|
|
|
A Canadian Pharmacy is a Lifesaver for Some Americans
The FDA states that it is illegal to import any prescription drugs from overseas. Anything found at the United States border will be seized. But this shouldn't include a Canadian pharmacy. Canada isn't even overseas... right? That's what many...
Taming Headaches Naturally
If you’re alive, you’ve probably had a headache at least once in your life. Headaches seem to be a universal thing. You most probably have experienced a tension headache, from stress, or the kind of intense but fleeting headache that comes from...
The Hidden Treasure of Creativity in Your Brain.
Without doubt, Alpha brain wave is the most widely known and
publicized. Many uninformed people will equate this wave with
ESP, remote viewing, and Alpha creativity training. But this is
not totally true. Because Alpha wave is just part of the...
The Pharmaceutical Drug Cartel and the FDA
According to the Los Angeles Times, the California Association of Physicians and Surgeons, and even the Center for Diseases Control’s own admission, well over 100,000 people in this country die each year from “properly” administered prescription...
X-Rays – What You Don't See & Feel Can Hurt You
There is little doubt that x-ray technology (x-rays, CT scans, fluoroscopy) in medicine has done much good and is an invaluable diagnostic tool. Although I seriously question its usefulness as a therapeutic tool (e.g. cancer radiation therapy), that...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revolutionary Medicine - Shockwave Therapy for Chronic Pain Sufferers
Revolutionary Medicine - Shockwave Therapy for Chronic Pain Sufferers
by C. Bailey-Lloyd
Article by, ©C. Bailey-Lloyd
Stripped from the scenes from science fiction novels and films, shockwave therapy is a newage alternative to chronic pain sufferers. Utilized not only on humans for over 25 years for urologic and orthopedic conditions, shockwave therapy has even been introduced to veterinary and equine medicine as well. Helping individuals suffering from a range of conditions, including: golf or tennis elbow, stiff shoulders, calcaneal spurs, joint calcification, chronic tendon pain, and many other musculoskeletal disorders; shockwave therapy could possibly be the answer to help and healing.
To learn about Shockwave Therapy, I contacted Ms. LuJean Smith (Public Relations' Director) of Siemens Medical Solutions. In an informal interview, I asked Ms. Smith a few questions about this revolutionary therapy and how it aids patients with healing:
[C. Bailey-Lloyd]: "Could you please tell me who developed and first began utilizing shockwave therapy?"
[L. Smith]: "German aerospace engineers realized the concept caused pitting or cavitation on aircraft parts. The first use of the technology for health care was for kidney stones in the 1970s."
(*Through further research, I discovered that 98% of all kidney stones are treated with shockwave therapy, also known as lithotripsy.)
Ms. Smith explained exactly how shockwave therapy works:
"A shockwave is created by an intense change in pressure just as upi experience witht he sonic boom of an aircraft or the force you feel after a bolt of lightening. The shock wave is an acoustic wave with a quick rise in maximum pressure and a frequency spectrum ranging from audible to the far end of the ultrasonic scale.
Extracorpeal Shock waves used in medicine today are created as a result of electromagnetic, piezoelectric, or electro hydraulic generation.
Sonucur utilized an electromagnetic system that consists of an electromagnetic coil and opposing metal membrane. A high current impulse is released through the coil to create a strong magnetic field which causes a current in the opposing metal membrane. This current rapidly accelerates the membrane away from the coil producing an acoustic impulse in the surrounding water.
The acoustic impulse is focused by an acoustic lens to direct the shock wave energy to the target tissue. The acoustic lens controls the focus size and the amount of energy produced at the targeted tissue. The mechanisms for healing are not fully understood..."
Additionally, Ms. Smith expressed valuable insight regarding scientific evaluation supporting shockwave therapy. According to scientific studies, shockwave increases vascularization in treatment regions (based on MRI results). Furthermore, shockwave impact reduces pain from nerves as confirmed through lab test results on isolated nerve cells. And, consistent with Gate-Control theory (Gate-Control therory predicts that massaging a particular area stimulates large diameter nerve fibres; whereby pain relief is achieved.), shockwave eradicated chronic pain memory via over-stimulation.
Siemen's Sonocur Basic system has an articulating head that is placed directly onto the area of treatment, where adjustments are fine-tuned to the specific therapeutic focus. Once adjusted, preset pulses (shockwaves) are administered at low-energy levels; thus permitting anesthesia-free therapy.
When asked how long treatment lasts, Ms. Smith relayed that treatments generally last 15-30 minutes and is standardly
administered over a course of three (3) treatments.
[C. Bailey-Lloyd]: "How long has this treatment been in use and how successful is it?"
[L. Smith]: "The treatments have been used in Europe since the early 1990s. Clinical Treatments in the US started in 2000 with full approval for Sonocur in 2002. Success rates vary due to physician, experience and patient conditions. Studies have shown patients with complete recovery, patients with partial recovery, and patients with little or no recovery. But in general, 65% - 70% of patients the results have been quite favorable."
[C. Bailey-Lloyd]: "How effective is shockwave therapy as opposed to other conventional treatments?"
[L. Smith]: "Normal treatments for various tendonapathies include steroid injections, physical therapy, various orthopedic support devices and in chronic conditions, even surgery. Study data shows some chronic patients have responded to none of the aforementioned treatments and have shown complete recovery with ESWL treatments. (ESWL therapy is recommended for patients that have a history of at least 6 months pain and unfavorable results with at least 3 of the conventional treatments.)"
[C. Bailey-Lloyd]: "Are there any side effects to this treatment? Please Explain."
[L. Smith]: "The 2 most common side effects reported were slight nausea during the actual treamtne (approx. 20% of study patients) and soreness or stiffness the next day after the treatment. (Much like one feels the next day after a hard physical workout.)"
Ms. Smith also told me that shockwave therapy is readily used in approximately 175 sites across the Nation alone. Primarily orthopedic, sports medicine and podiatrist physicians provide shockwave therapy services. Additionally, "...shockwave therapy is approved by the FDA in uses for Chronic Plantar fascilitis and medial or lateral epicondylitis." Globally, "...shockwave therapy is utilized for tendonapathies, knees, shoulders, and treatment of Nonunion fractures."
In closing, shockwave therapy has been proven to stimulate and accelerate human healing process. While research continues at multiple sites around the country, shockwave therapy is revolutionizing modern medicine and effectively demonstrates how to achieve overall health. To learn more about shockwave therapy, or Sonucur visit Siemens Medical Solutions at www.usa.siemens.com/medicalpressroom or contact Ms. Lujean Smith at lujean.smith@siemens.com
To find a practitioner who utilizes shockwave therapy, feel free to peruse our practitioner directory at holisticjunction.com today.
© 2004 C. Bailey-Lloyd
© 2004 Lady Camelot
C. Bailey-Lloyd (Lady Camelot) currently serves as the Public Relations' Director for www.holisticjunction.com.
To contact Ms. Bailey-Lloyd, or to gain article reprint permission, email her at ladycamelot@holisticjunction.com
References:
01. Siemens Medical Solutions
www.usa.siemens.com/medicalpressroom
LuJean Smith, Manager, Public Relations
02. Southern California Orthopedic Institute
www.scoi.com/fellows/shock-wave-therapy.htm
03. Wisconsin Equine Clinic Horse Shockwave Therapy
www.wisconsinequineclinic.com/html/shockwave_therapy.htm
04. Gate Control Theory
www.painforum.com/en/1/hcpmjgate.html
[All work by author is copyright protected. If you would like to use this article, please contact the author for permission.]
About the Author
C. Bailey Lloyd,aka. Lady Camelot a freelance writer, poet and artist, is currently the Public Relations' Dir. of www.holisticjunction.com
|
|
|
|
|
| National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health |
| Part of the National Institutes of Health, the National Library of Medicine offers access to health information for consumer, patient, and physicians ... |
| www.nlm.nih.gov |
|
| Health and Medical Information produced by doctors - MedicineNet.com |
| Doctor-produced health and medical information written for you to make informed decisions about your health concerns. |
| www.medicinenet.com |
|
| Medicine in the Yahoo! Directory |
| Collection of sites for health professionals, with sections on specific disciplines, organizations, continuing education, conferences, publications, ... |
| dir.yahoo.com |
|
| MedlinePlus Health Information from the National Library of Medicine |
| Health information from the National Library of Medicine. Easy access to Medline and Health topics, medical dictionaries, directories and publications. |
| medlineplus.gov |
|
| Medicine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
| Medicine is a branch of health science and the sector of public life ... The practice of medicine combines both science as the evidence base and art in the ... |
| en.wikipedia.org |
|
| Journal Home - Nature Medicine |
| Nature Medicine has a vacancy for a Locum Assistant Editor for six months. The position involves working in all aspects of the editorial process, ... |
| www.nature.com |
|
| The New England Journal of Medicine: Research & Review Articles on ... |
| The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) is a weekly general medical journal that publishes new medical research findings, review articles, and editorial ... |
| content.nejm.org |
|
| eMedicine Clinical Knowledge Base |
| eMedicine features up-to-date, searchable, peer-reviewed medical journals, online physician reference textbooks, and a full-text article database in 62 ... |
| www.emedicine.com |
|
| Open Directory - Health: Medicine |
| the entire directory, only in Health/Medicine. Top: Health: Medicine (11429). Description · Medical Specialties (4888); Surgery (2265) ... |
| dmoz.org |
|
| the www virtual library biosciences medicine |
| www.ohsu.edu/cliniweb/wwwvl/ - Similar pages |
|
|
| Medicine - home |
| Bimonthly journal covering the latest results in clinical investigation relevant to hospital and office practice. |
| www.md-journal.com |
|
| Institute of Medicine |
| The Institute of Medicine serves as adviser to the nation to improve health. |
| www.iom.edu |
|
| ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News |
| Medical Research News. Health news on everything from cancer to nutrition. Full-text, images, updated daily. |
| www.sciencedaily.com |
|
| Google Directory - Health > Medicine |
| Search only in Medicine Search the Web. Medicine. Health > Medicine, Go to Directory Home. Categories. Alternative Medicine (6308) Basic Sciences (66) ... |
| www.google.com |
|
| the world wide web virtual library biosciences medicine |
| www.mcb.harvard.edu/biopages/medicine.html - Similar pages |
|
|
| PLoS Medicine - A Peer-Reviewed Open-Access Journal |
| PLoS Medicine is a peer-reviewed, international, open-access journal published ... Every issue of PLoS Medicine contains a selection of readers' responses. ... |
| medicine.plosjournals.org |
|
| Medicine On-Line - Medicine Online -The International Medical Journal |
| Medicine Online - independent and peer reviewed journal published by Priory Medical Journals - priory.com. |
| www.priory.com |
|
| Entrez PubMed |
| PubMed is a service of the US National Library of Medicine that includes over 16 million citations from MEDLINE and other life science journals for ... |
| www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov |
|
| Stanford University School of Medicine |
| Home Page of the Stanford University School of Medicine. |
| med.stanford.edu |
|
| Medicine OnLine |
| Meds.com offers medical information and education on cancer (lung cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, leukemia) and HIV / AIDS for patients, ... |
| www.meds.com |
|
|