Shock wave therapy is an FDA approved treatment for musculoskeletal pain, including plantar fasciitis and tennis elbow. It has also been shown to help men who suffer from erectile dysfunction by stimulating new blood vessels and removing the microscopic plaque that causes erections. This treatment is different from medications and injections, as it addresses the cause of the problem instead of masking the symptoms.
This technology was first used in the early 1980s for urologic conditions, and it quickly became known that it could break up kidney stones. The success of this therapy was followed by studies in orthopedics where it was found that shock waves could loosen the cement that held bone fragments together after a fracture. In addition, it was discovered that shock waves could promote angiogenesis, which is the growth of new blood vessels in the area treated. As a result of these findings, extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) was introduced into clinical practice in the early 2000s as a noninvasive alternative to surgery for musculoskeletal conditions such as epicondylitis of the elbow and plantar fasciitis.
Several randomized trials have compared the effectiveness of ESWT with placebo for various painful musculoskeletal conditions, but these studies are of varying quality. In a sensitivity analysis that excluded low-quality trials, the benefits of ESWT were demonstrated, but the magnitude of this benefit was lessened.
Other more recent research on the topic has shown that ESWT may improve functionality in neuropathic pain patients. In one study, HWDS was shown to significantly reduce pain medication use in over 65% of patients with neuropathic pain. This reduction was also accompanied by improved patient-reported functional outcomes on a customer service questionnaire.
The H-Wave device produces a unique biphasic, exponentially decaying waveform that is specifically effective for inducing physiologic responses. It uses two settings, ultra-low (2 Hz) and high (60 Hz), to induce different effects on muscle fibers and nerves, respectively.
As the world continues to shift away from fossil fuels, the potential of using wave energy as a sustainable, renewable energy source is becoming more and more important. While it won’t be able to match the current levels of wind or solar energy, this technology can help power hard-to-reach locations and ease the transition to 100% clean, green energy.