Are you plagued by stubborn knee pain and arthritis that hold you back? Picture a life where you walk pain-free, skipping the meds and surgeries. Shockwave therapy is a game-changer in natural knee health care. It's quickly becoming the top choice for knee arthritis. Find out how you can reap its benefits by connecting with a local expert.
Have knee arthritis, osteoarthritis or tendinitis? Shockwave therapy is here for you - it's effective, non-surgical, and drug-free! This FDA-cleared sound wave treatment boosts healing for soft tissue injuries. It's a top choice because it's cutting-edge, effective, and safe. This StemWave shockwave therapy uses a device that resembles an ultrasound. You'd have weekly sessions then as you are recovering it goes to once every two weeks, then once a month. Each shockwave therapy session lasts about 5-10 minutes, you definitely feel the healing effect in the knee joint during therapy. It's known to be as good as or better than surgery, but without the risks and long recovery times.
Key Takeaways
- Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive, FDA-cleared treatment for soft tissue, injuries, damaged tissues, tendinopathy and knee osteoarthritis.
- It enhances both blood circulation and oxygenation and accelerates the body's natural healing process, reducing pain and improving mobility.
- Extra Corporeal Shockwave Therapy is typically administered in a series of 10 treatments over the course of 6-8 weeks, with each session taking about 5-10 minutes.
- ESWT has a proven success rate equal to or greater than traditional treatments, without the risks and lengthy recovery times.
- Shockwave therapy can help you overcome knee pain and arthritis naturally, without relying on medications or invasive procedures.
What is Extra Corporeal Shockwave Therapy?
Extra Corporeal Shockwave Therapy is proven by the FDA to help heal soft tissue problems such as tendinitis, osteoarthritis, ligament and tendon injuries quickly. It's a modern, non-surgical treatment that improves blood circulation to the injured area and speeds up healing.
An FDA-Cleared Non-Invasive Treatment
The Stemwave shockwave therapy machine sends strong sound waves into your body, reaching deep into the tissues and joints of the knee. This creates minor irritation to the injured tissues which in turn causes your body to start healing itself in response to this signal.
Accelerating the Body's Natural Healing Process
These acoustic sound waves also make soft tissue cells release special substances that help heal. This healing effect includes growing new tiny blood vessels and removing inflammation.
Conditions Treated with Shockwave Therapy
Extra Corporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) is great for many musculoskeletal issues. It shows success in 72%-80% of cases. At Hamel Chiropractic and Wellness, they have been getting amazing results with knee osteoarthritis and frozen shoulder with their Kingwood and north Houston area patients. Their office is the only Kingwood shockwave therapy providers in north Houston. Conditions and injuries that do very well using shockwave therapy treatment are problems like:
Plantar Fasciitis
It's very good at helping with plantar fasciitis, which makes the bottom of your foot very painful. A study found that it really works well to reduce the inflammation on the bottom of the foot and it improves movement of the foot and ankle.
Achilles Tendinitis
It's also effective for Achilles tendinitis, making the pain and swelling less. Shockwaves seem to target certain damaged tissue and nerve fibers, which helps lessen the pain.
Neuromas and Pinched Nerves.
Neuromas n the feet can see significant improvement with ESWT. Also pinched nerves in the neck, back and Sciatica can get better with this therapy. It's easy and doesn't need surgery or a lot of drugs.
Knee Osteoarthritis
After the age of 50, 15% of Houstonians have to deal with knee osteoarthritis, this is from wear and tear over the years. Knee osteoarthritis usually goes along with other diagnoses like patellar tendinitis, meniscus tears, jumper's knee, Baker's cysts, chondromalacia, and knee tracking problems. Arthritis does respond really well to shockwave therapy treatments because of its ability to bring in healing cells, oxygen and stem cells while at the same time removing inflammation.
Frozen Shoulder/Adhesive Capsulitis
Frozen shoulder is when patients are unable to move their shoulder without extreme pain. Usually, their overall range of motion is reduced by 50% of more. A person trying to reach over their head, do their hair, grab clothes out of the dryer or even get dressed in the morning; have a very difficult time due to frozen shoulder. Due to impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tendinitis, these muscles get shut down says Dr. Hamel, your shoulder muscles can no longer work like they are supposed to. This type of shoulder pain often responds well to shockwave therapy because of how quickly the healing process can happen and the inflammation removed.
Chronic knee pain usually doesn't go away because of lack of blood circulation and severe inflammation; the body is not able to heal when this is the case. Many knee pain sufferers are now searching online for shockwave therapy near me, because it offers a new way to reactivate your body's own healing power.
Understanding the Science Behind Shockwave Therapy
The Stemwave machine produces strong acoustic sound waves. These waves travel deep into the injured area, they cause existing stem cells to come in and beginning the healing process. Shockwave therapy effectively helps your body jumps back into action, beginning to heal itself. In addition, the sound wave energy makes the cells in the area release special chemicals. These chemicals boost natural healing by helping new blood vessels grow.
Proven Success Rates for Knee Arthritis Relief
For the last 20 years, studies on shockwave therapy for knee arthritis and shockwave therapy for osteoarthritis have shown great results. They report success rates between 72% and 80%. Typically, patients require 6-8 weeks of treatments and some more to get to full recovery of reduced pain and improved range of motion. There is no doubt that shockwave therapy accelerates healing, it just depends on where the patient's goals are says Dr. Hamel, Kingwood Shockwave therapy provider. Some patients just want to get out of pain, others want to be as active as they can with little to no pain, (gardening, the gym, golf, pickleball or walking their dog), and some patients are very competitive in tournaments or competitions so they need full and complete repair.
The Shockwave Therapy Treatment Process
The shockwave therapy treatment starts with applying ultrasound gel on the area to be treated. Then, a device sends sound waves to that area, for the knee it is the medial joint line, lateral joint line, medical meniscus, IT Band, VMO muscle, the pes anserine tendons and the patellar tendon. The strength of these waves matches what each patient needs.
A treatment session is usually done in just 5-10 minutes. Afterwards, some may feel a bit sore for a day or two, but that's all. This therapy is quick and painless, doesn't need any anesthesia, and allows people to go back to their regular activities right away. There is no down time like you would have with knee surgery, patients are able to leave the shockwave therapy providers office and go about their daily routine.
Benefits of Shockwave Therapy Over Traditional Treatments
Shockwave therapy is better than pills, shots, and surgery. It's not invasive and you can go back to your routine right away after a 5-10-minute session. Plus, it's more affordable than physical therapy, saving you money and time on your treatment protocol.
Non-Invasive and No Downtime
In a nutshell, extra corporeal shockwave therapy helps your body heal itself. It's a low-risk option that can help you avoid the need for more invasive treatments such as Cortisone shot, orthoscopic surgery or even knee replacement surgery. Some might find it a bit uncomfortable, the only reason for the discomfort is due to the healing response, it is quite normal. Still, the reaction to the treatment can change from session to session, this helps you realize how well things are healing and recovering. Patients are recommended not to overdo it after a shockwave therapy session; the irritation and inflammation has to stay down in order for the tissues to heal up and repair.
Cost-Effective Alternative to Physical Therapy
Choosing shockwave therapy over some physical therapies is better for your pocket. Think of all the appointments you won't need to run to, every week for months. Usually for PT you are required to go in for treatments 3 times a week for months, shockwave therapy is only 2 times per week for 3 weeks and then it goes down to 1 time per week. The average cost of a single extra corporeal shockwave therapy session in the Houston, Texas area is $125-$150, you can get package discounts for 10 or more visits which usually brings the cost down to around $99 per visit. We have seen patients come in with chronic knee pain, says Dr. Hamel, the get 10 sessions and experience pain relief and major improvements in range of motion. Some of these patients have done physical therapy for 3 months and Cortisone shots and have not seen any improvements.
Faster Recovery Times
Research says shockwave therapy helps you get better quicker than many other treatments such as massage, PT, acupuncture, chiropractic or pain shots. You could feel less pain right away, and with each passing week of treatment the inflammation goes down and more healing takes place. Depending on your case, you might need 10-24 sessions. This therapy works well for a wide range of muscle and joint issues such as tennis elbow, Achilles tendonitis, frozen shoulder, carpal tunnel syndrome and any type of knee pain and arthritis.
Conclusion
Shockwave therapy is a groundbreaking way to treat knee pain and other conditions by healing tissues without surgery. It uses your body's healing powers by bringing in more blood flow, oxygen and stem cells. This is a very safe therapy for all ages of patients and often not needing surgery, steroids, or pain shots/injections. Choosing a good shockwave machine, like Stemwave, helps you heal faster and feel better than with usual treatments. If you face knee arthritis or other muscle and bone issues, shockwave therapy might be the natural fix you're looking for.
Studies show how great shockwave therapy is for muscle, joint and bone problems. It helps with tendinopathy, gets rid of inflammation, and lessens pain in chronic plantar fasciitis, golfer's elbow, rotator cuff tendinitis and more. This method is also safe and easy for patients, offering a good option to surgery.
By using your body's own healing abilities, shockwave therapy brings long-term relief, healing of damaged tissues and better movement. This avoids surgery and the many risks and long recoveries of surgeries or drugs. When you're eager for a new way to treat your pain, look into shockwave therapy in your local Kingwood or north Houston area.
Testimonial
“I was looking for a doctor to do shockwave therapy for my knee pain. I live in Porter and I happened to hear that Dr. Hamel in Kingwood was using shockwave therapy for his patients. Dr. Hamel explained my knee injury in detail and how shockwave treatments and exercises would help alleviate my knee pain. So far so good, I can tell immediately that I have less pain and better movement in that knee after just 2 treatments. If you are looking for a chiropractor in the Kingwood area that does shockwave therapy, go see Dr. Hamel. When I searched for shockwave therapy providers in my area, Dr. Hamel was the only one to show up in the Kingwood/Humble area. I and my knees appreciate Dr. Hamel and I would certainly recommend his shockwave therapy to anyone suffering with knee pain” Kelly K, Porter, TX
FAQ
What is Extra Corporeal Shockwave Therapy?
Extra Corporeal Shockwave Therapy, (ESWT) is an FDA-cleared way to treat injuries without surgery. It boosts blood flow and speeds up healing in conditions such as knee osteoarthritis, patellar tendinitis, chondromalacia patella, meniscus tears and more. This helps damaged areas heal over time and that is why it is different than any other medical treatment out there today.
How does Shockwave Therapy work?
It uses acoustic sound waves to penetrate deep into tissues, muscle, joints and cartilage. These waves cause tiny injuries which in help to turn on the body's healing process. This boosts blood flow and helps produce chemicals that heal. This is natural healing at its best, it is just giving your body the extra boost to heal and repair itself.
What conditions can be treated with Shockwave Therapy?
It's good for conditions and injuries like foot pain, Achilles tendinitis, Plantar Fasciitis, low back pain, hip pain, shoulder impingement syndrome and even post-surgical repair. Shockwave Therapy can help a lot in these cases, with a 72%-80% success rate. At our Kingwood shockwave therapy office, says Dr. Hamel, we usually see a positive change of 5-15% after the first shockwave therapy visit; meaning a positive difference in pain and range of motion.
How can Shockwave Therapy help with knee arthritis?
By using sound waves, it stimulates the body to help heal and repair the tissues around the knee. This method has proven highly successful for most chronic knee pain. It's a great alternative to surgery because it requires no down time.
What is the Shockwave Therapy treatment process like?
It's both quick and simple. First, an ultrasound gel is put on the skin over the knee area. Then, a device sends sound waves into that knee to stimulate healing. The whole process is usually under 10 minutes. Most patients are seeing improvements of 5-20% after the first session; it takes more time to fully heal says Dr. Hamel, but this is very promising to see changes this quickly in both pain and range of motion.
What are the benefits of Shockwave Therapy over traditional medical treatments?
Shockwave Therapy is better in many ways compared to traditional medicine. The benefits of extra corporeal shockwave therapy are: non-invasive treatments, promotes natural healing, reduces inflammation, increases circulation, improves knee range of motion, short treatment times, (5-10 mins), no recovery time, no negative side effects and it may reduce the need for surgery.
Can Shockwave Therapy be used for all ages?
Yes, shockwave therapy's primary benefit is to accelerate healing and repair. For any patient over the age of 25, when their growth plates have closed; we can use the acoustic sound waves to penetrate the joints, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. The soundwaves actually irritate the injured tissues which creates a cascade of natural healing; this is why it works so well for knee pain relief, knee osteoarthritis and more. For student athletes involved in sports such as volleyball, tennis, golf, cheer, gymnastics, football and basketball we use shockwave therapy for the soft tissue injuries only; we do not go over the joint line during a treatment. Growth plates usually do not completely close until age 25 and this is why we do not use the acoustic soundwaves over the joint line of the knee, ankle or shoulder for younger patients.
Does Insurance Cover Shockwave Therapy?
Insurance may pick up the cost of the office visit and evaluation for a shockwave therapy appointment. Plans from Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna are your best bet at providing some insurance coverage for shockwave therapy services. At Hamel Chiropractic and Wellness, they also accept PIP, (personal injury protection, insurance from your auto policy. If you are looking for a car accident chiropractor for your injuries sustained from a whiplash accident, your PIP may cover the cost of shockwave therapy.
Resources:
Blog Article => Heal Faster, Shockwave Therapy For Plantar Faciitis
YouTube Video => Osteoarthritis Shockwave Therapy Treatment
Instagram Video => Rotator Cuff Tendinitis Shockwave Therapy Treatment
