What is Shockwave Therapy?
Shockwave therapy, also known as Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT), is a non-invasive medical treatment that uses ultrasonic waves to alleviate musculoskeletal issues, particularly those affecting connective tissues such as ligaments and tendons.
The procedure delivers these sound waves to the damaged location, aiding the body's natural healing processes, boosting circulation, alleviating pain, and encouraging tissue repair.
Many people choose shockwave therapy as an alternative to surgery or long-term pharmaceutical use, allowing for faster recovery and comfort.
What Are the Benefits of Shockwave Therapy?
Shockwave therapy provides several advantages that make it an intriguing treatment choice, including:
Natural Healing Promotion
Shockwave therapy delivers sound waves to the afflicted tissues, causing enhanced blood circulation and cellular repair activity. This enhances the body's natural healing process, allowing tissues to mend more quickly.
Non-Invasive
One of the primary advantages of shockwave therapy is that it is non-surgical. This implies that patients can avoid surgery's risks and lengthy recovery times.
Pain Reduction
Shockwave therapy, through its therapeutic process, can ease pain caused by specific disorders. This is a pleasant respite for those seeking alternatives to medicine or other invasive pain treatment techniques.
Mobility Improvement
Many people report an improvement in their mobility after therapy. Individuals frequently report being able to move more freely and comfortably after addressing the underlying causes of pain and stimulating tissue restoration.
Cost-Effective
For some patients, shockwave therapy may be a more cost-effective choice than long-term medication or surgery. Nevertheless, this can differ based on the person's healthcare requirements and policy.
Side effects are limited.
While any medical technique carries dangers, shockwave therapy often has fewer adverse effects than surgical operations or long-term drug use.
What Is Shockwave Therapy Used For?
Shockwave treatment has been popular recently due to its ability to treat various musculoskeletal and soft tissue diseases.
The following conditions are typically treated with shockwave therapy:
Foot Conditions: Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Spurs.
Tendinopathies include Achilles, Tennis Elbow, and Jumpers. Knee and Bone Issues: Stress Fractures and Delay Bone Healing
Calcific Conditions: Calcific tendonitis with shoulder impingement.
Chronic inflammation causes pain.
Tissue concerns include scar tissue degradation and non-healing sores.
Various Types of Shockwaves
Electrohydraulic shockwave therapy (FSWT) uses focused shockwaves.
Best for:
Pain
Soft tissue injuries.
Musculoskeletal conditions.
Erectile Dysfunction.
Regeneration Therapy
Electrohydraulic shockwaves, or low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT), are a medical treatment that promotes healing and alleviates pain.
Linear Li-ESWT employs low-energy shockwaves to aid in the healing and regeneration of injured tissues. Shockwave therapy is a popular choice for treating injuries, back pain, and joint discomfort in the musculoskeletal system.
During an ESWT treatment session, your healthcare professional will utilise a specialised shockwave machine to deliver a series of low-energy shockwaves to the affected area.
By applying shockwaves to injured areas, they promote the growth of new proteins and blood vessels, which allows the area to receive more oxygen and nutrients, hastening the healing process.
Focused Shockwave Therapy (FSWT) utilises electromagnetic shockwaves.
Best for:
Cancer Treatment
Spinal cord damage.
Brain Tumours
Uterine fibroids
Electromagnetic shockwaves are powerful waves produced by an electromagnetic field. In medical settings, electromagnetic shockwaves are commonly employed for therapies such as high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and radiosurgery.
In HIFU, electromagnetic shockwaves are directed at a specific body location, such as the prostate gland or the uterus, to heat and destroy aberrant tissue.
This surgery can be used to treat prostate cancer and uterine fibroids.
In radiosurgery, electromagnetic shockwaves deliver a hefty radiation dose to a specific body part, such as the brain or spine.
This can treat diseases like brain tumours and spinal cord damage.
Focused Shockwave Therapy (FSWT) uses piezoelectric shockwave technology.
Best for:
Kidney and gall stones.
Piezoelectric shockwave therapy, commonly known as piezoelectric lithotripsy, is a medical process in which targeted high-energy shockwaves are used to break up kidney or gall stones.
This is a non-invasive technique commonly performed on an outpatient basis. During the procedure, a healthcare expert uses an ultrasound or X-ray to locate the stone in the body.
A small probe is then pressed against the skin over the stone, and a shockwave machine produces a succession of high-energy shockwaves.
The shockwaves break up the stone into small bits, allowing you to pass it quickly and with little discomfort.
Piezoelectric shockwave lithotripsy is widely regarded as a safe and effective treatment for kidney stones and gallstones, but it may not be appropriate for everyone. T
To find out which course of treatment is ideal for you, consult your doctor.
Radial waves are employed in unfocused or radial shockwave therapy (RSWT).
Best for:
Treatment options include pain, soft tissue conditions, and regeneration therapy.
Based on what the International Society for Medical Shockwave Treatment has determined, radial waves are high-energy pressure waves rather than real shockwaves.
Radial pressure waves are directed at a specific body area to promote the formation of new blood vessels and collagen.
Radial shockwave therapy targets injured tissues or nerves and can help with problems such as tendinitis, bursitis, and plantar fasciitis.
Shockwave therapy uses radial waves, which are considered non-invasive because they do not require an incision or anaesthesia.
Radial versus Focused Shockwaves
The primary distinction between radial and unfocused shockwave therapy is that radial shockwave therapy generates unfocused shockwaves over a larger area. In contrast, focused shockwave therapy concentrates energy on a single place.
This causes various impacts and results, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
What is Radial Shockwave Therapy?
Radial shockwave therapy (RSWT) creates unfocused shockwaves that spread in a 360-degree radius. The shockwaves are directed at a larger surface area rather than a single focused spot.
This enables RSWT to treat vast areas of tissue. The pressure waves generate microtrauma in the damaged area, activating the body's healing response.
RSWT is considered less intrusive than focused shockwave therapy. It does not require a specified target and is frequently used without anaesthesia or sedation.
It generally uses lower energy intensities than focused shockwaves. RSWT is typically used to treat persistent plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, and other tendinopathies.
In common orthopaedic conditions, it can help alleviate discomfort and increase mobility.
What is Focused Shockwave Therapy?
Focused shockwave therapy (FSWT) employs focused shockwaves aimed at a specific target spot.
This shockwave is created using electrohydraulic, electromagnetic, or piezoelectric mechanisms.
The waves are focused using geometric lenses, concentrating energy in a compact focal area.
FSWT uses higher energy intensities to reach deeper tissue layers.
The targeted shockwaves promote healing by mechanotransduction, breaking up scar tissue and calcifications. FSWT is commonly used to treat persistent plantar fasciitis, delayed bone repair, and chronic tendinopathies such as tennis elbow.
Due to the increased energy intensities, local anaesthesia is usually required.
High vs. low energy shockwaves
Each therapy employs high-energy (focused) or low-energy (unfocused) shockwaves within the various shockwave technologies. These therapies rely on the underlying technology to promote healing and enhance blood flow in wounded or damaged tissue.
However, the types of shockwaves employed will determine which is ideal for you, depending on your requirements.
High-energy shockwave therapy (also known as focused shockwave treatment)
High-energy shockwave therapy stimulates healing in damaged tissues by emitting high-energy sound waves.
Higher frequency waves focus directly on the damaged area, promoting healing in a smaller, more specific area.
This sort of shockwave treatment is most typically used to treat kidney stones and cancer.
Examples of High Energy Focused Shockwave Treatments:
Options include GAINSwave, PulseWave, CuraWave, and Swiss DolorClast.
Low-energy shockwave therapy (or unfocused shockwave treatment)
Low-energy shockwave therapy, also known as low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (Li-ESWT), uses shockwaves to promote tissue healing.
When it comes to musculoskeletal problems and illnesses, it's a go-to treatment, including tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, and plantar fasciitis, as well as chronic pain disorders such as neuropathy.
Low-energy shockwave therapy promotes the body's inherent healing mechanisms and has been demonstrated to provide long-term relief from pain, injuries, and other chronic diseases.
Where Can You Find Shockwave Therapy?
Shockwave therapy is commonly accessible at specialised medical centres, clinics, and physiotherapy facilities that provide advanced musculoskeletal and soft tissue disorders treatment.
Such facilities are outfitted with professional-grade technology and staffed by skilled medical specialists who can deliver individualised treatments based on individual requirements.
Natural Healing Promotion
Shockwave therapy delivers sound waves to the afflicted tissues, causing enhanced blood circulation and cellular repair activity. This enhances the body's natural healing process, allowing tissues to mend more quickly.
Non-Invasive
One of the primary advantages of shockwave therapy is that it is non-surgical. This implies that patients can avoid surgery's risks and lengthy recovery times.
Pain Reduction
Shockwave therapy, through its therapeutic process, can ease pain caused by specific disorders. This is a pleasant respite for those seeking alternatives to medicine or other invasive pain treatment techniques.
Mobility Improvement
Many people report an improvement in their mobility after therapy. Individuals frequently report being able to move more freely and comfortably after addressing the underlying causes of pain and stimulating tissue restoration.
Cost-Effective
For some patients, shockwave therapy may be a more cost-effective choice than long-term medication or surgery. Nevertheless, this can differ based on the person's healthcare requirements and policy.
Side effects are limited.
While any medical technique carries dangers, shockwave therapy often has fewer adverse effects than surgical operations or long-term drug use.
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) References:
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS):
Website: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/
The AAOS offers patient education resources and articles on various orthopaedic treatments, including ESWT.
Mayo Clinic:
Website: https://www.mayoclinic.org/
Mayo Clinic provides comprehensive information on medical conditions and treatments, including ESWT, in their patient care section.
WebMD:
Website: https://www.webmd.com/
WebMD offers health information and resources for patients, including articles and videos explaining ESWT and its applications.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS):
Website: https://www.niams.nih.gov/
NIAMS, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), provides research-based information on musculoskeletal conditions and treatments, including ESWT.
