Shockwave therapy, relieves pain without pills and creams

Author Mónika Hegedűs | 2020.02.27.

Musculoskeletal disorders are a widespread disease of our time. Instead of symptomatic treatments, it is worth choosing shockwave therapy, a treatment that targets the source of the problem.

Being overweight, sedentary, sedentary lifestyles and computer and smartphone use are all breeding grounds for musculoskeletal problems, neck and elbow problems, back and hip pain. However, not all of these can be blamed, as poorly done or overdone sporting activities, or the wrong shoes can cause knee pain or Achilles tendonitis or plantar fasciitis.

Targeted treatment instead of artificial substances

Nowadays, more and more people are reluctant to take various internal medicines that can cause stomach problems, but they do not trust painkillers and anti-inflammatory creams sem. They are the ones who look for alternatives when they have musculoskeletal problems. For them, the ideal choice is shock wave therapy, which triggers the body's self-healing processes without any harmful side effects. "Shockwave therapy is a physiotherapy method that is used very effectively for soft tissue injuries, especially overuse soft tissue injuries," says orthopaedic traumatologist Dr Bence Moravcsik, who also revealed that the therapy also helps in the prolonged healing of bone fractures, as it makes the bone cells work faster.

Shockwave therapy works with the power of lightning, literally

The energy of shockwave therapy is also found in nature, and people know it as the sound of thunder following a lightning strike. Since ultrasound has long been used in medicine for healing and diagnostics, it was only natural that experts should also look at these sound waves to see what positive effects they can have on the human body. Research has shown that when this wave energy is directed to the right place, it can be used to make a difference, can trigger the body's self-healing processes, whether it is for pain relief, inflammation reduction, calcification or, if the focus is on the growth of the heel bone, the removal of the lesion. Shockwave therapy stimulates blood circulation in the area, thereby speeding up the metabolism and thus the removal of waste products.

Pain relief is the first and most important thing to do!

A sore limb, a strained neck or a throbbing shoulder or elbow can make your whole day miserable, but pain reduces concentration, restricts joint movement, and it is also a common phenomenon that causes forced detention. This may relieve the painful part of the body, but it puts pressure on another muscle group or joint, which after a while also starts to ache from the excessive and sudden strain. To avoid this, the most important thing is to relieve the pain. Focusing shockwave therapy does just that.

Trust only a specialist!

And if the pain is eased, the recovery is easier. The specialist localise the site of pain not only before the first treatment but also each time, using orthopaedic and rheumatological tests, to treat the diseased area exactly where it is needed. He then applies a contact gel to help deliver the energy of shockwave therapy to the source of the problem.

How many treatments are needed?

This is the first question every patient asks, whatever the method. As with any treatment, the the effectiveness of shockwave therapy also depends largely on the severity of the problem and the patient's individual „preferences”, and how well it reacts and how much mortality it can endure without experiencing serious pain. Because the truth is that the treatment does involve some pain, as the Swiss DorolClast shockwave therapy device we use uses high-pressure air to deliver more than 5,000 shocks per minute to the treated area. Swelling, redness and very rarely minor bruising may occur after the treatment, but these after-effects disappear within a few days. - Tissue healing does not stop at the end of the treatment course, typically continuing for 2 to 3 months. From Dr. Bence Moravcsik, a specialist at the Budapest Musculoskeletal Private Clinic.

Shockwave therapy is even more effective with complementary treatments

Generally speaking, there is improvement after one or two treatments, but real recovery can only be expected after a full course of treatment. Of course, shockwave therapy is not the only way to expect complete improvement, it is not uncommon that it may require a change of lifestyle or, as an adjunct, physiotherapy, manual therapy, or the application of Kinesio-Tape. It is also important to know that if you have not dealt with a problem for decades, even shockwave therapy cannot work wonders!

When is shockwave therapy not recommended?

Unfortunately, as with all treatments, shockwave therapy may not be applicable. This is the case, for example, with the presence of cancer, pregnancy and blood clotting problems, but treatment cannot be carried out on the head, the spine, the heart, liver and kidneys, the reproductive organs, or the breast and abdominal cavities. Fortunately, however, there are no joints in these areas that require such treatment. Shockwave therapy cannot be performed on children either.