Relieve Back Pain Naturally: How Shockwave Therapy Can Help You Heal

If you're dealing with chronic back pain, you've likely tried many treatments. From over-the-counter drugs to physical therapy. But have you thought about shockwave therapy? It's a non-invasive treatment that uses high-energy sound waves to help your body heal naturally.

This therapy is great for treating many back pain issues, like sports injuries, low back strains, Sciatica and herniated discs. It targets the pain at its source. This treatment may help you prevent the need for surgery or long-term medication, helping you move better and live a more active lifestyle. 

If you are you tired of living with constant back pain and looking for a natural, non-invasive solution that actually works? Shockwave therapy could be the answer you've been waiting for! Discover how this cutting-edge treatment can help you find lasting relief—without surgery or medication. Don’t wait any longer to reclaim your life—book your consultation with a local shockwave therapy provider today and experience your first session. 

 

Key Takeaways

  • Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses high-energy sound waves to stimulate the body's natural healing process by reducing inflammation, improving blood flow and encouraging healing cells like stem cells to come into the injured area. 
  • It can provide natural relief and promote tissue regeneration for a variety of back pain conditions, including chronic pain, sports injuries, and herniated discs.
  • Shockwave therapy is an effective alternative to surgery or long-term medication, helping patients regain mobility and improve their quality of life.  Back surgery only gives mixed results and because it is so invasive; the rehabilitation after surgery is extensive.  Over 50% of people who get back surgery do not see any difference in their pain and mobility.  With extra corporeal shockwave therapy, within a few sessions you will know if it is going to make a difference in your back pain. 
  • The treatment is relatively quick, with most sessions lasting around 5-10 minutes and delivering about 400 therapeutic pulses.
  • Shockwave therapy is commonly used to treat a range of musculoskeletal conditions, knee osteoarthritis, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, tennis elbow and bony heel spurs.

Understanding Shockwave Therapy

Shockwave therapy for back pain is a non-surgical, non-invasive treatment. It uses high-energy sound waves to stimulate the body to heal naturally. This therapy is given through the skin with a small device like an ultrasound wand.  The shockwaves help increase blood flow, break down hard deposits, and make new bone and tissue. They also reduce pain by reducing inflammation. 

What is Shockwave Therapy?

Germany first used shockwave therapy in the late 1960s for kidney stones. Now, it helps with many musculoskeletal issues, like back pain, rotator cuff syndrome, frozen shoulder, golfer's elbow and other extremity injuries. It's seen as a safe and effective way to treat physical problems, and there is little to no downtime like more invasive medical procedures. 

How Does Shockwave Therapy Work?

Shockwave therapy sends focused, high-energy sound waves to the affected area. These waves irritate the damaged tissues creating a healing response. There are several benefits to getting extra corporeal shockwave therapy, (ESWT):

  • Increased blood flow and circulation to the treated area, promoting tissue regeneration. The therapy helps to bring in healing cells like stem cells and other healing agents like oxygen, and nitric oxide.
  • Breakdown of calcified deposits and scar tissue, which can contribute to pain and restricted mobility.  It is common to have a spur or calcification in a shoulder joint, knee joint or even in the spine; these waves help to break them down. Scar tissue is very common with repetitive overuse injuries in the rotator cuff, knee, and lumbar paraspinal and quadratus lumborum muscles. If you don't get rid of scar tissue chronic pain and lack of mobility will persist forever. 
  • Reduced pain by overstimulating the nerve endings, resulting in a decreased pain response.  This can help when the patient is doing some rehab exercises; you can get more out of physical therapy and chiropractic care when you are not dealing with so much pain. 
  • Stimulation of the body's natural healing mechanisms, accelerating the recovery process.  The body should be able to heal itself but sometimes it gets stuck; often times area that do not get much blood flow or nerve flow have a hard time healing; ESWT can help with this. 
  • The shockwaves are safe and don't harm the treated tissues. Patients usually need several sessions over 6-8 weeks to see the best results.  Shockwave therapy for back pain helps reduced inflammation so an injured area can heal, during the treatment you might feel some discomfort but it goes away soon after the treatment.

 

Shockwave therapy is a key non-invasive treatment for many musculoskeletal conditions. It helps with soft tissue injuries and tendon injuries. It's great for those looking for relief from chronic or recurring back pain.

Benefits of Shockwave Therapy for Back Pain

Shockwave therapy is a non-surgical way to treat chronic back pain. It's effective because you can get it done at a doctor’s office, no medicine or anesthesia is needed. This means patients can keep up with their daily life while healing. It helps the body heal naturally by sending penetrating sound waves directly into the low back area, the lumbar spine and the discs. 

This therapy also helps improves mobility, so many people with back pain are unable to bend down and touch their toes, can't golf and it is even hard for them to get out of bed. The shockwaves target the pain source, for back pain that is the lumbar spinal joints, the discs, and the paraspinal muscles. If you have been suffering with chronic low back pain and you have tried every type of therapy and medicine and it has not gone away, ESWT might be your best option.  It works because it:

  • Promotes tissue regeneration and pain reduction
  • Improves mobility and range of motion, due to inflammation, joint irritation and scar tissue, often times a patient's back is locked up and cannot move.  ESWT helps unlock tight muscles and release pressure in the spinal and SI joints. 
  • Provides a non-surgical, drug-free treatment option, many low back pain sufferers are tired of taking pain medicine and they do not want to go under the knife.
  • Allows for efficient patient management and integration into existing treatment plans.  Patients who are doing shockwave therapy along with chiropractic care, acupuncture or physical therapy seem to do exceptionally well. 

More and more people choose shockwave therapy for its non-invasive, lasting relief from back pain. We are seeing more healthcare professionals offering shockwave therapy in their office such as chiropractors, physical therapists, orthopedic doctors and sports medicine doctors. It uses the body's healing powers to help patients return to being active without having to worry about chronic pain.  They can enjoy activities they love without needing lots of medication or surgery, like pickleball, golf, tennis and going to the gym. 

 

"Shockwave therapy has been a game-changer for my back pain. It's allowed me to get back to my active lifestyle without the need for surgery or relying on pain medication."

Shockwave Therapy for Back Pain

If you're dealing with chronic low back pain, disc herniations or Sciatica, shockwave therapy could be an option. It's a non-invasive method that uses high-energy acoustic waves to help your body heal. This can lead to less pain, reduced inflammation, tissue repair, and better movement.

Shockwave therapy is different from usual treatments like drugs or physical therapy. It can offer lasting relief for those who haven't found relief with other methods. By focusing on the root of back pain, it's a good choice for avoiding more invasive treatments. This helps you manage your pain and get back to an active lifestyle more quickly. 

Studies show that shockwave therapy is becoming a go-to for patients who haven't gotten better with other medical treatments such as massage, orthopedic surgeries, physical therapy or arosti.  It's especially useful for myofascial pain, trigger points, scar tissue, back pain, and neck pain. Radial shockwave therapy is a top choice for treating lower back pain because it can penetrate deep into the low back joints and muscles to creating a healing response. 

Idiopathic lower back pain is a common issue, often seen without sciatica, stenosis, or spinal issues. This type of pain usually lasts a few weeks but can come back. Extra Corporeal Shockwave therapy is suggested as a safe option before having a major surgery or even pain injections. 

Treatment Details

Shockwave Therapy

Number of Treatments

810 sessions

Treatment Duration

5-10 minutes per session

Time for Full Effect

Up to 6-8 weeks

Discomfort Level

Mild to moderate, typically well-tolerated

Potential Side Effects

Temporary discomfort, bruising, swelling, or bleeding

Some may feel discomfort during shockwave therapy, like pressure or brief pain. But, it's very temporary and usually goes away within a couple of hours. For maximum healing and repair a patient can expect 10 treatments over a 6–8-week period. Depending on the severity of the back pain condition, more shockwave therapy treatments may be necessary.  A low back strain is very different than multiple lumbar disc herniations; that being said the patient should be noticing improvement from week to week. Some severe lumbar disc degeneration patients have done up to 36 sessions over the course of one year. 

Techniques and Trends in Shockwave Therapy

Shockwave therapy is getting better, with two main techniques leading the way. Radial and focused shockwave therapy are changing how we treat back pain. They meet the needs of patients and tackle different pain causes.

Radial Shockwave Therapy

Radial shockwave therapy uses a device to send shockwaves to the area in pain. It's great for treating shallower tissues and trigger points. This helps with muscle tension and pain in the back. People often feel less pain and move better after a few sessions.

Focused Shockwave Therapy or ESWT

Focused shockwave therapy sends a precise beam to deeper tissues like spinal joints and discs. It's perfect for serious low back pain that other treatments haven't helped. This therapy boosts the body's healing, helps fix damaged tissues, and lowers inflammation.

Thanks to CT scans and MRI, doctors can now find the real causes of back pain. This lets them create treatments just for you. Using shockwave therapy with these imaging tools means better care for each patient, leading to a healthier, more active life.

"Shockwave Therapy has shown to provide quick relief for patients with persistent back pain after just a few sessions."

Back pain is becoming more common, so we need new, gentle treatments. Shockwave therapy is a big step forward in fighting this issue. It uses the latest in imaging and custom plans to help patients find relief and live better. The two main companies producing shockwave therapy machine are StemWave and SoftWave.  If you are seeking out a shockwave therapy provider, make sure to ask them if they are using one of these; they have done the most research with design and outcomes. 

Conclusion

Shockwave therapy for back pain is the new, cutting-edge therapy that everyone is talking about.  It's a non-invasive, natural way to enhance healing and repair in the body. This method uses high-energy sound waves to reduce inflammation and bring in healing stem cells and agents like oxygen and nitric oxide.   The treatment can give you lasting relief from back pain, disc pain and muscle spasm.  A patient getting a shockwave therapy session can get up and walk out and return to their normal activities.  It is recommended that feeling better, does not mean the patient should overdo it.  Now, shockwave therapy is getting better with new techniques and custom treatment plans. It's becoming a key part of treating back pain for many chiropractors, physical therapist, orthopedic doctors and sports medicine doctors.  If you're looking for a safe and effective way to heal your back pain, consider shockwave therapy. Talk about it with your doctor. As more research shows it's safe and works well, it's becoming a top choice for chronic back pain.  Using shockwave therapy along with other complimentary therapies can accelerate healing even more, therapies like acupuncture, physical therapy, chiropractic care and corrective exercises. 

FAQ

What is shockwave therapy?

Shockwave therapy for back pain is a non-invasive treatment. It uses high-energy sound waves to help the body heal and repair injured or damaged tissues including meniscus, knee osteoarthritis, lumbar spinal joints, tendinitis and ligament injuries. This leads to less pain, better mobility, and tissue regeneration.

How does shockwave therapy work?

The therapy uses a device like an ultrasound wand on the skin. It sends shockwaves to the affected area through an ultrasound gel. These waves improve blood flow, break down hard deposits, and help regenerate new tissue. They also lessen pain by affecting nerve endings and pain sensors.

What are the benefits of shockwave therapy for back pain?

It's a non-invasive way to treat back pain. It helps the body heal naturally and improves lumbar range of motion. This therapy is all natural, it helps heal your back from the inside out. Trying this treatment before doing pain management or surgery is an easy decision. With ESWT there is no risk of getting addicted to medication and you don't have to worry about doing 1 year of painful physical therapy like you would after back surgery. 

Is shockwave therapy effective for chronic low back pain?

Yes, it's a great option for chronic low back pain. It offers lasting relief for those who haven't found help with other treatments. It targets the root causes of back pain such as muscle spasm, disc herniation, facet syndrome or nerve pinching. 

What are the different techniques used in shockwave therapy for back pain?

There are two main techniques. Radial shockwave therapy works on surface-level tissues and trigger points. Focused shockwave therapy targets deeper areas like spinal joints and discs.

Why is it called acoustic shockwave therapy?

With shockwave therapy, there is a head which contains an electrode and water; the electrode causes a spark which creates the sound wave.  When you are receiving treatment, you can hear the machine pulsating and you can feel, (in your low back, knee or shoulder), the pulses at a higher intensity where you have the most pain and inflammation. The sound wave is strong enough to penetrate deep into damaged tissues; this is why it works so well with healing and repair. 

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