results in its therapeutic use have been obtained in a number of diseases. It is very effective in the treatment of neuralgia, myalgia, neuritis of amputated limbs, periarthritis, arthritis and arthrosis. Whether ultrasound is harmful to humans is of interest to many.
Total impact
The overall impact of ultrasound on the human body is confirmed, in particular, by the fact that when a number of joints are affected, it is often enough to limit the therapy of any of them, since there is a parallel improvement in other joints. Positive results were obtained in the treatment with ultrasound of spondylitis, Bechterew's disease, varicose, sluggishly granulating and trophic ulcers, obliteratingendarteritis.
There are separate indications of the positive use of ultrasound in bronchial asthma, duodenal and gastric ulcers, bronchiectasis, pulmonary emphysema, Meniere's disease and otosclerosis. There are also observations that suggest skin pre-sounding enhances the effectiveness of X-ray exposure.
Contraindications for the use of ultrasound
It is forbidden to sound the genitals, growing bones, tumors, heart areas (this can cause angina pectoris). With hypertension, pulmonary tuberculosis, pregnancy, hyperthyroidism, changes in parenchymal organs, the use of ultrasound is also contraindicated. If it is applied on an ever larger scale, then it is necessary to organize careful monitoring of patients who are in contact with ultrasound in order to identify early symptoms of the disease and take the required preventive and therapeutic measures in time. There is also evidence of a positive effect of ultrasound on some forms of neuritis and cancer. But the width of the safe area between positive and damaging effects has not yet been determined with accuracy.
We examined the effect of ultrasound on the human body.
