Persistent post-natal perineal pain is commonly treated with therapeutic ultrasound. To assess its effectiveness, 69 women were recruited to a randomised placebo-controlled trial. "Treatment" was given three times a week for up to eight sessions. Active ultrasound was transmitted at a frequency of 3 MHz, intensity of 0.5 W/cm squared, with 1:1 pulse interval. The women in the study tended to improve over the course of the study, irrespective of trial allocation. There were no clear differences between the groups when assessed six weeks after recruitment in respect of the principal measures of outcome, which included perineal pain and dyspareunia. Secondary analyses tended to favour the actively treated group but not consistently; this group had less pain during vaginal penetration, and less pain when standing. Because of the sample size, the estimates of effects of active therapy are prone to random errors; further, larger, placebo-controlled trials are required to confirm or refute the suggestions of benefit from this study.

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