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Anne Pickett

Half The Uk Now Suffers From Chronic Pain. But Could Shock wave Therapy Hold The Answer?

In June of 2016, research data from 19 major studies were combined to reveal some startling information about the state of health in the UK. By extrapolating the results from a test sample of almost 140,000 people it is now estimated that 28 million adults in Britain suffer from chronic pain of one description or another. That means that almost half of all adults are living with chronic pain, day in and day out.

For many of us, this statistic won’t come as a surprise. A simple straw poll of friends and family would usually be enough to reveal any number of common complaints ranging from tennis elbow to rotator cuff injuries; Achilles tendon problems to plantar fasciitis; and, of course, lower back pain. To be given the title “chronic pain”, the issue must have lasted for three months or longer.

Many of these problems would be considered niggles that cause consistent, mild pain. Among younger adults these issues may be more irritating than debilitating,However, studies have also shown that both the severity and percentage of people suffering from chronic pain increases with age. For millions of young adults who simply endure chronic pain, the likelihood is that such conditions will only worsen over time, impacting on quality of life and mobility.

Shockwave therapy: treating chronic overuse injuries without going under the knife

Whether you find yourself unable to play sport, workout at the gym or even walk the dog pain-free, the fact remains that chronic musculoskeletal problems are among the most prevalent conditions in the UK. And among these there are overuse injuries found within the joints, tendons and muscle tissues that are particularly hard to tackle.

Of course, no one enjoys going under the surgeon’s knife. But for many years, invasive surgery has been the only option for a number of chronic injuries relating to overuse. Cutting away scar tissue and calcific fibroblasts has been necessary to remedy debilitating problems that manual therapy cannot treat.

But has another solution finally arrived?

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) has been heralded as an effective non-invasive treatment for chronic injuries caused by overuse of an area of the body. Although shockwave therapy may sound like a painful treatment in itself, it has become popular largely due to the fact that the treatment does not require patients to go through invasive surgery in order to remedy persistent discomfort.

ESWT has been used successfully in cardiology and urology, but it is in the treatment of tendon, joint and muscle conditions that it is helping patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Shockwave therapy has been found to be highly successful in clinics around the world, with patient reports suggesting a success rate of between 75% and 90%.

In over three-quarters of cases, the ESWT has been found to:

  • Remove pain
  • Facilitate healing
  • Reduce muscle tension
  • Break down calcific fibroblasts
  • Stimulate collagen production
  • Stimulate microcirculation for improved tissue metabolism

ESWT has also been used successfully to promote bone healing and treat bone necrosis as an alternative to surgical treatment of non-healing fractures.

How does shockwave therapy work?

Shockwave therapy involves a series of high-energy percussions delivered to an injured area. These high amplitude pulses of mechanical energy are similar to sound waves and can be compared to the treatment often used on patients suffering from kidney or gallstones.

Each mechanical pulse causes scar tissue and calcific fibroblasts to break down and stimulates metabolic activity in the body — an inflammatory response. In simple terms, shockwave therapy kickstarts the body’s own healing powers and encourages the repair of a focused area.

Within each session, the treated area receives 2,000 to 3,000 pulse waves which stimulate the body’s own healing properties. No x-rays or drugs are required during the procedure and shockwave therapy is primarily a way to encourage the body’s own healing abilities.

Common conditions treated using shockwave therapy

Shockwave therapy is now being successfully utilised to treat a whole range of conditions. Most common among these are conditions such as Plantar fasciitis, hip bursitis, tennis elbow, shoulder tendonitis, Achilles tendon pain and ITB syndrome, among others.

How many sessions are required?

A typical course of shockwave therapy treatment involves six sessions. Each session lasts just 5–10 minutes and can be performed on a weekly basis. In many cases, pain relief is felt immediately and each session can be held a week apart. However, in some cases a patient’s tissue response may be slightly slower, in which case it is advisable to increase the time between sessions to 10 days or two weeks.

Significant improvements can often be seen after as little as 3 sessions, but a full course is required to ensure that the benefits are seen for the long term and that the body’s healing cycle completes. These benefits include improved mobility and function.

Does shockwave therapy hurt?

The discomfort caused by shockwave therapy is largely dependent on the extent of pain already being experienced by the patient. In most cases, discomfort is mild and no worse than that felt during manual therapy. Given the fact that shockwave therapy also only lasts a few minutes, patients find it preferable to surgery, which can cause longer-term pain and discomfort during rehabilitation.

Patients most commonly experience immediate pain relief after a session and, while this may be followed by some mild soreness in subsequent hours, improvements may be felt much more quickly than is possible through surgery. It is important for patients to avoid using ice or anti-inflammatories on the treated areas during this time, as this will combat the inflammatory response needed to initiate tissue repair.

Who should not try shock wave therapy?

There are circumstances in which a patient may not be suitable for shockwave therapy. If you have recently suffered from any of the following, it is worth consulting a health professional before undergoing any treatment:

  • Pregnant women
  • Diabetics
  • Those who have had cancer in or around the treatment area
  • Those who have heart or circulatory problems
  • Those on blood thinning medications
  • Those who have received cortisone injections within a month of shock wave therapy

Shock wave therapy will soon be available at Milton Chiropractic. Our commitment to utilising the very latest technologies and pursuing excellence through evidence-based practice has led us to training our clinicians in the use of this innovative new treatment.

Want to find out more? Why not get in touch with the team today.