Specialists usually recommend one-week intervals, however, this may change depending on your individual circumstances. For example, patients treated with shock waves to treat chronic pain caused by tendonitis may receive treatments every few days at first, and sessions decrease over time. Shock wave treatment has a cumulative effect on injured tissue. Research shows that patients should have a minimum of three treatment sessions over a three-week period.
It's not unusual for more than three sessions to be required, but this is decided based on needs based on your response to treatment. Shockwave therapy works best when sessions are done about 1 week apart. Most injuries require a minimum of 3 sessions, so the ideal is to plan to be available for 3 consecutive weeks without skipping treatment for the best results. It is important that you do not take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for 2 weeks before your first session and throughout your treatment, as this may interfere with the effectiveness of the treatment.
Clarify this with your doctor or therapist, as other pain medications are available if you need them. Plan what to wear: the treatment area should be exposed, so loose clothing or the option of wearing shorts or a vest, for example, may be necessary. Shockwave therapy is a safe, non-invasive treatment whose effectiveness has been convincingly demonstrated by a large number of investigations and clinical trials. There are currently several randomized, double-blind clinical trials supporting the use of shock wave treatment for plantar fasciitis, lateral epicondylitis and calcified shoulder tendonitis.
Shockwave therapy or extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is an innovative, cost-effective, evidence-based treatment for tendon pain (often referred to as tendonitis or tendinopathy) and other conditions throughout the body. It is recommended that you refrain from doing any activity that puts pressure on the treated area for 24 hours after a shockwave session, even if you don't feel pain after treatment. Usually, the initial response to treatment with shock wave therapy is good; however, it may take a few months before the maximum effect is achieved. Shockwave therapy is designed to create a new healing process in the tissue and therefore has to supply a certain amount of energy to the injured area.
It can treat both long-term chronic illnesses and more recent acute injuries. There is a great deal of evidence showing that Shockwave can achieve excellent results even with historic conditions. Shockwave therapy is most effective if it's part of a complete treatment and rehabilitation program. They have received specialized training in shockwave therapy and have extensive experience treating chronic and persistent tendon conditions.
While some professionals use shock wave therapy as a stand-alone treatment, at the Sydney Heel Pain Clinic the treatment plan includes measures to support the Achilles tendon or the plantar fascia and also eliminate the causes of pain. Studies show that this improvement in pain continues for months and even years after the end of the last shockwave session (Moya, et al.). NICE has developed guidelines for the use of shock waves in the treatment of Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis and calcific tendinopathy. When the shockwave therapy machine is used and the probe is moved around the heel, pressure and vibration are felt around the affected area.