Softwave (Shockwave) Therapy

Utilizing Softwave Shockwave Therapy in Rehabilitation for Women's Health and Pelvic Health Conditions

We are excited to offer SoftWave's shockwave therapy at our Sherman Oaks and Beverly Hills offices

SoftWave therapy (a specialized type of low intensity Shockwave Therapy) has been increasingly utilized in rehabilitation environments. In our offices, licensed physical therapists treat pelvic health conditions such as vestibulodynia, vulvodynia, vaginismus, pelvic pain, and other female sexual pain diagnoses, other pelvic health issues such as urinary incontinence, bladder pain and urinary urgency and frequency. As licensed physical therapists that take a whole body approach to your care, we also utillize Softwave for numerouse orthopedic conditions including neck pain, back pain, acute and chronic tendinitis', temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD), DeQuarvain's Tenosynovitis, plantar fasciitis, joint pain and inflammation, sprains & strains, muscle pain, scar pain and restricted scar tissue and so much more.

Softwave therapy has many applications for new mamas as well! Softwave is well-researched for wound healing, and we utilize this to treat slow to heal or non-healing perineal lacerations from childbirth and cesarean incisions, accelerating the healing process through the creation of new blood vessels, tissue regeneration and other processes discussed below.

There are two types of shockwave devices, high intensity and low intensity. High intensity focused shockwave would be the type used in lithotripsy for kidney stones, for example. This type of energy wave can break up tissue and be very precise. Low intensity shockwave has a therapeutic effect and is the one we utilize in rehabilitation.  We use the SoftWave OrthoGold® and UroGold® Broad Focused, low-intensity device in our offices. Broad focused shockwave does not cause microtrauma and is believed to stimulate healing through mechanotransduction. Other devices are not broad focused like Softwave, and thse create microtrauma to then stimulate healing, which is typically very painful.  Shockwave is marketed under different names, and not all machines are the same. SoftWave specifically does not create microtrauma and therefore does not damage the tissue and tends to be better tolerated during your treatment session. We want you to understand the difference between our device and other shockwave devices, and if you're still reading this, I think you are the kind of person (like us!) that values more data so you can make a more informed decision about your care.

So here is a bit about our specific devices: the SoftWave OrthoGold® and UroGold® are advanced shockwave devices using electrohydraulic spark gap technology with a patented parabolic reflector that produces an Broad focused or parallel acoustic wave over a broad area resulting in accelerated healing by:

• Increasing blood supply
• Modulating inflammation
• Stimulating and activates stem cells
• Repairing and regenerating tissue
• Reducing acute and chronic pain

Advanced technology helps more patients by successfully turning on the body’s natural healing process

Our SoftWave devices:

• Covers a treatment area wide and deep: 7cm  x 12cm
• Is non-invasive
• Requires no anesthesia or numbing agents
• Shorter treatment times
• Long lasting effects

What is Shockwave therapy and how does it work?

There are three types of low intensity shockwave therapy: electrohydraulic, electromagnetic, and piezoelectric. Applicators can deliver focused or unfocused energy. The electrohydraulic technology comes in both focused (microtrauma) and unfocused (more recently termed broad focused). The broad focused electrohydraulic shockwave penetrates the deepest, and with the patented broad focused applicator created by SoftWave Technologies, covers the most surface area in the least amount of time, shocks and pain. Electromagnetic shockwave only has a focused version and has moderate penetration. Piezoelectric shockwave has the lowest energy with minimal to moderate penetration of tissues.

The SoftWave patented Broad focused applicator design makes it possible to spread energy to a large area of both superficial and deep tissue soliciting a biological response to the target area to initiate the body’s natural healing process.

The SoftWave OrthoGold® and UroGold® units are designed in Germany. They deliver a broad focused shockwave by an electrohydraulic process. The body of the unit has an attached applicator through which the shocks are applied to the body.

Frequency of treatment is typically one time per week, up to two times a week for very acute conditions, and treatment is usually provided 3-7 days apart. Some patients benefit from as little as 1- 3 sessions, but more typically are seen for 6-10 sessions, with some patients returning for care once per month, depending on their diagnosis.

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT): Research supports that ESWT promotes healing by promoting an anti-inflammatory environment and by angiogenesis or the forming of new blood vessels. More details on the research and technology of the device we are using can be accessed at the company website.

How does Shockwave Therapy work?

An electrode inside a dome full of water sends short, frequent sparks of mechanical energy (shockwaves) which when contacting the skin penetrate and create soundwaves traveling through the affected tissue. The soundwaves travel faster than the speed of sound and result in an increased blood flow and decreased inflammation (by modulating the inflammation). The image below shows the effects of both Unfocused (aka Broad focused--our SoftWave device) vs. Radial applicators (what other offices may use):

Click here for more information on how the Softwave shockwave machine works.

What does it feel like?

Over an area without inflammation, it feels like a rubber band gently snapping on your skin. Over a "hot spot" or sensitive area patients report a deeper discomfort, often replicating the discomfort for which they are being treated.

How long does it take?/ How many sessions?

A single treatment area lasts 5–15 minutes depending on the number of shocks used. Some patients notice a dramatic improvement after 3 to 4 sessions, while more chronic issues may require 6 to 10 sessions of shockwave to note significant changes.

Is it covered by insurance?

Shockwave is currently not covered under insurance. Physicians have a CPT code in some cases for billing high intensity shockwave, but there is not a code for low intensity shockwave used in rehabilitation at this time.

Common pelvic health conditions treated in our office:

• Vulvodynia/Vestibulodynia
• Vaginismus
• Painful Sex
• Rectal Pain
• Sacroiliac/SIJ Pain
• Tailbone Pain (Coccydynia)
• Anorgasmia
• Persistant Genital Arousal Disorder (PGAD)
• Erectile Dysfunction Pelvic Pain
• Penile Pain
• Testicular Pain

Other orthopedic conditions treated:

• Arthritis/Joint Pain
• Low Back Pain
• Musculoskeletal Pain
• Neck Pain
• Non-healing Wounds
• Plantar fasciitis
• Scars
• Sciatica
• Tendonitis
• and more!

For more information on our use of shockwave therapy, call us or use our contact form here. 

Go here if you are ready to schedule an appointment with one our licensed physical therapists.