What is Shockwave Therapy?
We normally think of shockwaves as something negative, running rampant through an area and ultimately causing some sort of damage. In the world of pain relief, though, the idea of shockwave therapy is definitely a positive idea. Acoustic pressure waves, generated by small bursts of energy, penetrate the skin and provide much-needed relief from pain in areas of the body with tissue damage or other musculoskeletal issues.
The shockwaves create micro-cavitation bubbles in targeted areas within the body that grow and then burst. The force created by the actions of the bubbles runs throughout the affected area and provides a catalyst for the body’s natural healing processes to take over.
What types of pain can be treated with Shockwave Therapy?
- Knee pain
- Foot and heel pain
- Shoulder pain
- Hip joint pain
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Wrist pain
- Hamstring pain
- Bursitis
- Plantar fasciitis
- Tendonitis
- And more
How does Shockwave Therapy work?
High energy waves are created using a device that generates sound waves through air compression. After a thorough examination, the team determines the precise location of the tissue damage causing the pain. A gel is applied on the skin around the area to help conduct the soundwaves from the device, allowing the healthcare professional who is treating you to apply targeted shockwaves in the areas of discomfort.
This non-invasive therapy uses the energy in acoustic waves to get right at the affected areas, passing through skin, muscle, and bone. The waves cause blood flow to be stimulated, as well as causing therapeutic inflammation. There is a minimal amount of discomfort during the treatment since the waves are essentially provoking an immune response in the affected area.
These shockwaves, therefore, both promote circulation and prompt the body to begin its own healing processes, sending platelets, white blood cells, and other healing factors into damaged areas. The sound waves can also help to break down fibrous tissue that results from scarring, resulting in an increase in comfort and ease of movement, and increase the production of collagen, the connective tissue in our bodies. Because these connective tissues and fibers provide the structure and nutrient pathways throughout our bodies, their repair is necessary for healing.
Because the procedure is non-invasive and relies on the body’s healing responses to the stimulus of the soundwaves, patients who suffer from chronic pain and inflammation can finally get relief free from heavy, potentially addictive pain medications of invasive surgical procedures.
There is a minimal amount of discomfort during the brief procedure because of the nature of sending the waves through areas that are already inflamed or damaged. Still, there is no lengthy recovery time, and the patient’s immune system and healing factors essentially do all the work. Shockwave therapy could therefore be the answer you have been seeking to your chronic pain and inflammation.