Shockwave therapy
Therapy's description
Shockwave therapy is an appliance, which is broadly used in many medical fields, e. g., in orthopedics, physiotherapy, urology and veterinary medicine. In midst of the therapy muscle pain ceases in a short time period and it helps the tissues to renew faster. As it is not a surgical therapy, which would need pain relief remedies, it is the ideal treatment to use to accelerate the healing of muscles and to care of illnesses which cause severe and chronic pain.
In shockwave therapy strong, acoustic waves are used. They carry large amount of energy to tissues which suffer from for subacute, subchronic and chronic illnesses. The energy in these waves further the regeneration and renewing process in bones, tendons and other soft tissues.
Shockwaves are known by rapid pressure change, high amplitude and non-periodicity.
The charge filled with kinetic energy, which is made by the compressed air, is lead to the transmitter at the tip of the applicator and sent into the tissue.
The medical effect
The acoustic waves used in shock therapy are with a high energy amount and interact with tissues. These waves succeed in speeding up tissue regeneration, the splitting of cells, pain remedy and the restoration of mobility. All processes which are mentioned in this section are usually used simultaneously to treat chronic, subacute and severe conditions.
Formation of new blood vessels:
A blood flow filled with nutrients is necessary to begin and maintain the regenerating processes in damaged tissues. The acoustic waves create micro cracks in tendon and bone capillaries. As a result of these micro cracks growing factors such as eNOS, VEGF, PCNS and BMP are significantly increased.
As a result of these processes the arterioles are transformed, stimulated to grow and new arteries are formed. The new blood vessels improve the blood supply and oxygen flow to the treated part of the body, it additionally speeds up the healing of tendons and bones.
Treatment for chronic inflammations.
A chronic inflammation occurs if the inflammation reaction is not fully stopped. It can ruin the healthy tissue and cause chronic pain. Mast cells (type of white blood cells) are one of the main components in the inflammation process. Their function can be increased by specific acoustic waves.
Mast cell activation is followed by the production of chemokines and cytokines. These connections will initially increase the inflammation, however in the following step it will help to renew normal healing and regenerating processes.
Increased collagen production
Sufficient collage production in the body is an important precondition to treat muscle, bone and tendon damage and illnesses. Shock therapy speeds up pro collagen synthesis. The therapy compresses newly made collagen fibres in lengthwise structures, which make the newly produced fibre cells denser and stiffer creating a more stable structure.
Dissolving calcified fibroblasts
Calcium build up more often is the result of a micro tear or other such injury affecting the tendon. The acoustic waves brake down the resulted calcium structures. Shock therapy begins a bio chemical process, which cleanses the tendon from the build up calcium and treats it. Later on the lymphatic system leads out the calcium parts from the system.
Dispersion of the pain mediator 'Substance P'
Substance P is a neurotransmitter that mediates pain information via C fibers. This neuropeptide usually is connected with intense, dependent and chronic pain. It forwards pain messages to the central nerve system. By decreasing the concentration of Substance P in the body, the stimulation of afferent nociceptive fibers decreases, as a result the pain is reduced. By decreasing the Substance P concentration in the body, the stimulation of afferent nociceptive fibers reduces, resolving in pain decrease. Addditionally the decrease of Substance P helps the histamines and other nociceptive metabolites to suppress the progressing of edema. The created waves in shock therapy reduce Substance P conctentration in the body and contributes to pain prevention.
The release of damaged muscle tissue particles
They are the main causes of pain in back, neck, shoulders and extremities. They are closely connected with palpable nodules which are located on damaged muscle tissues and they have tightly closed muscle cells. They shrink so tightly that they cut their own blood supply. That produces waste product lodgement. This lodgements infuses the end of nerves for feeling, which causes even more pain. This vicious circle is also known as "metabolism crisis". The estamaited functioning of the mechanism is that the delivered acoustic energy unblocks the lodgement calcium and therefore it stops the metabolism crisis in muscles and releases the damaged muscle tissue particles.