Acoustic Wave Therapy to Treat Chronic Pain
Acoustic waves have been used successfully in the treatment of chronic pain since the early ’90s. The science behind Acoustic Wave Therapy is the same as lithotripsy, a technology that makes use of acoustic waves to break up kidney stones without surgery. Patients undergoing lithotripsy procedures noticed that their unrelated aches and pains were reduced, leading scientists to consider acoustic waves effect on other tissue injuries. Specialized machines, like the ones at West Coast Men’s Health, were developed specifically with the idea of using acoustic waves in other parts of the body.
Focused Acoustic Wave Therapy can target specific pain in the bones, joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. It’s a non-invasive treatment that can give significant or total relief of pain in the vast majority of patients. The hand set is applied to the injured area and the device emits high pressure sound waves that reverberate through the body. These sounds pulses are able to stimulate the body’s natural repair response in soft tissue well below the surface.
If you have scar tissue that’s contributing to your pain, focused acoustic wave therapy will also help to break down this thick, fibrous tissue which helps to improve mobility and discomfort.
Acoustic Wave Therapy and Neuropathy
Neuropathy can cause pain, “pins and needles”, temperature changes, and balance problems. Using low-intensity sound waves, we target neuropathy at the source with acoustic wave therapy to cause those blood vessels to open up and improve blood flow to the nerves.
Carpal Tunnel Relief and Acoustic Wave Therapy
Using acoustic sound waves, shockwave therapy can accelerate healing by stimulating metabolism and improving blood flow. A study published in the Central European Journal of Medicine assessed the effectiveness of shockwave therapy for treating mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome.
Acoustic Wave Therapy Treats Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is a band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes. This condition can cause heel pain that’s often more severe or noticeable in the morning.
Traditional treatments for plantar fasciitis include rest, physical therapy, and medication — but in recent decades, Acoustic Wave Therapy has emerged as a an effective and viable treatment option. Acoustic Wave Therapy uses high levels of targeted acoustic energy to promote healing and reduce pain. It’s noninvasive and may help people with plantar fasciitis avoid more extensive treatments like surgery. But the treatment doesn’t work for everyone and the results can be unpredictable.
