Shockwave Therapy: Energy for Pain Relief

When you have pain in your feet that simply will not go away, no matter what you do to relieve it, you begin to lose your mobility. It’s hard to continue participating in your normal activities when your lower limbs hurt. Surgery can certainly help, but with extended recovery times and the possibility of complications, many people don’t want to take that step unless they have no other options. Fortunately for you, there are successful noninvasive alternatives, like shockwave therapy.

Chronic Pain Treatment

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a noninvasive treatment for chronic pain and irritation. It has been extremely successful in helping relieve inflammation and discomfort in a number of different connective tissues. ;Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, and other similar inflammatory conditions can be stubborn. They don’t recover unless they are given proper rest and care. Sometimes, however, the affected tissue thickens and becomes chronically inflamed. Stretching, icing, and other remedies may help, but the pain persists.

Shockwave therapy involves aiming targeted waves of energy into the damaged soft tissue. The waves stimulate your natural healing processes by creating a situation where your body believes it is in acute distress. Your immune system floods the area with nutrients and cells to repair the damage, lowering your overall inflammation and offering you relief from your discomfort. The whole therapy can be completed in one high-energy session or in several low-energy procedures with very little risk. You may experience some soreness or bruising following the treatment, especially if you pursued the high-energy option, but your condition will continue to improve over the days following your appointment.

Boosting the Immune Response

Shockwave therapy can be a great help for those struggling with stubborn heel pain or tendinitis, but you will still need to have your lower limbs examined to be sure this is the right treatment for you. The experts here at NorthPointe Foot & Ankle will evaluate your feet and ankles. They may request certain tests or diagnostic images to check for complications that may have arisen. If other conservative treatments have failed, they can help you move forward with this alternative.

At your appointment, the doctor will take the ESWT device and use an ultrasound guide to determine the exact location needing treatment. The energy waves will then be directed at that area for a period of time. For a low-energy treatment, most people don’t feel any pain, but a few do experience some slight discomfort. High-energy therapies, however, can be very uncomfortable, so they are usually accompanied by local anesthesia. After the procedure is finished, you are able to return to your activities. In the days and weeks following the therapy, your lower limbs should feel increasingly better.

Chronic plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis can interrupt your life and make it uncomfortable to walk and participate in your activities. You don’t have to give up and accept the discomfort as permanent. Options like ESWT have been very successful in stimulating healing in the lower limbs, even with chronic pain. Don’t wait until you can no longer walk to seek help. Contact NorthPointe Foot & Ankle in Berkley, MI, for an appointment or more information. Fill out the online contact page or call (248) 545-0100 to reach us.