Focused Shockwave Therapy in Milton Keynes

Here at Bucks Chiropractic Clinic in Milton Keynes we are now offering Focused Shockwave Therapy or Focused Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (f-ESWT). Shockwave Therapy is great for treating ongoing stubborn injuries of the tendons, muscle, ligaments and joints including problems that have not responded well to other types of treatment.

It is also a great non-invasive treatment option for patients wanting to avoid having steroid injections or surgery. It is also used by many professional sports teams due to its effectiveness and ability to speed recover from difficult to treat injuries.

What Can Focused Shockwave Therapy Treat?

• Heel pain- Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles Tendonitis
  
• Shin splints
  
• Hip pain- Gluteal tendonitis, Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS)
  
• Knee pain- Patellar Tendonopathy, Meniscus Tears
  
• Elbow Pain- Tennis Elbow, Golfers elbow
  
• Shoulder pain- Rotator Cuff Tendonitis, Frozen shoulder
  
• Ligament injuries
  
• Osteoarthritis
  
• Myofascial Pain Syndrome- ongoing muscle pain with referred pain
  
• Chronic back pain
  

What is Focused Shockwave Therapy?

Focused Shockwave Therapy is an advanced form of Shockwave Therapy. It is a highly effective, non-surgical, non-invasive treatment which uses high energy sound waves to help stimulate tissue healing, reduce pain, increase blood flow and stimulate the body's own healing processes.

It has been proven to be especially helpful for chronic long term tendon injuries, that have not responded to other treatments, including Plantar Fasciitis, Shin Splints, Tennis Elbow, Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (hip tendon pain) and Calcific Shoulder Tendinopathy.

Focused Shockwave Therapy is included in the NICE guidelines used by the NHS for these conditions. It has also been shown to be beneficial for many other chronic pain conditions that responded poorly to other treatments.

For more information on Focused Shockwave Therapy or to book an appointment please call 07791 274393 or email buckschiropractic@btinternet.com

How does Focused Shockwave Therapy work?

Focused Shockwave works by using focused high energy soundwaves to:

• Reduce pain
  
• Promote tissue regeneration and healing
  
• Improve blood flow and stimulate new blood vessel growth
  
• Induce calcific reabsorption in tendinopathies
  
• Reduce muscle myofascial trigger points (muscle knots)
  

How many Shockwave Therapy sessions will I need?

Some patients report significant improvement after 1 session but a minimum of 3 sessions is required in most cases for long term benefit due to the complicated nature of the injuries it's used to treat. Most patients require 3-6 sessions depending on the type of injury, level of injury and individual patient characteristics.

Why Shockwave therapy may be right for you?

• Treats stubborn, chronic long-term injuries that have not responded to other treatments
  
• 60-90% success rate for chronic injuries
  
• Very safe with minimal side effects
  
• Non-surgical and non-invasive
  
• Quick results
  

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does each session last?

The first Shockwave Therapy appointment lasts 60 minutes. Each follow up Shockwave Therapy session lasts 30 minutes.

How much does it cost?

Shockwave therapy costs an extra £20 per session on top of the normal treatment fee. It is more expensive than other treatments but it is often more effective and pain resolves more quickly which will save you money in the long term.

Will I need any Ultrasound or MRI scans?

It is often beneficial to have an ultrasound or MRI scan before treatment if you have not had one before but it is not always necessary and is on a case-to-case basis. If one is required it can be arranged on site.

Is Focused Shockwave painful?

You may experience some discomfort during treatment but the pain should be tolerable. We always aim to keep the pain levels to a minimum while still having a positive treatment outcome.

Many patients report immediate pain relief following treatment due to the analgesic effect of Shockwave Therapy. If you experience pain after treatment, you may use ordinary non-prescription painkillers such as paracetamol. Do not use anti-inflammatory medication or Ibuprofen as both may interfere with the body's self-healing process.

How many sessions are needed?

Generally, we recommend 3 - 6 treatment sessions. As this is encouraging the body to heal itself your body will progress in the healing process even 2-3 months after treatment has stopped.

What the difference between Focused and Radial Shockwave?

Focused Shockwave Therapy allows us to pinpoint damaged tissue, target this region and treat effectively with no impact on healthy tissue. Radial shockwave was an off-shoot of focused shockwave in the 80s and 90s as it was a cheaper system to make and sell. The evidence is good for radial shockwave, but the strongest and best evidence is for focused shockwave.

Focused Shockwaves generates the energy outside the body and is then delivered to a focal target area deep inside the body. Radial Shockwaves are actually pressure waves and differ considerably from focused shockwaves. The energy spreads out on contact with tissues and the density of energy dissipates rapidly through the top layers of the skin reducing penetration depth. This makes Radial systems unsuitable for targeted deeper areas.

Focused Shockwave treatment on the other hand is more accurate targeting a specific area, more powerful and more comfortable for the patient. Focused Shockwave Therapy is much better suited for treating deeper structures that can't be reached using Radial Shockwave.

Is Focused Shockwave Therapy safe?

Yes. It has NICE guidance for a large number of indications and is used within the NHS.

How long before I feel an improvement?

After only 1 to 2 sessions at our Milton Keynes Clinic, many of our patients report complete pain relief or significant pain reduction. The therapy eliminates pain or restores full mobility, thus improving your quality of life. However, this improvement depends on the severity, chronicity and type of injury.

How successful is Shockwave therapy?

Statistics vary based on the condition being treated - varying from 60-90% success rate. For example, studies have shown 90% of patients with Achilles Tendonitis (Heel pain) will experience a full recovery or significant reduction in their pain and injury.

Can Shockwave treat old/persistent injuries?

Shockwaves can treat both long-term chronic conditions and newer injuries. There is a great deal of evidence to show that Shockwave Therapy can achieve great results even with long-term stubborn injuries.

What are Shockwaves?

Shockwaves are high energy sound waves which are transmitted to the affected area to accelerate healing. The treatment increases blood flow, decreases localised pain and stimulates cell regeneration - this encourages the body to repair itself. Shockwaves also break down scar tissue and calcifications.

Does my private health insurance cover it?

Some private health insurance providers have cover for Shockwave Therapy - please ask your provider for more details. Please note there may be an excess to pay.

Is there any reason I will not be able to have Shockwave therapy?

Shockwave therapy is very safe and has few contraindications or side effects. However, it is not suitable for everyone. Some of the situations when Shockwave Therapy is not suitable are.

• Steroid injection into the area to be treated within the last 12 weeks
  
• Some blood thinning medications
  
• Haemophilia / Clotting disorder / Risk of haemorrhage
  
• Cardiac pacemaker or another cardiac device in the treatment area
  
• Tumour at site of treatment
  
• Infection at site of treatment
  

For more information on Focused Shockwave Therapy or to book an appointment please call 07791 274393 or email buckschiropractic@btinternet.com

I can find more information on Focused Shockwave Therapy at: physiquipe.com/products/piezowave2