Shockwave Therapy is somewhat ‘unfamiliar’ to most people, but it’s a practice that’s becoming increasingly popular and one we think deserves to be talked about and encouraged.
As it’s a relatively ‘new’ practice, there is a lack of awareness of Shockwave Therapy among GPs and other generalist medical professionals as to how it works and the huge benefits when it comes to relieving chronic pain and reducing inflammation, so many people have not considered exploring this as an option yet.
But both scientific evidence and studies have proven shockwave therapy to be highly effective as an alternative option in the treatment of soft tissue and musculoskeletal conditions, spinal cord injuries and vascular and nerve regeneration.
We know that nearly 30 million people in the UK alone are living with some degree of chronic pain. Of those, around 8 million are in severe pain, and Shockwave Therapy could be a solution! So we want to shed more light on it so it doesn’t remain the industry’s best kept secret!
Click the following link or more information about West 1 Health's Shockwave Therapy services.
So, what is it? Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy - otherwise known as ESWT or shockwave therapy - is a non-surgical therapy used when chronic pain fails to respond to conventional or more invasive treatments.
It uses an acoustic wave to deliver focused energy to painful inflamed tendons and other soft tissues in order to promote regeneration. Sending these controlled shockwaves through the skin to the injured area triggers stem cell activation and enzyme production, and increases blood flow to the affected tissues to help reduce pain and inflammation, and accelerate the body’s healing process. We have a bit more detail about how the acoustic waves work on the body in our Shockwave Therapy – The Acoustic Version Of PainTreatment blog.
It’s also a less invasive and more cost-effective alternative to methods such as surgery or injection therapy. Best results may take six to ten weeks from the final treatment but many people will see an immediate reduction in symptoms and pain in the affected area, and/or increased movement in the affected area. While every patient’s treatment and recovery is on a case by case basis, most people typically need 3-5 treatments to alleviate or eliminate pain in the problem area.
In cases such as the below, shockwave therapy is not the most appropriate treatment but visiting us for an initial assessment will help us identify the cause of your pain, so we can give you guidance on short term relief, and offer an effective, longer-term treatment plan - through shockwave therapy or otherwise.
One of the biggest perks to shockwave therapy is that there are no major side effects.
In fact, some of the major perks of this type of therapy are that it has faster recovery than surgery, no risk of infection or need for additional medication, it helps to restore mobility, and it’s a non-surgical, effective form of pain relief.
As with any treatment, it is imperative you rest the affected area for a minimum of 24 hours post-treatment before continuing with exercises as agreed by your therapist or within your treatment plan.
At West 1, we know that living with any degree of pain is miserable and takes its toll on you which is why we are passionate about sharing the benefits of shockwave therapy.
Perhaps you’ve tried or explored other treatments in the past but are still looking for a solution - well Shockwave Therapy could be the treatment you need to finally resolve your chronic pain, so get started by booking an initial shockwave consultation with us today.
