Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy or ESWT

Chronic foot pain can make it nearly impossible to go about your daily routine. Podiatrist John Murphy, DPM, at Maryland Podiatry Center in Ellicott City, Maryland, can help relieve your pain using extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT). The noninvasive treatment increases blood flow to damaged tissue, stimulating healing and easing pain. Call today or schedule an appointment online to learn how ESWT can help your feet.

What is extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT)?

ESWT is a noninvasive medical treatment using acoustic shock waves to speed up healing.

Researchers continue to investigate how ESWT helps with the healing process. But they theorize that the force of the acoustic energy causes tissue inflammation, improving blood flow to the area.

Maryland Podiatry Center has been using ESWT to heal chronic foot conditions since 2013. Dr. Murphy uses ESWT to stimulate the body’s repair response at the site of the damage, helping heal the chronic foot condition.

Splinting isn’t easing my heel pain. Can ESWT help?

Dr. Murphy takes a personalized approach to foot care and determines which treatments will be best for you after a thorough evaluation. He could recommend ESWT if you have chronic heel pain and at-home care isn’t providing relief.

He most often uses ESWT to treat patients with chronic Achilles tendinitis or plantar fasciitis that cause severe and persistent heel pain that hasn’t improved with other treatments.

ESWT isn’t recommended for people with seizure disorders, heart conditions, or neuropathy that affects sensation in the feet.

What can I expect during ESWT?

Your podiatrist at Maryland Podiatry Center explains what you can expect during your ESWT at your initial consultation so that you know how to prepare. Dr. Murphy can use high- or low-energy waves. He administers a local anesthetic when using high-energy waves to keep you comfortable.

However, Dr. Murphy prefers using low-energy waves because it helps him find the source of your pain, improving treatment accuracy.

During ESWT, the podiatrist places a probe on the skin and activates the electrical charge. The charge creates shock waves over the areas you feel pain. Treatment takes about 15 minutes.

Most people can walk after ESWT. However, Dr. Murphy recommends avoiding intense physical activity for a couple of weeks following therapy.

When can I expect results from ESWT?

Results from ESWT vary, but you might feel improvements in your pain right away. You might need several sessions to get the best results. The length of your treatment will depend on many things. Dr. Murphy will discuss the preferred treatment with you and how many sessions you’ll need.

Call Maryland Podiatry Center today or use the online booking tool to schedule an appointment to learn more about ESWT and how it can improve your foot pain.