EPAT Shockwave Therapy in Novato CA

Novato CA chiropractic clinic offers EPAT Shockwave Therapy. Contact DeSalvo Chiropractic today with questions or to schedule an appointment.

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Here Are The Benefits Of Shockwave Therapy In Novato CA

EPAT therapy is a very effective therapy that we use to help patients with chronic pain where other conservative measures have failed. We have found it to be most useful for patients that have osteoarthritis in their neck and lower back. We use it for many other conditions as well.

This non-invasive procedure produces results that are sometimes superior to surgery or steroid injection and is chiefly used for treating plantar fasciitis in the US.

"I had very stubborn joint pain in my neck. It was a constant ache and chiropractic adjustments only gave temporary relief. A few treatments EPAT got rid of that pain, which was due to chronic inflammation around an arthritic joint. As a result, I had to get this therapy for my patients, especially in cases like mine."

- Dr. Desalvo

The real beauty of this treatment comes down to a few things:

1. It is fast- A typical treatment of shockwave therapy takes less than 10 minutes.
2. You don't need a ton of visits- Most conditions respond in 4-8 treatments. Sometimes less!
3. It isn't too painful- Although I wouldn't describe it as painless, it is only moderately uncomfortable. Similar to a strong deep-tissue massage.
4. It is affordable
5. The results are durable- Research shows that shockwave therapy produces long-term results, unlike massage or steroid injections
6. The research- Study after study produces consistent results.
7. It plays well with others- Although it can be a stand-alone treatment, shockwave therapy works best when combined with a customized chiropractic rehabilitation plan to address the reasons why you have an injury in the first place.

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Have I Heard Of This Therapy Before?

You're probably wondering why you haven't heard of shockwave therapy before. I started out in practice in 1987. It didn't exist then but I started to hear more and more about it. At first, I overlooked the treatment because the name sounds kind of gimmicky and similar to ultrasound (which is not very effective). I finally tried it out for myself and it got rid of chronic joint pain where nothing else helped. So, I decided to get it for my patients. I browsed published research, and the results of these studies are very positive.

After seeing the results, I have absolutely fallen in love with this therapy. It has huge benefits for patients if they are lucky enough to know about it and have a provider in their area who uses it. Please allow me to demystify this unique therapy and provide some information on how and why shockwave therapy works.

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy AKA ESWT (and also EPAT or AWT) is related to the procedure performed in hospitals to break up kidney stones, called lithotripsy. Most people think this is done with ultrasound but it is actually shockwave therapy. In the late 90s and early 2000s European manufacturers made miniaturized versions of these machines that could be held in the hand and used in general practice.

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How Does Shockwave Therapy Work?

Shockwave therapy works by creating a pulse of pressure made of strong sound waves. This pressure wave is very powerful, very brief, and can be transmitted deep into tissues. When tissues are stimulated by rapid pressure changes they respond in a variety of beneficial ways. This effect is called "mechanotransduction". Common examples of this include the growth of muscles in response to stress from weight lifting or the relaxation of muscles from the force applied during the massage. Shockwave therapy is essentially a scientific tool for applying physical force to the body in a way that creates a beneficial reaction.

Plantar fasciitis was one of the first conditions which were shown to benefit from shockwave treatment. In the US, this remains the only orthopedic condition for which insurance will reimburse (which is BS). Due to our poor insurance structure, this lack of reimbursement has relegated this powerful treatment to main podiatry, and often only as a last resort. The rest of the world has continually expanded the use of shockwave therapy. It has shown promise in the treatment of:

• Tendinopathies including plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, patellar tendinopathy, proximal hamstring tears, calcific tendinitis, rotator cuff injuries, and golfer/tennis elbow
• Joint pain in the small joints of the hands and feet, the facet joints of the spine, and osteoarthritic joints
• Muscular pathologies like trigger points, muscle spasms, and contracture
• Nerve pathologies like carpal tunnel, diabetic neuropathy, sciatica, and small fiber neuropathy
• Various medical conditions like non-healing diabetic ulcers, non-healing fractures, enhanced skin repair following severe pain

Even things like cellulite and erectile dysfunction have been shown to benefit from shockwave therapy. And these are only the conditions for which I have found research supporting the use of shockwave. There are shockwave therapy machines being developed for heart pain that persists after a heart attack and even a machine to treat the brain directly in the treatment of Alzheimer's!

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Shockwave Therapy Effectiveness

As you may have noticed, shockwave therapy seems to be effective for a variety of seemingly unrelated conditions. This appears to be due to the general effect that shockwaves have on tissues. Shockwaves have been shown to promote the growth of new blood vessels into tendons and ligaments which typically do not have much blood supply and therefore heal slowly. They also appear to promote the regrowth of tissue by mimicking the forces experienced during significant trauma. Bones will literally grow thicker when treated with shockwaves. Very slow-growing nerves also seem to respond to shockwave treatment by increasing their metabolic rate. This same effect has been shown on large wounds. Shockwaves essentially stimulate healing when they are delivered at the proper intensity.

My patients were just as amazed as I was. We all agreed that it really does work quickly, and the results last.

It may be difficult to find doctors who provide this in other areas. If you are looking for a provider near you, I would recommend searching "orthopedic shockwave near (insert your city)" or "ESWT near me" or "Shockwave therapy for (insert condition) near (insert your city)'.

So far, I have had the best luck finding sports chiropractors or physical therapists who have a unit in their office. Some podiatrists will treat conditions besides plantar fasciitis, but none in my city do (despite asking them).

Naturally, if you are in Novato, Marin County, CA, and are looking for this therapy, give us a call at 415-898-6888.