Shock wave treatments are increasingly used by physical therapists due to their effectiveness. It is not an aggressive technique and it manages to repair the damaged tissues of the patient without pain. For example, if your shoulder hurts and you are looking for a remedy to help you regain your daily routine, this technique may be perfect for you. If you want to know more about him, you just have to keep reading. We will tell you everything throughout this article.
Shock wave treatment in physiotherapy
No matter where you have the injury, shock wave treatment allows you to repair it quickly and effectively. They are involved in cell growth. In this way, among its benefits are the recovery of mobility of the area to be treated and also the elimination of pain .
To know whether or not it should be used, a diagnosis must first be made , as it is not indicated for any type of ailment. For this reason, if we want to know if it is necessary to apply shock waves to the shoulder or other areas of the body, an imaging test should be carried out using an ultrasound machine to analyze the damaged structure. This is what they do at H3 Clinics , in Madrid, in order to assess all the options that professionals have in their hands to achieve the best result. In addition, they always think about the comfort of the patient.
What are shock waves?
Shock waves are acoustic waves that boast high energy. These are applied by means of a head on the surface where there is a lesion. In this way, they intervene on the cells and, although at first it may seem that a system of these characteristics will not offer any results, it actually causes even the breakdown of the tissues with which it comes into contact. It is possible that at first this last sentence may be negative for us, but the reality is that the consequences of this break are translated into a repair of the damaged area without the need for surgical treatment .
Thus, shock wave treatment can claim to be non-aggressive . In addition, for all those patients who are afraid of feeling pain, it should be noted that with this technique you hardly notice a small knock on the part of the body that should be treated. For H3 Clinics, people come first and, therefore, they try to make them feel calm at all times. Thus, they show them that physiotherapists will do everything in their power to alleviate any ailment they suffer.
Shock wave application
When shock waves are to be applied, the patient will be in a comfortable situation. This information is important because each damaged area must normally be spent between five and eight minutes . Of course, the treatment can be stopped at any time if the person concerned requests it in case they feel discomfort.
To be effective, three to five sessions are usually necessary , being applied between three or ten days apart. It all depends on the endurance of the patient and the response of his body.
Types of shock waves
There are two types of shock waves depending on the type of problem. These are the focal and radial.
Focal points
These shock waves are focused specifically on the point to be cured. They are indicated to treat those damages that are in deep areas , such as kidney stones, so they need the energy to be at a high level. It should be noted that focal waves are more linked to medical treatment and it is excessively important to apply them properly, since, otherwise, they could cause serious damage to the body.
Radial
For their part, radio waves are usually expansive, as they lose energy from three centimeters deep. They are the ones used in physiotherapy , since the areas that are treated within this specialty, such as the muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones, are not found in a very deep part of the body. The side effects that can take place are much less than those of the above.
Benefits and contraindications of shock waves
There are many benefits that we can obtain through the treatment of shock waves . Now, there are also some contraindications. We talk about it in this section.
Benefits
Among the benefits that we can find with respect to the shock wave technique is the reduction of pain. This will take place even from the first session. Also, the general improvement is very high. In this way, patients witness good results in a very short time .
On the other hand, it is important to note that with this treatment the healing process is greater and the treated area will notice greater relaxation after application.
Contraindications
On the other hand, shock waves are not always recommended . Thus, those who suffer from hypersensitivity or circulatory insufficiency should not undergo this type of technique. The same is true for those who have been diagnosed with heart or respiratory distress , or have blood clotting disorders . If there is an area with unhealed open wounds, the use of this system is not recommended either.
Likewise, side effects include loss of sensitivity, inflammation and purulent foci in the areas where the treatment has been developed.
Similarly, pregnant women or growing children should not resort to shock waves .
Shock waves for calcifications on the shoulder
It is normal that when we feel pain in a part of our body, what worries us the most is if there is a treatment that provides a solution to our problem . For this reason, the most important thing is always to bet on a good professional who is involved in our case and finds that remedy that we hope so much to be able to continue with our routine without having to endure constant discomfort. Not everyone is prepared to face any situation and, therefore, we must analyze what each clinic offers to help us be well.
A curious process can be that of calcifications in the shoulder and, for this reason, many studies have been analyzed around this problem to find out how to solve it. After discovering H3 Clinics that shock waves can provide relief from this ailment, showing a significant improvement, they did not hesitate to offer this service to all those who needed, due to their health, to apply it.
Shoulder calcifications
Shoulder calcifications occur due to the formation of calcium salts on a damaged area in which changes in the tissue have developed. It is possible that while their training takes place, the person will not feel any discomfort. What's more, it is sometimes discovered by chance when an X-ray is done for another reason. Now, if not, you will discover that you suffer from this problem during the reabsorption phase , that is, when the body copes with it and tries to fix it itself. This is when the pain appears, even acutely. In this way, the latter causes that the person involved cannot even sleep, which will affect different areas of his life, such as his mood or his work performance, among other aspects.
There are theories that indicate that the causes may be due to genetic or hormonal factors , although, in reality, they are usually quite uncertain. Now, the advantage is that it can be solved in most cases without surgical intervention . To achieve this , shock wave treatment is carried out, totally or partially eliminating the problem and, along with it, the pain.
Other problems where shock waves are used
In addition to the previous case, shock waves are used in other types of problems, such as trigger points or low back pain. Likewise, they are also indicated for fractures , so that the regeneration is adequate; and for tendonitis, strains, and sprains .
However, we never tire of saying that it is essential to always have good professionals who master this system when applying it. You will notice how your well-being improves day by day and that the discomfort you felt disappear from your routine.
