What is Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) ?
Available at our clinic in Colchester, ESWT is the latest technology in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain and chronic tendon issues. It is a safe and effective technology consisting of low energy shock waves targeted to treat soft tissue injuries and other painful conditions.
Therapeutic Shockwave Therapy works by applying focused energy to an area of pain or injury. This creates an inflammatory like response in the tissues to allow regeneration, healing and recovery.
The phenomomen of Shockwave Therapy was discovered in World War II and first established in the 1970’s for the treatment of kidney stones (typically called “lithotripsy”).
During this time it was noted that patients often showed improvement in other symptoms of injury and so it was then developed for use in musculoskeletal medicine.
To date it plays a key role in many top sports clinics and orthopaedic medicine.
ESWT is indicated for the treatment of many musculoskeletal conditions these include:
The why, what and how of Shockwave Therapy: –
There are many reasons why a patient would want to choose ESWT. Firstly it is safe, non-invasive and well tolerated with minimal side effects. It is a quick treatment lasting around 20 minutes typically needling 3-5 sessions. No anaesthetic is required.
Research shows Shockwave Therapy to be highly effective in just a few short treatments, even in patients suffering from chronic conditions that have not responded to manual therapy, medications and pain injections.
A course of three treatments is recommended with weekly intervals between each session. This is key for tissue repair and healing.
On your first visit your practitioner will take a full case history and carry out an Osteopathic examination to determine your diagnosis and where to apply the treatment.
The Shockwave Therapy will then be carried out using a small probe applied to the skin. The probe fires impulses (shockwaves) into the injured and painful tissues creating a healing response in the body.
You can discuss with your practitioner at any point about your levels of discomfort and the machine can be adjusted accordingly. Administration of the shockwaves will last around 5 minutes depending on your diagnosis.
Most patients feel an improvement immediately following their first treatment but others can take several weeks to notice the benefits. Because the treatment is creating an inflammatory like response you may experience some tenderness and bruising after treatment, these are recognised as positive signs of healing and recovery.
