Treating osteoarthritis has changed through out the years. Drugs used to be the treatment of choice. Unfortunately treating osteoarthritis with medication only treats the pain or the symptoms, but not the cause of the pain.  Once the meds wear off, the pain will return. There are many side effects of using injection, pain meds, such as internal bleeding, heart issues. And recent studies show long term sue of medication  creates an inhibition of the body's own ability to heal the tissue, so in fact the area treated will be even less likely, or able to repair.

At Dr. Gainan's office they use two modalities to treat osteoarthritis.  Soundwave therapy often called shockwave therapy, and LOW LEVEL  LASER LIGHT THERAPY  LLLT are  used on the Osteoarthritis area. The soundwave In theory, stem cell therapy .It works by using intense pulses of sound waves to break up the scar tissue and increase blood flow to the injured area. This helps to reduce inflammation, relieve the pain and stimulate the body's own healing processes. Stem cell therapy for arthritis aims to: slow and repair damaged cartilage. decrease inflammation and reduce pain

Sound wave therapy ( also called Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (SWT)  is a modality used for the treatment of a variety of musculoskeletal conditions, primarily applied to chronic conditions, particularly those affecting medium to large sized tendons and their insertions on bone such as:

• Plantar Fasciitis
• Achilles Tendonopathy
• Retrocalcaneal Bursitis
• Lateral Epicondylosis (Tennis Elbow)
• Medial Epicondylosis (Golfer’s Elbow)
• Calcific Tendonitis (supraspinatus tendon, etc.)
• Patellar Tendinosis (Jumper’s Knee)
• Morton’s Neuroma
• Chronic Stress/Non-union Fractures
• Osteoarthritis

SWT has been available in Canada since the mid-90s but has recently been popularized with the advent of low energy SWT. SWT is an intervention that stimulates the body’s natural healing process. Additionally, SWT has been shown to have a direct effect on local nerve endings resulting in a decrease in pain. 

High energy SWT or “true” shockwaves are classified as short duration (approx. 10msec) high energy pulses (5-100MPa) that break the sound barrier resulting in a shockwave. Our high energy shockwave technology allows the shockwave to be focused directly through the affected tissue resulting in several effects:

• Mechanical pressure and tension forces on the tissue which has been shown to increase cell membrane permeability thereby increasing microscopic circulation and therefore the metabolism within the treated area. This promotes healing and may result in the dissolution of calcific deposits.
• The pressure front creates behind it a “cavitation bubble” which are small empty cavities created behind a pressure front. When the bubbles collapse they create a resultant force that has a mechanical impact on the treated tissue. This force helps to break down calcific deposits embedded in damaged tissue.
• Shockwaves stimulate osteoblasts that are cells responsible for bone healing and new bone production.
• Shockwaves stimulate fibroblasts that are cells responsible for healing of connective tissue such as tendons.
• Diminishes pain by two mechanisms. Hyperstimulation anesthesia – local nerve endings are overwhelmed with so many stimuli that their activity diminishes resulting in short-term reduction in pain. Gate-control mechanism – whereby local nerves are stimulated to recalibrate perception of pain and result in longer-term reduction in pain.

Shock wave treatment applied to an area of chronic inflammation may enable acute inflammatory mediators to be released, facilitating appropriate progression of healing. It will allow Repair Cells to home into the area.

                                                                                                  BIOLOGIC EFFECTS OF SHOCK WAVE ARE BELIEVED TO INCLUDE:

                                                                                                                 Change of cell membrane permeability

                                                                                                                  Release of neurotransmitters
                                                                                                                  Antibacterial effects
                                                                                                                  Release of NO (nitric oxide)
                                                                                                                  Release of growth factors (VEGF, eNOS, BMP-2, PCNA)
                                                                                                                  Induction of vessel growth

                                                                                                                  Release of Stem cells to treated area which enhances healing