Focused shockwave therapy is an excellent technique that can be used to treat a wide array of injuries, including plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, and many more. It’s fantastic for athletes and everyday people for its many advantages, including the fact that it’s a non-invasive treatment. However, it may take some time for patients to experience the full results of their treatment. So, how long does shockwave therapy take to work? Let’s review some of the factors that can influence the time it takes for you to feel better following your focused shockwave therapy.
A Brief Overview of Shockwave Therapy and How It Heals Injuries
Before we delve into how long shockwave therapy takes to work, let’s quickly review the technique and why it’s able to help patients recover from injuries and chronic pain. During the treatment, a device sends shockwaves to the injured area of the body. This stimulates inflammation in that area, which increases blood flow to that region. Thanks to the accelerated blood circulation, oxygen and nutrients are able to reach the damaged tissue faster and begin the healing process.
In a nutshell, focused shockwave therapy hastens the body’s natural healing process in order to bring about quicker recoveries in patients. Additionally, shockwave therapy can also reduce pain by preventing certain nerves from releasing neurotransmitters in the body.
How Long Does Shockwave Therapy Take to Work?
While the procedure itself is relatively quick — partly because it isn’t an invasive treatment that requires surgery — how long shockwave therapy takes to work can vary greatly depending on the circumstances.
Even if the treatment succeeds in alleviating some of your pain immediately after the first session, you may not experience a full recovery for the next several weeks and require multiple sessions over the coming months. Conversely, some patients might feel relief right away. These differences stem from the fact that there are many factors that can influence how long it takes for shockwave therapy to work.
Given how shockwave therapy works by taking advantage of the body’s natural healing processes, people can respond differently to treatments and experience results faster than others. For example, your age and the sensitivity of your pain receptor nerves are both factors to consider.
However, a major indicator of how long shockwave therapy takes to work is the intensity of the pain you’re experiencing and the particular injury or area that you’re receiving treatment for. Because each treatment plan is different and varies heavily based on your unique situation, you may require multiple treatments per week over the course of a month or very few. For example, greater chronic pain may need another treatment after a few months for the best results possible. In other cases, it may require an entire year for the treatment plan to reach its conclusion.
For Professional Shockwave Therapy Treatments, Contact Dr. Nadler Today
If you want to learn how long shockwave therapy will take to work for your particular injury, then start by speaking with an expert like Dr. David Nadler. He offers professional radial and focused shockwave therapy for physical therapy, as well as other services pertaining to Philadelphia chiropractic and sports medicine. For more information and to schedule your appointment, reach out today.