Shoulder pain can arise due to various factors, ranging from poor posture to underlying medical conditions. Here are some of the most common causes of shoulder pain:
- Muscle or ligament strains: Overuse, incorrect movements, or sudden actions can cause strains or sprains in the shoulder’s muscles and ligaments, leading to pain.
- Rotator cuff injuries: The rotator cuff in the shoulder can get damaged or torn, causing severe shoulder pain and discomfort.
- Arthritis: This degenerative joint disease can affect the shoulder, causing pain and stiffness.
- Tendonitis: Overuse or age can cause inflammation in the tendons around the shoulder, leading to pain.
- Bursitis: Inflammation of the bursae, the small sacs of fluid that cushion the shoulder joint, can cause pain.
- Shoulder impingement: This condition occurs when the top of the shoulder blade puts pressure on the underlying soft tissues when the arm is lifted away from the body.
- Fractures: Broken bones in or around the shoulder can result in intense pain.
It’s important to note that these are just some of the most common causes of shoulder pain. If you are experiencing knee pain, you can learn if your condition is suitable for treatment and try shockwave therapy with our New Patient Special.
Benefits of Shockwave Therapy for Shoulder Pain
Shockwave therapy is a promising non-invasive treatment that can offer a variety of benefits for shoulder pain. This therapy uses high-energy shock waves to stimulate healing in the affected area. Here are some advantages of using shockwave therapy for shoulder pain:
Accelerated Healing
Shockwave therapy uses high-energy sound waves to trigger the body’s natural healing process. This can help speed up the healing of damaged tissues, including muscles and ligaments, which is particularly useful for those suffering from chronic or recurring shoulder pain.
Reduced Need for Medications
Traditional treatments for shoulder pain often involve medications that may have unwanted side effects. Shockwave therapy is a medication-free alternative that can reduce the need for pain medication or other treatments, making it an appealing choice for those preferring non-pharmaceutical treatments.
Improved Quality of Life
Shoulder pain can significantly impair quality of life, making daily activities or hobbies challenging. Shockwave therapy can help reduce pain and improve mobility, enabling patients to return to their normal activities and enhance their quality of life.
Non-Invasive and Safe
Unlike many shoulder pain treatments, shockwave therapy is non-invasive and safe. It does not require incisions or anesthesia and has a low risk of complications. This makes it a good option for those who want to avoid more invasive treatments.
Overall, shockwave therapy is a promising treatment option for those suffering from shoulder pain.
How Shockwave Therapy Works
Shockwave therapy serves as a non-invasive treatment that deploys high-energy sound waves to invigorate the body’s inherent healing mechanism. Here is a brief explanation of how this procedure functions:
What is a Shockwave?
Shockwaves, in essence, are rapid sound pulses which are comprised of a high-pressure peak succeeded by a relatively lower-pressure depression. These occurrences are integral to our everyday lives and could be generated by a variety of phenomena such as sonic booms, blasts, thunderbolts, seismic activities, or any incident causing a shift in air pressure.
How do Shockwaves Treat Neck Pain?
A specially designed device is employed to create and securely administer shockwaves to the affected shoulder region. These shockwaves possess the capacity to foster cellular-level healing, enhance blood circulation, and stimulate the body’s intrinsic healing process.
Types of Shockwave Therapy
There are numerous forms of shockwave therapy, but the most frequently employed are radial shockwave therapy (RSWT), focused shockwave therapy (FSWT), and acoustic wave therapy (AWT). Unfocused Shockwave Therapy is also a notable technique for treating neck pain.
Radial Shockwave Therapy utilizes a manual device to deliver pressure waves to the skin’s surface. It is a prevalent method for addressing conditions such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, and tennis elbow. Nevertheless, for deeper tissue injuries, its effectiveness might be restricted, and patients may require multiple sessions for the best outcomes.
Focused Shockwave Therapy makes use of a device that directs high-intensity shockwaves straight to the afflicted area. This therapy is commonly deployed to handle chronic conditions like plantar fasciitis and slow-healing bone fractures. However, some patients may find this therapy slightly uncomfortable, and the treatment’s intensity may need to be adjusted according to individual patient preferences.
Acoustic Wave Therapy uses a device that delivers low-intensity shockwaves to the affected area. This therapy is routinely utilized to boost blood flow, relieve pain and inflammation, and promote tissue recovery. It’s often used to treat issues like erectile dysfunction and cellulite. However, its low-powered shockwaves may not effectively manage certain conditions.
Unfocused Shockwave Therapy releases high-intensity shockwaves that penetrate a more expansive and deeper tissue region (7cm x 12cm) compared to either focused shockwaves (1cm x 12cm) or radial waves (2cm x 2cm). SoftWave for shoulder pain is the only unfocused shockwave treatment available in the US. Unfocused shockwaves can treat the same conditions as traditional focused shockwave therapy, but they provide superior relief for severe joint and muscle issues such as shoulder, neck, or back pain. Furthermore, unfocused shockwaves may require fewer sessions compared to radial or focused shockwave therapies.
