There’s a better way to approach your patient’s musculoskeletal pain treatment.
As a practitioner, you want to help your patients get to the root of their pain instead of just treating the symptoms. Your patients are tired of dealing with pain that inhibits their life, and they don’t want temporary fixes that still leave them in pain in the long run.
For happier, healthier patients, you need to try extracorporeal shock wave therapy for musculoskeletal pain. Let’s breakdown what it is and why you need it in your office to stay on the cutting edge of pain treatment and give your patients the help they need.
What is ESWT?
Extracorporeal shock wave therapy, or ESWT, is an FDA-approved non-invasive pain treatment that directly targets the area in pain through ultrasound technology. It’s particularly useful for pain involving connective tissues like ligaments and tendons.
Originally used to treat kidney stones and gallstones in Europe, ESWT has been utilized as an effective pain treatment for over two decades all over the world. It’s been used to treat tennis elbow, rotator cuff tendinitis, patellar tendinopathy, Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, bony nonunion, and more.
How It Works:
ESWT works by applying high or low energy acoustic wave pulsations, or shock waves, directly to the site of an injury or musculoskeletal pain, triggering the body’s natural healing response.
The localized treatment is part of what makes it so effective. The shock waves can cause inflamed tissue to regenerate due to increased blood circulation, resulting in faster and longer-lasting healing from pain.
A qualified medical professional administers the treatment by applying a gel to the area in pain and then moves the applicator over the area in circular motions for a few minutes as pressure waves are released. One of the biggest benefits is that the treatment is quick, as opposed to hours of physical therapy.
Shock wave therapy, or radial pulse therapy, is most commonly used on patients who have tried other common treatments, like rest, heat or cold pack therapy, and reducing physical activity but haven’t found lasting relief.
ESWT has become a popular pain treatment method because complications and side effects are rare, there’s no recovery time after treatment, it’s non-invasive, convenient, and it’s cost-effective.
Depending on the intensity of the shock waves, there may be some pain during treatment; however, reports of this are rare. Some complications may occur after ESWT treatment, including redness, swelling, headache, and a throbbing sensation. Reports of these issues are also rare, and for the most part, ESWT is considered a no risk treatment plan.
Types of ESWT Treatment:
There are two types of ESWT treatment: focused shock waves or radial pressure waves.
Focused shock waves use higher energy and penetrate deeper into the tissues. This type of ESWT is typically used for deeper trigger points to relieve pain that is extremely localized.
Radial pressure waves are lower energy and used for more surface-level pain. Often times, radial pressure waves are used before and after focused shock wave therapy to smooth the muscles.
A medical professional can access the patient to determine which type of ESWT they need, or use them both together for great results.
What Is Musculoskeletal Pain?
Musculoskeletal pain is extremely common. It’s pain that impacts the ligaments, bones, tendons, and muscles. Most musculoskeletal pain occurs from injury, overuse, posture issues, or prolonged immobilization.
Patients with musculoskeletal pain experience fatigue, lack of sleep, and daily irritation. Musculoskeletal pain can make it difficult to perform routine tasks for the average patient.
It also steals joy from your patient’s lives. They may be unable to pick up their kids, go on long runs, or travel because their pain is so intense. For patients in sports and athletics, it can become a major hindrance to their career and livelihood.
As a medical practitioner, your top priority should be to help your patients live their lives fully and free from pain.
There are many treatments for musculoskeletal pain, but most only mask the symptom of the pain and provide temporary relief. Patients deserve more. People with ongoing pain are looking for a lasting solution so they can move forward with their lives.
While some pain treatments can be extremely effective, like chiropractic care, acupuncture, strengthening exercises, or physical therapy, they usually require extensive appointments over a long amount of time.
To give your patients the treatment they need so they can heal faster, an ESWT machine is a must-have in your hospital or medical office.
ESWT for Musculoskeletal Pain Treatment
Radial pulse therapy for musculoskeletal pain can be used for a variety of ailments and diseases, from heel pain to TMJ. ESWT is also a popular option for treating sports injuries so athletes can return to playing quicker.
Let’s look at the different types of pain that ESWT can help with:
- Forearm muscle pain
- Tennis or golfer’s elbow
- Jumper’s knee
- Shin splints
- Achilles tendon
- Plantar foot muscle pain
- Heel spur pain
- Periarticular Shoulder Pain
- Chronic nape pain
- Calcareous shoulder
- Lower back pain
- Chronic back pain
After a consultation to identify the pain, a qualified therapist will administer the ESWT. It can take multiple five to ten-minute sessions depending on the severity of the pain or injury, but most patients require three to five weekly sessions to begin experiencing lasting relief.
ESWT is a great middle-ground treatment option for patients who haven’t had success with the other common treatments but do not require surgical intervention.
This is another reason why it’s being used more and more on athletes who may need a treatment option in the middle of their professional season and can’t take time off for the surgery recovery time.
You don’t have to be a professional athlete to benefit from ESWT. Anyone who desires to stay active for years to come can seek out shock wave therapy to deal with pain before it’s too progressed.
Benefits of ESWT
Musculoskeletal pain treatment with ESWT has grown in popularity over the last few decades, and with good reason. It offers a safe, effective, and generally fast way to treat pain in any area of the body.
Other benefits of ESWT for musculoskeletal pain include:
- It’s non-invasive
- There’s no anesthesia required
- No recovery or downtime required
- No risk of infection
- No scarring
- Fast healing
- It’s a cost-effective option for patients
- The administration is quick and convenient
- No risk and limited side effects
Over 80% of patients report extremely high satisfaction with ESWT treatment. Most begin to experience significant pain reduction and increased mobility after three treatments. Another added benefit is that ESWT therapy can eliminate the need for pain killers.
Invest in an ESWT Treatment Device for Your Medical Business
If you’re ready to treat musculoskeletal pain with ESWT at your medical business, check out our options at Outpatient Supply.
Our ESWT machine is called the PhysioPro. Compact for easy portability, the PhysioPro features a user-friendly interface, a tack-sharp color touch screen, and seven adjustable pre-set programs. It also features more than 25 illustrated preset treatment recommendations to make the therapy you offer as precise as possible.
It comes with pre-programmed therapy protocols for:
- Tendinitis of the shoulder
- Radial and ulnar epicondylitis
- Post muscular injury
- Achillodynia
- Heel Spurs
- Myofascial trigger point therapy
- Trochanteric bursitis
- Shin splints
Additionally, for convenience, the PhysioPro can be operated remotely by phone or tablet. For peace of mind, it’s also backed by a robust warranty.
Established in 2015, Outpatient Supply is a leading developer and distributor of operating room equipment. We provide cutting-edge medical device technology so your business can keep up with the future of medicine, and we guarantee the lowest price and fastest delivery times.
Because we maintain a full inventory of medical equipment, we can ship any of our shockwave systems to your facility within 24 hours after you place an order.
The Future of Medicine
Devices like ESWT machines are becoming more and more common in hospitals and medical offices. As technology progresses, your medical business needs to progress with it. Patients are looking for the latest and most effective treatment options so they can move forward with their lives.
Check out the rest of our blog to learn about other state of the art devices you should be using in your medical office, such as this simple guide to using EKG machines.
Get started with ESWT for musculoskeletal pain treatment at your medical business today, and give patients the long-term relief they need. For more information, contact Outpatient Supply and our customer service team will be happy to assist you.