What Is Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT)?
Shock Wave Therapy, or Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (EWST), is a non-invasive treatment that involves the delivery of shock waves to an injured area to promote healing.
This non-invasive procedure does not involve surgery or needles; results are often seen in only a few treatments.
The device delivers shock waves that are precise and targeted through a handheld wand. Deep tissues can be reached, and there are no significant adverse effects. ESWT is a fantastic alternative to pain medication, with some patients experiencing relief after the first visit.
Multiple studies have found that it can successfully treat conditions such as heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinopathy.
This therapy is not new, but its use in treating painful joints and muscles is relatively recent.
Shockwave therapy was initially developed to help urologists treat kidney stones non-invasively. However, it has now been successfully used to help treat many musculoskeletal conditions.
This treatment produces highly effective shock waves that initiate biological regeneration processes at the cellular level.
The treatment involves applying short, frequent, and high-intensity bursts of mechanical energy (in the form of a shockwave) into injured soft tissue, scarred soft tissue, or tissue that is painful, inflamed, and contains adhesions.
Shock Wave Therapy causes three specific responses to the tissue, including:
1. Physical Response – shock waves hit the tissue and generate positive pressure waves.
2. Chemical Response – the pressure waves mechanically stimulate biochemical reactions that cause our cells to become activated.
3. Biological Response – the cells receive instructions to stimulate remodeling of blood vessels, reduction of inflammation molecules, and the stimulation of new and healthy tissue (muscles, ligaments, and tendons).
This procedure can help provide you with a solution to decrease pain, improve your movement, treat sports injuries, and optimize performance.
Shockwave Therapy Can HelpTreat The Following Conditions:
- Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis or Heel spurs)
- Patellar Tendonitis(Jumper’s knee) Achilles tendon pain (Achilles/Tendonitis)
- Tennis and Golfer’s elbow
- Rotator Cuff tendonitis, including calcifying tendonitis
- Shin pain / tibial stress syndrome
- Chronic neck, shoulder, and back pain
- Muscular trigger points
- Very tight fascia and muscles
- Connective Tissue Pain and Degeneration
How Shockwave Therapy Works:
Suppose you are a candidate for shock wave therapy. In that case, the primary area of pain is localized, and a skin gel is applied to the treatment area to allow the shock waves to be appropriately transmitted into the body.
Shockwave therapy accelerates the healing process in the body by stimulating metabolism and creating increased blood circulation to enhance the regeneration of damaged tissue.
Shockwave technology delivers intense energy pulses applied to the affected area for short periods. The procedure enables the cells in the body that are responsible for bone and connective tissue to heal. In addition, it produces an acoustic pressure wave that transmits to the body’s tissue. The pressure wave created at the point of contact sends radially inside the patient’s body.
Shock wave treatment sessions can be uncomfortable but usually well tolerated. In many cases, shockwave therapy treatments have proven effective in cases where the human body has not been able to heal itself.
How Many Treatments?
The general course of therapy could take 3 to 5 treatments. Some manual therapy sessions may be added to work on some other dysfunctional tissues. The shock treatment sessions take approximately 5-10 minutes, depending on the problem area being treated.
After a therapy session, you will most likely feel no pain, but you may experience throbbing pain 2-4 hours following the treatment. This throbbing pain may last up to 24 to 48 hours.
In rare cases, patients may experience temporary skin reddening, pain, or worsening of symptoms during the first few days after treatment.
Benefits of ESWT
- Non-invasive
- No anesthesia
- No scarring
- No risk of infection
- No downtime
- Over 80% of patient satisfaction
- Faster, easier healing
What are the possible side effects/complications?
The non-invasive ESWT treatment has virtually no risks or side effects.
Occasionally, patients may experience slight discomfort, which may continue for a few days in extremely sensitive areas.
Patients may experience bruising, swelling, or skin redness over the treatment area. Contraindications to ESWT include bleeding disorders, active malignancy, and pregnancy.
Our team is excited to be the only provider in South Florida to bring you Focused Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT), a new tool used in many countries across the globe for promoting natural healing without surgery.
Our primary focus is providing patients with a pathway toward better health through ongoing chiropractic maintenance and preventative care. Our first concern is the health and safety of the people we serve.
We serve the Kendall, Miami, North Miami, Miami Lakes, West Palm Beach, and Pompano Florida areas. New Patient?
Call us today at 877-881-4878 or more information, or set up an appointment for Focused Shock Wave Therapy. You can also request a FREE Pain Consultation