Breaking Barriers: Can Shockwave Therapy Be the Ultimate Cure for Chronic Pain?

Tyler Hamel DC, FPSC,(C) • May 21, 2024

Many people with chronic knee or shoulder pain get told by their doctors to just live with it. But what if there's a new kind of treatment that changes everything? Shockwave therapy is seen by some as a big step forward in natural healing and repair. It's designed to relieve pain and kickstart the body's own healing. Could it really be the fix we’ve all been waiting for? Sports medicine doctors, chiropractors, and physical therapists are excited to find out. 

For anyone living with chronic pain, a treatment that doesn't use medicine or need surgery would be amazing. Shockwave therapy might just be that answer. It brings a glimmer of hope to those looking for treatment options nearby. Being non-invasive, this therapy hints at a way to ease pain without major procedures. It's all about offering a new chance for relief and better everyday life. 

Key Takeaways

Shockwave therapy is more and more seen as a game-changer in dealing with long-term pain, chronic inflammation and those nagging injuries that never seem to go away. 

It's a gentle method that might help many avoid the need for drugs or operations. It is a non-invasive therapy that uses soundwaves to improve circulation and oxygen levels into the injured area.  

There are local places that offer shockwave therapy for anyone interested. This cutting-edge therapy is becoming more and more popular in offices for orthopedic doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists.  

It's getting a lot of attention from experts in sports medicine, chiropractic care, and physical therapy. 

As a modern approach to managing pain, shockwave therapy is something a lot of people are looking at as an alternative to surgery or taking long term pain medication and muscle relaxers.  

Understanding Shockwave Therapy 

Shockwave therapy is getting a lot of attention lately. It's a new way to help with long-lasting pain and chronic injuries. This treatment sends sound waves to parts of the body that need to heal; it helps with shoulder pain, frozen shoulder, knee pain, osteoarthritis and more. For many people, it brings new hope for feeling better, healing from injury and getting back to an active, pain free lifestyle.  

 

What is Shockwave Therapy? 

Shockwave therapy from StemWave, uses acoustic sound waves generated from a spark in water, that promote the healing and repair process. It was first used for kidney stones. Now, it helps with many chronic conditions such as frozen shoulder, shoulder impingement syndrome, tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, Knee osteoarthritis, meniscus tears, Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis and more. People really like it because it works well for different issues, it is not painful and requires no injections, surgeries or medication. 

How Does Shockwave Therapy Work? 

It works by sending sound waves that penetrate deep in the joint, tendon, ligament, cartilage or muscle. This boosts blood flow and bring more oxygen to the area which helps tissues heal. This method is great because it helps reduce swelling, inflammation and speeds up healing of damaged or injured tissues.  

Types of Shockwave Therapy 

There are two main kinds of shockwave therapy: focused (F-SWT) and radial (R-SWT). Focused sends strong waves deep into the body or area of concern. Radial uses softer waves on the skin's surface. At Kingwood Chiropractic, they see patients coming in mostly with knee pain, shoulder pain, elbow pain and foot pains; they use the focused shockwave therapy which is also called extra corporeal shockwave therapy.  

Shockwave therapy is particularly helpful for knee pain. At Kingwood Chiropractic over 50% of new patients are coming in with knee pain, more specifically knee osteoarthritis, patellar tendinitis, bone on bone knee pain, meniscus and ligament tears, patellar tracking issues and chondromalacia patella. Whether it's ongoing pain or a recent injury, learning about shockwave therapy can change your health journey. Most patients seeking shockwave therapy are at least partially doing it to avoid surgery, specifically knee, shoulder, elbow and wrist surgeries.  

The Benefits of Shockwave Therapy for Chronic Pain and Injuries 

For those with long-lasting pain, shockwave therapy is a great choice. Waves from this machine penetrate damaged tissue and areas of inflammation.  This helps to activate a natural response within the body as if a new injury has occurred.  This in turn kickstarts the biological healing process by sending healing agents into the area to help alleviate inflammation and begin the repairing process of damaged tissues. The shockwave therapy actually awakens dormant stem cells that are critical to accelerate healing and repair.  

Reduction of Inflammation 

Shockwave therapy is great at lessening swelling and reducing inflammation; two key issues that actually prevent healing from taking place. It boosts blood flow, and bring new cells and oxygen to the injured area lowering inflammation and swelling. This is super helpful for people looking for ways to treat chronic knee or shoulder pain, and get back to living a healthy, active and pain free life.  

Accelerated Healing 

This acoustic soundwave therapy repairs injured tissues by activating the body's natural healing mechanisms.  It helps repair tissues, cartilage and tendons faster, which is key for getting better and improving range of motion and strength. Patients are seeking out shockwave therapy because it really helps recovery times, we are seeing our patients heel in 1/2 the time as it takes with manual therapy techniques says Dr. Hamel.  This is good news for athletes, weekend warriors and people who just want to be active, playing pickleball, golfing, hiking or gardening.  

Pain Reduction 

The main aim of treating chronic pain is to lessen it and boost quality of life.  People who are suffering with chronic pain and not living a very fulfilling life, let’s face it most people suffering in pain are just miserable and irritated, they are not sleeping well and they have no energy.  Shockwave therapy does this by aiming at the pain's root cause of the problem, resulting in a quicker, more natural healing response. If you're thinking about how to manage knee or shoulder pain, this kind of therapy from reliable shockwave therapy practitioners brings a big change. 

Common Conditions Treated with Shockwave Therapy 

Shockwave therapy is a known method for many health issues. It's good for problems or issues in extremities and the spine.   If you are looking at avoiding surgery; shockwave therapy and Dr. Hamel have the most success with: neck pain, mid back pain, shoulder pain, frozen shoulder, rotator cuff syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis and golfer's elbow, hip pain and arthritis, knee pain, Osgood Schlatter’s, knee osteoarthritis, Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis and neuropathies. The two most common conditions coming into our office by far, says Dr. Hamel, are knee pain and shoulder pain, patients over the age of 40, and they want to get back to being active without pain.  

Shockwave Therapy for Knee Pain 

It works great for knee pain caused by issues like tendinitis and arthritis.  Specific conditions like bone-on-bone knee pain, cartilage tears, meniscus injury, ligament injury, chondromalacia patella, patellar tendinitis and knee tracking misalignments. Acoustic sound waves help bring in a healing response to the knee joint and surrounding soft tissue.  Even after one session patients can feel a difference in pain and mobility; when it comes down to it, says Dr. Hamel, people want to be able to move, run, bend, jump, lift and twist without having to worry about pain. People with long-term, chronic knee problems often feel much better after these treatments, most of them have an overuse injury that just has not been able to heal; sometimes these problems are going on for years without any relief. Just make sure you visit a top shockwave therapy clinic with skilled practitioners and good reviews.  

Shockwave Therapy for Shoulder Pain 

Shoulder aches and injuries can make daily activities and life tough but shockwave therapy for shoulder pain can ease it. It's a surgery-free choice that aims to lessen pain, boost movement and get the patient back to doing the active things they love to do. Common issues like rotator cuff tendinitis, frozen shoulder and impingement syndrome find relief in this treatment. That's why this cutting-edge therapy is getting so popular at local providers offices like medical doctors, medical spas, orthopedic doctors, chiropractors and other physical medicine practitioners. In places like Kingwood and Houston, you can get care from experts who tailor treatments for your specific needs.  At Kingwood Chiropractic, they strive to get their shoulder pain patients back to doing what they love, gardening, tennis, pickleball, playing with their kids, and swinging a golf club. 

Finding the Best Shockwave Therapy Clinic 

Choosing the right shockwave therapy clinic is important for your health. Look for a clinic known for its good name, skilled staff, and happy patients. There are not that many shockwave therapy clinics in the north Houston and Kingwood areas; search online and take a look at their online reputation and check out the testimonials of their patients.  

Criteria for Selecting a Clinic 

Start by checking out the clinic's reputation. Read what patients are saying and how their experience was with shockwave therapy. It’s also key to know the therapists are qualified and have worked with these treatments for a while. Check the clinic's technology too; better machines often mean better care, the two best versions of shockwave therapy are StemWave and Softwave, these companies are the Mercedez Benz of shockwave therapy. Often times these providers have videos that you can watch; actual patients experiencing a shockwave therapy session; go and learn more for yourself.  

Trusted Shockwave Therapy Facilities 

Trusted clinics make choosing easier, you want to go see a provider that has experience and knows what they are doing. Look for clinics that get high scores and come highly recommended by existing patients. they will give testimonials about the results they achieve. Kingwood Chiropractic has been using shockwave therapy for over a year, every new patient gets a special offer: they get an exam, consultation, thermal scan to identify inflammation, first shockwave therapy session and recommended treatment plan.  

Top-rated Shockwave Therapy Providers in Houston 

In Houston, top-rated places like Kingwood Chiropractic care for your needs.  They offer the most comprehensive treatment for knee and shoulder pain consisting of shockwave therapy, nutritional support, corrective exercises and thermal scanning.  Make sure to let the shockwave therapy provider know what your goals are for treatment. Tell them exactly what your expectations are and what kind of activity level you want to reach by doing this therapy.  Communication is key, tell the provider exactly why you want to be pain free, what are you not able to do right now that is driving your crazy; because pain is preventing you from doing it.  

If you are searching for shockwave therapy near me, Kingwood Chiropractic is one of the top providers in the Kingwood and Humble, Texas area.  Dr. Hamel has been treating patients for over 24 years seeing success and results for local area residents suffering with frozen shoulder, impingement syndrome, biceps tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, bone on bone knee pain, plantar fasciitis and lower back pain.  Call today to make your initial shockwave therapy appointment which consists of exam, consultation, thermal scan, first treatment and recommended treatment plan to get you active, feeling great and not having to worry about pain.  

FAQ

What is shockwave therapy? 

Shockwave therapy is a gentle treatment. It uses sound waves to accelerate healing, reduce inflammation and improve range of motion in areas like your knee, shoulder, wrist, hip, elbow and ankle.  No surgery or drugs are needed, making it an easy choice for those patients looking for a more alternative solution.  

How does shockwave therapy work? 

It works by sending powerful acoustic sound waves into the injured area which stimulate the body's healing response.  The waves actually cause an increase in circulation and oxygenation helping to heal damaged tissues. The therapy also causes the recruitment of stem cells in the area to help further stimulate healing and repair.  

What are the types of shockwave therapy? 

Shockwave therapy has two types: focused (FSWT) and radial (RSWT). FSWT digs deep into tissues. RSWT treats issues closer to the skin.  For most musculoskeletal and extremity injuries, the StemWave shockwave therapy treatment is used; it uses focuses sounds waves which penetrate specifically into the injured areas. 

Can shockwave therapy help with knee pain? 

Yes, it's great for knee pain, Houston wide, almost 50% of patients coming in for treatment have knee pain of some kind, usually involving tendinitis, and arthritis.  

Is shockwave therapy useful for shoulder pain? 

Yes, it's very useful for shoulders, this is the second most common reason that patients are seeking out shockwave therapy.  It can be very helpful with healing and repair of frozen shoulder, shoulder impingement and even rotator cuff tears.  

What are the benefits of shockwave therapy? 

The main benefits of shockwave therapy are: it is non-invasive, it is drug-free, it gets rid of inflammation, it improves circulation, it helps increase range of motion, there are no negative side effects, there is not recovery time, the treatments are only 5-10 minutes, and it is very cost effective compared to pain shots, prescription medication and surgeries.  

How do I find the best shockwave therapy clinic? 

To find the best shockwave therapy near you it is best by word of mouth.  Talk to your friends and coworkers to see if anyone has done the therapy.  You can also look at google reviews or platforms like zocdoc to see what patients are saying about their shockwave therapy treatment experience.  You can also look up the company StemWave and search if any of their providers are near you.   

Are there advanced shockwave therapy treatments available? 

Yes, advanced shockwave therapy treatments consist of the treatment, corrective exercises, and nutritional recommendations.  The shockwave therapy is very effective and depending on the patient and severity of the injury, the provider can use different advanced settings to change the intensity and number of pulses being focuses on an area.  

Where can I find experienced shockwave therapy practitioners in Houston? 

You can search on google or other search engines to find local practitioners who are providing shockwave therapy in the Houston area.  This treatment is pretty new so make sure to do your research, check for reviews and testimonials with on google Facebook or other social media platforms to learn more about what each provider treats and how their patients are responding.  

What are some trusted shockwave therapy facilities? 

The best places care about their patients, use the latest tech, and get good results. Testimonial from the patient's mouth is best.  For any shockwave therapy facility make sure they are using a certified shockwave therapy machine and not some portable unit you can buy online.  The best results that are seen so far for both musculoskeletal and extremity injuries are StemWave and Softwave; these companies have been around for quite some time and make sure their providers are experienced and trustworthy.  

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