Acoustic Radiation to Relieve Pain

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a method of treatment by application of high-density acoustic radiation that literally breaks the speed of sound, thereby creating a shockwave. This technique is commonly used for treatment of certain clinical conditions (e.g. musculoskeletal conditions like Achilles tendinopathy). Clinical studies done worldwide reported that ESWT is an effective and
safe treatment modality for chronic and painful lesions at bone-tendon junctions.

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is sometimes alternatively known as shockwave biosurgery, although ESWT isn't surgery as the “surgery” word that people usually understand. It’s called that way because of how the therapy works, as follows:

* Trigger the body's repair mechanism. One of the manifestations of this is the gradual formation of new blood vessels in the targeted area. This shockwave exerts a mechanical pressure and tension force on the afflicted tissue. This has been shown to create an increase in cell membrane permeability, thereby increasing microscopic circulation (right) to the tissues and the metabolism within the treated tissues, both of which promote healing and subsequent dissolution of pathological deposits of calcification. Also, the ESWT shock waves pressure creates what are known as "cavitation bubbles", simply small empty cavities, which tend to expand to a to a maximum size, then collapse, much like a bubble popping. As these bubbles burst, a resultant force is created. In the human body, this force is strong enough to help break down pathological deposits of calcification in soft tissues, which can be the cause of chronic inflammation/pain in the affected soft tissue. ESWT shockwaves have also been shown to stimulate fibroblasts, the cells responsible for the healing
of connective tissues such as tendon, and ligaments.

*Over-stimulate pain transmission nerves. This leads to an immediate reduction in pain and sensitivity. This is where the nerves sending signals of pain to the brain are stimulated so much that their activity diminishes, thereby decreasing or eliminating pain. It is also sometimes thought of as activating a sort of "reset" button that recalibrates pain perception that set higher pain tolerance/threshold.