July 1, 2021
If you find yourself struggling with a bad shoulder, a bad ankle, or muscles that hurt all the time, then you might want to consider getting shockwave therapy. Although relatively new, shockwave therapy has been shown to manage pain and aid recovery from bone or soft tissue injuries.
Given its novelty, it’s understandable if you’ve never heard of shockwave treatment before. However, if you’re interested, this article will tell you everything you need to know about shockwave, how it works, and what benefits it can give you.
Shockwave therapy is a modern treatment method increasingly being used in physiotherapy to help manage chronic pain. As a non-invasive treatment, it uses a shockwave device to introduce high-energy acoustic waves into painful bones or tissues. In effect, the injured area is reinjured on a cellular level, activating your natural healing process to accelerate recovery and mute pain.
Before the shockwave device is used, a gel is applied to the problem area to ensure the efficient transfer of energy waves into the body. The body then absorbs the high-energy shockwaves spread over the area.
The shockwave device allows your physiotherapist to adjust the intensity of the therapy as needed. In effect, the treatment can be customized for you and your specific needs.
Shockwave therapy has been found to provide immediate pain relief. It also improves mobility and is effective in treating conditions such as tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, rotator cuff tendinopathy, and more.
Substance P is the compound responsible for pain, and shockwave therapy lowers its production. Shockwave likewise hyper-stimulates the pain receptors. Combined, both these strategies help alleviate pain.
Shockwave treatment also augments the body’s natural healing process. Ample blood flow to painful, damaged areas is crucial to the repair and recovery process, and shockwave triggers the production of new blood vessels in affected areas, therefore improving blood flow.
Additionally, mast cells are critical inflammatory cells that aid the healing process. Shockwave also stimulates these cells, accelerating the repair process. By controlling inflammation in painful areas, shockwave therapy also prevents unnecessary damage to muscles and ligaments.
Finally, damaged tissues, muscles, and ligaments require collagen to heal effectively. Shockwave therapy increases the production and deposition of collagen in these areas. Moreover, shockwave therapy breaks up calcium deposits in damaged areas, facilitating an improved repair and recovery process.
Shockwave therapy offers a safer alternative to medication and surgery. It doesn’t require any invasive procedures, nor does it involve taking harmful drugs. Instead, it simply supports the body as it heals itself while relieving your pain along the way.
While drugs such as painkillers help reduce pain, they do not promote the repair of damaged areas. Painkillers are also known to have several side effects. In comparison, shockwave has been shown to relieve pain and accelerate recovery without any side effects.
Unlike surgery that requires a lot of preparation and after-crare, shockwave therapy is easy to perform and usually takes less than 10 minutes. Further, it only requires a few courses and does not confine you to bed rest so that you can return to daily activities immediately after the procedure.
Another great benefit of shockwave treatment is that it’s inexpensive. It can help manage your pain and lets you recover from your injuries without breaking the bank. Coupled with immediate results, they can help you return to work quicker.
Are you ready to finally be pain-free? Our team at Integra Health Centre offers a safe and cost-effective option to help you achieve a pain-free life through shockwave treatments. This non-invasive procedure can also prevent pain from recurring in the future by boosting the body’s natural healing capacities.
For any questions about our shockwave services, call us at (416) 777-9355 or visit our online booking page to sign up for your first shockwave treatment today.
