Calcific tendonitis treatment option: Focused shock wave, the new option?

Calcific tendonitis is when calcium builds up in a person’s tendons; sometimes in one location, but also possibly in several parts of the body at once. This can lead to intense pain, especially if these deposits grow, or face any kind of irritation. Whilst it can affect the entire body, the deposits and their associated symptoms typically first manifest in a person’s shoulder, or their rotator cuff. This area may also face rotator cuff tendinitis, which does present similar symptoms but doesn’t involve calcium build-up – understanding the specific form of tendonitis you have is instrumental in getting the right treatment.

This condition is most prevalent in women, and usually around the age of 40-60; though people of any age and gender can still get it. Professionals and experts are still unsure what causes this disorder, but it could be due to normal wear and tear. This means it might spontaneously develop with no prior warning – making it absolutely essential that you have a complete understanding of this condition and the effective treatment options. There are three distinct stages of calcific tendonitis, including:

The pre-calcific stage

This is when normal motion is substantially more difficult than usual, and can even cause pain.

The calcific stage

At this stage, the cells release calcium in the form of deposits, which the body starts to resorb.

The post-calcific stage

This is when the range of motion slowly returns to normal and healthy tissue replaces the deposits.

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy is a special form of treatment that uses low-energy audible sound waves to improve the body’s natural healing process – such as by increasing blood flow. This is a non-invasive procedure that focuses mainly on the symptomatic area; meaning nothing pierces your skin. At the London Shock Wave & Sports Injury Clinic, we offer both types of this technique, and the science shows this is a very effective method for treating calcific tendonitis. This procedure usually involves the application of ultrasound gel on the affected area to help enhance the shock waves and their overall conductivity.

When using the radial form of extracorporeal shock wave therapy, there can be some minor discomfort, which simply doesn’t exist when using focused F-ESWT. No matter which form you choose, these sessions only take a short amount of time, around 5 minutes or so. The number of follow-up sessions you’ll need typically depends upon the rate at which the body shows signs of improvement, though this is often about four sessions. We aim to leave at least a week between each ESWT treatment, and this is so we can maximise the effects of each individual session.

The two main forms of extracorporeal shock wave therapy are radial and focused, both of which can serve as a helpful and effective calcific tendonitis procedure – especially for shoulder treatment. Radial ESWT is the more common (and more affordable) of the two, with virtually any ESWT clinic offering this type of treatment, but it does come with several notable limitations. For example, the treatment depth is 3-4cm, and this just might not be enough to conduct comprehensive work on a patient. Though this allows its shock waves to spread out, the end result is less effective for specific areas.

As the name suggests, focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy (F-ESWT) is much more effective at treating specific parts of the body, allowing the process to directly tackle any calcium deposits. This is because it can go deeper into the body, with the shock waves having a depth of up to 12cm with the right attachments, allowing the high-density energy to better reach an affected area. As calcification doesn’t occur too close to the surface of the skin, it helps to use focused treatment – this is typically more expensive than a radial approach, but with a greater level of effectiveness.

The actual content of the shock waves is also different between the treatments, which is a key reason for their distinct effects. Radial ESWT applies a combination of ultrasonic pulses, slow shear waves, and acoustic pulses, which coalesce around the applicator’s tip; this is why it has such a short range. Focused ESWT uses a ‘cone’ of crystals that focus energy through an electrical current – creating a consistent wave of pressure that moves through the skin with ease. This also has less impact on the skin, making it much more comfortable than radial treatment, and allowing for higher doses.

At our clinic in Wimbledon, London, we offer focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy treatments and hope to make this innovative technique more available to everyone who needs it. Many ESWT clinics in the area and across the entire country only provide radial shock wave therapy, which still has its uses, but is far less effective than focused shock wave therapy for calcific tendonitis. The London Shock Wave & Sports Injury Clinic is happy to continuously embrace innovative medical techniques such as focused ESWT, and we aim to make the entire process easy to understand.

We believe it’s essential that you know exactly what treatment you’re getting, including how it works, and the answers to any questions you might have about it. The more you know what to expect going in, the easier this procedure can be; helping to assuage any nervousness or anxiety might also make ESWT more effective. If you have any questions about calcific tendonitis and how F-ESWT could help you with it, you’re always welcome to <a href="https://shock-wave-therapy-london.co.uk/contact-us/">ask us your questions today</a>. Our expert team can make sure that you fully understand your options before any treatment begins.

If you’re currently dealing with calcific tendonitis and need a new therapeutic method that promotes natural healing, then focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy may be exactly what you need. Feel free to take your time and look into the procedure to see if it’s the right fit for you, but it can be best if you ask us directly about how it works. Alternatively, if you’re already certain that you want to try F-ESWT due to its healing effects, you can contact us, or give us a call at 020 8540 3389.