You should begin a radial pressure wave therapy the same way you would any other treatment session:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Make your assessment of the patient\u2019s condition<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Establish objective and\/or subjective markers<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Educate the patient on the positive and negative aspects of the modality in order to gain informed consent<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
To the last point, it often helps to let the patient hear the sound of a working RPW applicator before starting treatment, as the sound can be quite loud and potentially off-putting. Just assure them the clicking they hear is only the sound of the projectile striking the transmitter, which is how the pressure waves are created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Potential side effects of RPW therapy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It is important that the patient understands that, following RPW therapy, minor side effects may occur, usually within 1-2 days of the initial treatment. These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Reddening skin \u2013 the cardinal signs of inflammation, which the therapy is intended to promote<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Swelling<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Pain<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Hematoma<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Petechiae \u2013 the appearance of small red dots on the skin. This can be substantially reduced by applying plenty of water-based transmission gel to the area before you begin treating it, as radial pressure waves travel better through water.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Skin lesions \u2013 may occur following a previous cortisone therapy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
These side effects generally abate within 5-10 days, but treatment should not be repeated until they have diminished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parameters for RPW treatment<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Transmitters<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\nRadial pressure waves are administered via a transmitter attached to a hand-held applicator. RPW transmitters come in different sizes, shapes, and materials, offering different profiles of wave penetration. This makes it advantageous for clinicians to have a wide range of transmitters at their disposal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As half of the force amplitude of a pressure wave is lost in the first 10mm of penetration, it is important to know how much energy flux density (EFD) an RPW transmitter produces. Not all manufacturers provide these values, and when they do, they are usually shown as maximum bar pressure at skin level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, not all manufacturers\u2019 RPW transmitters are created equal; due to differences in quality, some transmitters are capable of providing better EFD than others.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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