We utilize the high-quality acoustic waves of our 3 state-of-the-art Swiss Dolorclast Shockwave units to break apart dysfunctional fibrous adhesions and soften scar tissue, formed due to trauma, surgery or infection. The most common structures treated include the muscles and deep-lying connective tissues in the abdomen, arms, legs, back, neck and jaw.
Since shockwave therapy is used to break apart kidney stones, it has the ability to reach deep into the body to do its work. Shockwaves are administered directly into the scar tissue using our most powerful shockwave units, ensuring extremely effective treatments. The number of treatments required to soften the scar tissue depends on its location in the body, its density, and the overall size it occupies in the healthy tissues.
Deep abdominal adhesions take 4-6 treatments to resolve. The first treatment is used to locate and map out how large an area is affected using the shockwave by feeling the differences in wave patterns. Once located, a concentrated application then goes to work on the heart of the scar tissue. The symptoms it has created over the years is re-created, confirming a direct hit, which quickly dissipates as the tissue is softened and released. For example, consider a fairly constant pain in the tailbone region, seen almost daily for hours at a time. Once treatment begins in the identified location in the abdomen, the tailbone pain will be experienced instantly, lasting for about 3-5 minutes, then slowly diminish.
All joint’s replaced will have a great degree of adhesions which formed long before the joint was ever replaced. The surgery does not deal with these adhesions as they are muscular and not joint-related. Only a few treatments are required to finally remove these adhesions returning the muscles to their healthy elastic state.
In-Depth: How Scar Tissue Forms
Scar tissue is connective tissue which has lost some or all of its essential elasticity, seen as hardened constricting bands amid healthy elastic fibres. Connective tissue is the strong and durable tissue which binds and protects all muscle, joints and internal organs from damage. The presence of scar tissue often goes undetected until it interferes with normal function of surrounding connective tissues, muscles, nerves, blood vessels or internal organs, depending on its location in the body.
Scar tissue may develop after connective tissues have been damaged due to surgery, injury, infection or chronic inflammation. It is seen most often in lower abdominal regions and on the pelvic floor, known as abdominal adhesions, resulting from abdominal surgery for C-sections, gynecological conditions, pelvic trauma, and even stress. Shoulders, arms and any portion of a leg also see its formation for many reasons, resulting in pain and dysfunction.
Scar Tissue/Adhesion Formation
Scar tissue develops whenever the connective tissue portion of muscles, tendons or ligaments have been severely damaged. Examples of this could include:
- Severe impact of a muscle resulting in bleeding within the muscle’s fibres
- Infection of muscles for many reasons
- Bone fractures damaging the surrounding muscle/tendon/ligaments
- Incisions during surgery
- Difficult pregnancy
- Gynecological procedures in women
- Surgical procedures to repair damaged structures
- Knee or hip replacements
A scab on a skin wound is a form of scar tissue. The forming scar binds the edges of the wound creating a base layer deep within the skin’s layers to halt bleeding, and form a foundation for new skin cells to develop and heal the injured region.
Deep within the connective tissues of muscle, and the omentum of the abdomen, scar tissue forms to accomplish the same goals, but does not fall off like a skin scab when it has healed. Abdominal scar tissue also known as abdominal adhesions, form in a process over many years after the initial surgery. It’s a process which does not know at times when to stop, until the region originally incised by surgery has over-healed, with tough, inelastic connective tissue fibres.
Problems develop if the scar tissue begins encroaching upon nerves, blood vessels or organs.
Scar tissue Symptoms
The muscle that has suffered a sufficient trauma to see scar tissue develop, will have some degree of dysfunction including inelasticity seen by restrictions in the joints they move, pins//needles sensations, decreased circulation issues, and pain which might radiate through a wide region.
Abdominal adhesions are responsible for a wide variety of symptoms including:
- Chronic constipation
- Irritable bowels
- Bladder/urinary tract infections (UTI’s)
- Lower quadrant abdominal pain
- Pelvic pain syndrome (Pudendal Neuralgia)
- Low back pain
- Pain felt in the region of the tailbone, buttocks, hips or groin
- Sensations of abdominal pressure
- Painful intercourse/general vaginal symptoms
You may be surprised to learn how easy scar tissue/adhesions may form, what can cause the formation, and where they are most often seen. One of our most memorable treatments was with a woman who lost most of the use of her dominant right forearm due to a motor vehicle accident. Surgeons repaired the severely damaged forearm muscles but did not give her good news about the future use of this arm. Several years later she was left with an arm which could not do much, plagued with a loss of strength and dexterity into the hand. She could no longer peel potatoes, or cut through any food while eating, making life very difficult. Our treatments were able to break apart enough scar tissue to allow the nerves to once again function normally, returning full strength to her arm. She was so happy to report to us that she had made apple pies on the weekend near Christmas last year, able to peel the apples, roll out the dough, and form the pie shell.
On another occasion, we were able to eliminate the pain and weakness into a man’s shoulder after undergoing shoulder surgery for a torn tendon. He was convinced that the surgery was not successful when in fact it was. Some scar tissue had invaded the site causing his pain and weakness which was totally eliminated in 3 treatments. He returned to the gym and was once again lifting weights as he often did before injuring the tendon.
We treated a woman for abdominal scar tissue which developed after having cosmetic surgery to remove fat from her abdomen and tighten her stomach.
We treated a man for scar tissue in his lower shin due to an infection which caused swelling and numbness into his foot.
For more information, we encourage you to contact us to arrange for a thorough assessment.