Shockwave therapy can provide fast, permanent pain relief from strained muscles, doctors say

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Patients seeking pain relief may have a new option.

Injuries like torn ligaments and tendons and strained muscles could sideline you for months. But many patients are finding fast and permanent relief with some unconventional treatments.

Loud clicking is the sound of acoustic waves targeting scarred muscle tissue in Katherine Brunn's right shoulder. The Trabuco Canyon resident tried to catch a falling platter.

"I went down. Dropped it. I felt like I had totally dislocated my shoulder," she said.

The sudden, odd movement injured her tendons and muscles. Her options were months of rehab or possibly surgery. But her chiropractor, Dr. John Lee offered a unique solution called shockwave therapy. A device sends 700 mile-per-hour acoustic waves into the injured area.

"As it hits hard, rigid tissue and scar tissue, the body feels that. And with every shock it starts to break down the layers of the scar tissues," said Lee with Lee Chiropractic in Irvine.

While shockwave therapy is a common treatment for plantar fasciitis, Lee said he has used it to treat all sorts of conditions.

"Golfer's elbow, tennis elbow, wrist issues, also knee issues, meniscus issues and ankle issues," he said.

Even general neck and back pain. And unlike other types of wave therapy, Lee offers "focused" shockwave therapy which is more precise. They combine it with a class 4 laser to heat the area and increase circulation.

"When those blood vessels open, it gets more blood to that area. And everything that you really need to help speed up the healing is in your blood," said Dr. Jerome Melad with Lee Chiropractic.

The combination means faster healing in as little as 4 to 12 weeks depending on the injury.

Lee said it helps bring your body's own natural stem cells into the injured area.

"You've probably heard of stem cell injections that people get to recover injuries and old chronic problems. It's basically the same concept," Lee said.

The cost of the combined therapies runs about $200 to $300 per session.

"It's very soothing. It's comfortable because it's making everything sort of relax," said Brunn.

Brunn was an ideal candidate, but Lee and Melad said pregnant women and patients with certain types of cancer should avoid shockwave therapy. Brunn said after six treatments, she felt as good as new.

"Yeah, total range of motion. I'm fine," she said.