Why is shockwave therapy painful?

The reason is that shock waves cause microtrauma and the bursting of microtissues (bones, tendons and muscles) to generate blood flow and stimulate cell regeneration. So, both trauma and tissue in recovery could be responsible for the pain engendered.

Shockwave therapy

is an innovative therapy that can target specific pain in bones, joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. It is a non-invasive treatment that can be administered on an outpatient basis and provides significant or total pain relief in the vast majority of patients.

The shock wave is an acoustic wave that transports high energy to pain points and myoskeletal tissues with subacute, subchronic and chronic conditions. Energy promotes regeneration and repair processes of bones, tendons and other soft tissues. Shockwaves are characterized by sudden changes in pressure, high amplitude and non-periodicity. The kinetic energy of the projectile, created by the compressed air, is transferred to the transmitter at the end of the applicator and further into the tissue.

Low-energy shockwave treatments are given as a series of three or more treatments. Low-energy shockwaves are not painful or slightly painful. Shockwave therapy may cause mild pain or cause no pain, as it only uses low-energy shockwaves. However, there may be a nuance of discomfort during treatment, depending on the severity of the patient's current condition.

To summarize, shock wave therapy was first created in the 1970s and was initially used as a treatment method for kidney stones. Shockwave therapy was originally developed to help urologists treat kidney stones non-invasively, in the late nineties. If you have scar tissue in the area that contributes to pain, shockwave therapy will also help break down this thick fibrous tissue. Therefore, shock wave therapy is a type of targeted therapy, which only treats injured or damaged areas.

Shockwave therapy treats a variety of indications, mainly related to musculoskeletal conditions or those involving connective tissues such as tendons and ligaments. Shockwave therapy for the treatment of chronic proximal hamstring tendinopathy in professional athletes. Before undergoing any treatment, your specialist will prepare your complete medical history to assess your suitability for shock wave therapy. The solution for many cases is surgery or injections for which Shockwave therapy is a suitable substitute.

The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence, or NICE, which provides guidance, advice and information to health professionals, approves the use of shock wave therapy to relieve musculoskeletal pain in clinical and hospital settings in the UK. Shockwave therapy can be used with other treatments, such as the Graston technique and medical acupuncture. King Edward VII Hospital offers shock wave therapy and here, Consultant Foot and Ankle Surgeon, Mr. Lloyd Williams, explains how treatment works, what conditions it can be effective for and who might be appropriate.

The shockwave device used for this treatment is a hand tool that generates sound wave energy to send it through the body. Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive, non-surgical clinical procedure that uses acoustic waves primarily to relieve acute or chronic pain and accelerate the healing process in affected tissues. Shockwave therapy is beneficial for patients with painful conditions of soft tissues (muscles, tendons and ligaments), joints and bones. While they are often successful, all of those more invasive therapies require time off and can effectively end an athlete's season.

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