Shockwave therapy utilizes energy pulses to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes and is especially useful in bone and soft tissue repair, increasing blood circulation, and decreasing pain levels.
Shockwave treatment results are usually visible after just 2-3 sessions over several weeks; however, full healing may take up to one year. Your dedication and adherence to your recovery plan is key in order to get optimal outcomes from Shockwave therapy treatments.
Radial
Radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy (rESWT) offers noninvasive relief from musculoskeletal conditions like shoulder tendinitis, Achilles tendinitis and plantar fasciitis. A handheld device delivers pressure waves into the affected area to increase blood circulation in order to speed healing time while decreasing pain and stiffness.
Shock wave frequency is one of the key aspects that determine the therapeutic efficacy of ESWT, with various adjustments having different impacts on various tissues; higher frequencies disseminate energy more evenly across a wider area, while lower ones can concentrate it into smaller spots. Frequencies also influence cell and tissue responses physiologically.
Regenerative cells and tissues often respond well to low to medium energy density ranges while pain receptors prefer higher frequencies. A recent study published in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation demonstrated that an rESWT frequency between 8-12Hz significantly reduced pain intensity and disability among those diagnosed with myofascial pain syndrome of either upper or lower spine region.
This was an open-label randomized controlled trial involving 64 patients suffering from chronic upper or lower spine myofascial pain syndrome and receiving either standard rESWT treatment or placebo treatment, where their NDI scores were assessed at baseline, week 4, week 8 and 12 with both groups showing statistically significant improvements over time.
Both groups were similar with regards to age, sex, duration of symptoms and current treatment with analgesics. Researchers conducted tests comparing NPS, NDI, PPT and SF-12 scores among them; but found no differences at baseline.
Focused
Focused shockwave therapy differs from radial shockwave therapy in that its energies are focused on one specific point on the body, making it more accurate and efficient in targeting deep tissue issues like hip and lower limb pain. A focussing mechanism uses an applicator coated in crystals which focus shockwave energy for maximum accuracy without needing gels or protective covers for maximum accuracy.
Shockwaves activate your body’s natural healing processes. They cause a chemical reaction in your bloodstream that releases nitric oxide, increasing vascularity and blood flow to an injured area and encouraging cell healing, breaking down scar tissue adhesions and decreasing inflammation. Furthermore, shockwaves increase protein synthesis, enhance bone density by resorbing calcium deposits more easily from bones, encourage tenocyte proliferation and induce osteoprogenitor differentiation.
Reducing Substance P concentrations helps break the pain cycle by lowering nerve response that lead to pain and sensitivity, relieving trigger points by relieving tension and relaxing muscle fibers, as well as relieving trigger point discomfort by relieving tension and relaxing the muscles.
At ISMST, 4-6 shockwave treatments are usually required to achieve maximum effectiveness. As its effects build over time, you should see greater benefits as your sessions continue. In order to ensure the safe and effective use of fESWT, standard examinations such as history taking and clinical examiniation; radiological imaging; neurological diagnostic tests; analgesia during application are strongly advised as is employing only qualified physicians when administering it [4,5,7]
Low
Focused shockwave therapy differs from radial shockwave therapy by targeting concentrated energy waves to the tissue of choice, making it possible to treat smaller areas such as tendon or ligament injuries more effectively. Focused shockwave therapy may also be combined with traditional forms of therapy like massage or ultrasound in order to address specific injuries or pain conditions more efficiently.
Low intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) was found to be both safe and effective at treating mild-to-moderate vasculogenic erectile dysfunction (ED), according to a new study published in Urology. This randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial involved seventy patients receiving either 6 or 12 electromagnetic-type low intensity ESWT sessions over six weeks for an evaluation at screening, follow up, and three month evaluations. Both groups demonstrated improvement in terms of International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function domain score, hardness score, Sexual Encounter Profile Questionnaire score at screening, follow up, follow up, and 3-month evaluations.
Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive procedure with proven benefits for healing processes, blood flow and inflammation reduction, regeneration and scar tissue treatments, such as Fibromyalgia Lupus Polymyositis.
Multiple clinical studies have proven the efficacy of low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (Li-ESWT) for treating pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS). This condition affects about 10% of men, often manifesting itself with pelvic pain, urinary symptoms, bowel issues and other complications. Research concluded that Li-ESWT provided safe and effective relief for CPPS symptoms – patients experienced significant improvements in their symptoms after receiving Li-ESWT treatments; your pelvic health physiotherapist can assess your suitability for LiESWT treatments while offering additional therapies to enhance results of this therapy treatment based on individual needs.
Medium
Shock waves have an immediate, powerful force effect upon any tissue they penetrate, inducing cell changes such as migration, proliferation or apoptosis within cells in response. Mechanotherapy or mechanostimulation is the basis for shock wave therapy in musculoskeletal indications and serves to eliminate pain while speeding healing processes along.
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT), unlike ultrasound, does not cause thermal effects in tissue. To achieve its therapeutic goals, ESWT employs non-invasive methods that use water as the coupling medium; this enables treatment of deep tissue structures with greater efficiency and precision.
Focusing shock wave energy at specific areas can precisely localize treatment zones to address specific symptoms and pathologies. To do this, special gel or coupling membrane can be placed between ESWT generator and patient to eliminate air bubbles trapped between shock wave source and skin surface that reduce treatment effectiveness.
When plotted on three-dimensional space, shockwave pressure at any one point looks like the outline of a mountain with its peak in the center and more or less steep slopes on either side. This three-dimensional pressure distribution model is called the focal zone and corresponds with where shock wave pressure reached its maximum, also known as its “peak pressure.”
The peak pressure in the focal zone, commonly referred to as 5 MPa focal zone, refers to an area in which pressure equals or surpasses this value. This value is empirically determined and serves as an indication of stress concentration patterns within tissue of patients.
High
Radial Shockwave Therapy, more commonly referred to as RST, involves providing acoustic waves from a device that radiate outward from it rather than targeting one area directly. While this form of treatment can be effective for some, many experts advise combining it with other approaches for maximum efficacy.
Shockwave therapy uses acoustic waves to create microscopic tears in tissues, which the body then repairs by opening new blood vessels to improve oxygen flow and decrease inflammation. Furthermore, mast cells stimulated by these waves help fight inflammation; as a result of which more collagen and cell growth occur naturally as part of its response mechanism. Shockwave therapy may also break down calcification within joints by dispersing calcium buildup over time and alleviating joint pain by dispersing calcium buildup over time.
Acoustic waves produced by shockwaves also work to dissolve gallstones by disrupting their membrane, and can treat urinary tract issues by disintegrating kidney stones – known as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL).
Shockwave therapy results are generally immediate, though patients may take time to experience a significant reduction in pain. Multiple sessions will likely be needed for long-term relief; therefore, regular appointments with an expert in shockwave therapy should be scheduled with him/her as they can provide advice regarding optimal frequency based on your unique condition and needs. At first you may require treatments multiple times each week but eventually this frequency should diminish over time depending on what it needs treating.
