Tendons are the tough, fibrous cords in our muscles that link up the bones and the muscles to make sure that when we move a specific muscle, it tugs on the bone and causes motion.
They’re very prone to stress and strain as a result of their restricted range of motion and the hefty loads they support throughout day-to-day activity.
Tendonitis is a very painful inflammation of the tendons. It can be a result of excessive use, strain, or any other action that puts too much tension on your tendons.
As a matter of fact, almost any repeated movement can possibly result in tendonitis — especially amongst people who devote a significant amount of time doing it. (It likewise doesn’t help that we put in a great deal of time hunching over our cell phones and desk jobs.)
Tendonitis can render it tough for you to move without pain, tightness and weakness. If you’re a golfer, tennis player, or other sportsperson who often over-exercises their tendons, then you know first-hand how aggravating and disabling it can truly be.
If left with no treatment, tendonitis may get even worse and turn into chronic tendonitis, which is also referred to as tendinosis.
With this health condition, the tendon ends up being weaker and doesn’t heal correctly. If left unattended for too long, it might not ever recover entirely or return to typical function once again.
Thankfully, with the proper therapy at the correct time, you’ll be back to your normal daily activities in no time at all, without any remaining effects from your flare-up of tendonitis — just continue reading for all the information!
What is Shockwave Treatment?
Shockwave therapy, additionally known as “extracorporeal shockwave treatment” (ESWT), is a pain-free, non-invasive therapy that’s been proven to be extremely beneficial in treating soft tissue injuries like tendonitis.
It employs tightly-focused strong energy pulses that are created by a tool to create little tears in your tendons to stimulate restorative healing. Shockwave treatment is often used as another option to surgery to treat a number of conditions, including knee, elbow, and shoulder tendonitis.
Shockwave therapy is carried out in a medical setting with a gel or cushion to shield the skin. The cushion supplies energy in the form of sound waves to your tendons. The sound waves cause the fluid in your tendons to vibrate and create micro-injuries that promote healing.
How Does Shockwave Therapy Help Alleviate Tendonitis?
Shockwave treatment functions by creating micro-injuries in your tendons. Having made these tiny wounds, your body starts a healing system that produces new collagen, increases blood flow and restores your tendon to correct well being and function.
This is known as the “regenerative” process, and it allows your body to restore damaged tissues and rejuvenate them to their normal state of function and well being. Of course, this process also results in substantial pain relief. This is one of the several ways shockwave treatment helps relieve tendonitis!
Another reason shockwave therapy may be an effective treatment for tendonitis is because it does not require any oral or topical medicines that may have adverse effects and are usually associated with other therapies for tendonitis.
This can be very valuable for those who want to stay clear of needless adverse effects or for those who are allergic to particular prescriptions.
With shockwave therapy, you can focus on getting better and feel sure that you’re getting the very best possible care for your disorder.
The Benefits of Shockwave Therapy for Tendonitis
Employing shockwave therapy to alleviate tendonitis has a variety of advantages versus other therapies beyond relieving chronic pain, including:
- No Side Effects: Because shockwave therapy sparks the body’s natural healing process, one of the most obvious advantages of shockwave treatment is that there are no adverse effects and no threat of adverse reactions. The treatment is absolutely safe and doesn’t come with any potential adverse effects like oral or topical medications do.
- No Needles: Another benefit is that you won’t have to face the pain and discomfort of hypodermic injections. Many therapies for tendonitis include injecting the afflicted location to bring about the healing process, yet shockwave therapy does not–it’s a non-invasive treatment. You get the very same tissue healing outcomes without needing to cope with the pain and hassle of injections.
- No Lost Time: Another benefit of shockwave therapy is that you don’t need to worry about needing to take time absent from work or being inactive while your tendon is healing. The treatment is painless and does not require any downtime.
- No Long-term Negative Side Effects: One of the biggest advantages of shockwave therapy for tendonitis is that it doesn’t involve any long-lasting adverse effects. You can feel certain that you won’t need to tackle any complications or adverse reactions down the road. As a matter of fact, the regenerative process that shockwave treatment activates can actually help stop future tendon injuries!
Are there any Side Effects of Shockwave Treatment?
Shockwave therapy doesn’t have any serious or lasting negative side effects. While there may be some small discomfort or mild swelling after the therapy, these negative effects are not very noticeable and will go away on their own in a couple of days. There is also no danger of damaging neighboring nerves or tissues.
It should be borne in mind that shockwave treatment isn’t appropriate for everybody. Contraindications include pregnancy, fitted pacemaker, tumor, open injuries or infection, or an allergy to ultrasound gel.. It is always best to ask your doctor or physio therapist if shockwave treatment is the best treatment for you.
Just How Much Does Shockwave Therapy Cost?
The cost of shockwave therapy for tendonitis differs from facility to facility and from patient to patient because every health condition and scenario is different.
It’s best to find a clinic in your local area and visit them personally to get a price for your specific treatment. Be certain to ask about any insurance coverage that might be accessible to you.
If you have medical insurance, be sure to look over your coverage and see if it encompasses shockwave therapy for tendonitis. If it does, you can usually make an appointment with a physiotherapist or expert near you and get treated straight away.
If you don’t have insurance coverage, you can still visit a health care clinic and find out if they offer a payment plan or treatment financing option to make the process more economical.
How Many Appointments Will You Have?
The quantity of shockwave treatment sessions you need may vary depending on the severity of your tendonitis and your response to the therapy. You’ll most likely start to see results between 3 and 5 treatments.
The best way to recognize when you can stop receiving treatment is to keep track of your improvement with a pain and symptom tracking app like Healio. If you have health insurance, be certain to bring it with you to your session. This will help you get the most of your therapy and recover faster.
Where Can You Schedule Shockwave Treatment for Tendonitis?
As we mentioned earlier, shockwave therapy can be performed in a clinic. If you are feeling pain and discomfort from tendonitis, it is vital to look for treatment as soon as possible to stop the disorder from worsening.
Especially if you’ve had other treatments and they weren’t helpful, then it’s worth giving shockwave therapy a shot.
Give the expert physiotherapists at Aspire Physiotherapy a call soon and we can start eliminating your tendonitis discomfort. Now booking new appointments!
