Shockwave Therapy FAQ

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The mechanical energy that myofascial acoustic compression therapy provides encourages and stimulates fibroblasts and growth factors to promote healing and increase cell metabolism and local blood flow to the affected area. The treatment is painless because these are pressure sound waves, not electric shocks. The good news is that shockwave therapy deeply penetrates tissue for healing that can’t be achieved through manual adjustments.

During every session, 1000 to 2000 pulse waves will be delivered to an area being treated, lasting about ten minutes. You will see maximum benefits with four to six treatments per area with three to five days to allow for proper recovery time. Shockwave therapy is believed, and has been clinically proven, to have the following effects:

• Facilitate healing

• Eliminate pain

• Stimulate the “washing away” of Substance-P (a pain-producing chemical)

• Increase the body’s collagen production

• Increase microcirculation leading to enhanced tissue metabolism

• Aids in the dissolution of calcific fibroblasts

• Reduction of muscle tension

• Improved function and range of motion to the joint

Softwave therapy is a non-targeted, random approach. 

Shockwave therapy can pinpoint and reach the targeted area with great precision, within a millimeter.

Each session takes about five to ten minutes. During the session, our therapist or staff will deliver 2000 to 3000 pulse waves into the affected area being treated. The delivery of about 2000 pulse waves lasts approximately five to ten minutes. You will need four to six treatments.

Depending on the patient’s current level of pain and the area of treatment, the degree of discomfort varies significantly. The intensity of a treatment session also varies, and many patients can tolerate treatment well because the intensity varies depending on patient tolerance.

Many conditions need four to six sessions. The treatments can be done five to ten days apart depending on tissue response and patient tolerance. Worldwide reports show that PiezoWave Pain Treatment has a very high success rate. At our clinic, our patients have reported positive results in line with these parameters and most get a positive benefit with just one treatment! We have been quite successful with this treatment and are excited to help more patients like you. For patients who don’t respond positively to PiezoWave Pain Treatment, we consider other modes of therapy and treatment, and we will make proper referrals to the right specialists.

Like ultrasound, PiezoWave Pain Treatment is a non-invasive procedure. However, the treatment can penetrate precise depths underneath your skin between 0.5 mm and 3 cm. This is much deeper than the standard ultrasound. Also, Piezowave treatment does not create tissue heating; it creates mechanical pressure in your tissue which creates inflammation. PiezoWave Pain Treatment is useful in identifying trigger points that are discrete, focal and hyperirritable spots in the taut band of your muscle. Trigger points can generate pain, both locally and in the referred pain patterns, and may accompany chronic musculoskeletal disorders.

Many patients experience immediate pain relief after a treatment. However, patients may experience soreness in the area within two to four hours. According to different clinical reports, the soreness is usually very tolerable and can last a couple of hours to a few days. DO NOT use ice on the area if you experience this soreness. One of the desired effects of shockwave therapy is an “inflammatory response.” Therefore, the use of anti--inflammatory medications (such as Advil, Ibuprofen, Aleve, Motrin, etc.) isn’t recommended. Many patients report great results with Tylenol. You may take medication as you see fit or based on your doctor’s recommendation and advice. The soreness will disappear within 4 to 24 hours without any intervention.

We always recommended that you refrain from any physical activity, especially those that would involve the treated area for 48 hours after every treatment.