Shock wave therapy uses sound energy waves to improve blood flow and promote healing. This treatment has been linked to reduced pain and overall symptom improvement for people with diabetic neuropathy.

Shock wave therapy is a treatment option for diabetic neuropathy. This treatment uses energy waves to reduce pain, increase circulation, and lower inflammation.

Shock wave therapy can be a good treatment option for people who want to reduce or eliminate their use of medications or for people who haven’t been helped by medications. Shock wave therapy is noninvasive and has a low risk of side effects.

Read more about diabetic neuropathy.

Shock wave therapy is a noninvasive treatment option that uses sound energy waves to treat a range of conditions. The energy waves stimulate blood flow and encourage healing in the body.

The treatment is linked to multiple benefits, such as reducing inflammation, breaking scar tissue, repairing damaged tissue, and relaxing muscles.

There are several types of shock wave therapy that might be used for diabetic neuropathy. This includes:

  • Radial shock wave therapy (RSWT): RSWT involves the use of a handheld device to treat the skin’s surface with pressure waves. It’s often used to treat diabetic neuropathy and other painful conditions, such as plantar fasciitis. This treatment helps to improve circulation and is linked to reduced pain.
  • Focused shock wave therapy (FSWT): FSWT is a treatment that uses high intensity shockwaves to treat a specific area. It is used to treat a range of conditions, including diabetic neuropathy. FSWT is linked to reduced inflammation, improved circulation, and lessened pain.
  • Acoustic wave therapy (AWT): AWT uses low intensity shockwaves over a large area. It can be used to treat nerve damage and diabetic neuropathy.

Shock wave therapy is sometimes referred to as extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) or extracorporeal pulse activation technology (EPAT).

Shockwave therapy can be a good option for many patients with diabetic neuropathy. Your doctor might recommend shockwave therapy if you:

  • are seeking a noninvasive treatment
  • experience chronic neuropathic pain
  • want to avoid surgery
  • haven’t found relief from other treatments
  • want to reduce the dosage or frequency of pain medications

However, shock wave therapy isn’t recommended for everyone with diabetic neuropathy. Shock wave therapy might not be right for you if you:

It’s best to discuss your medical history with your doctor before you receive shock wave therapy. Your history can help your provider accurately determine if shock wave therapy is safe for you.

Additional diabetic neuropathy treatments

There are other treatments to look into if shock wave therapy isn’t for you. This can include:

Lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, increasing exercise, and eating a nutritious diet can also help.

Shock wave therapy is a quick outpatient procedure. You typically won’t need to take any steps to prepare, but your doctor might have specific instructions for you.

For instance, they might advise about when to take medications or eat on the day of your procedure.

Shock wave therapy is delivered through a small device. Both RSWT and FSWT might sometimes be delivered in the same treatment session. During a treatment session, you can expect:

  • Ultrasound gel will be placed on your skin in the affected area.
  • The shockwave therapy device will pass over your skin to deliver the energy waves.
  • A treatment will last between 10 and 15 minutes.

Some people report slight discomfort during treatment, but for most, this sensation is tolerable. The intensity of the shockwaves can be adjusted during treatment if needed.

Your doctor might recommend that you avoid high impact activities, such as contact sports, for about 24 and 48 hours following a treatment session. It’s common to need multiple treatments before symptoms resolve. Often, people with diabetic neuropathy receive 3 to 5 treatments spaced about 3 to 10 weeks apart.

Shock wave therapy is typically considered very safe. It’s a noninvasive option with a low risk of side effects. However, there are some risks linked to the procedure. This includes:

  • swelling
  • bruising
  • skin irritation
  • pain during or after treatment
  • temporary numbness or tingling

Most side effects are temporary and resolve on their own.

Shock wave therapy is linked with positive outcomes for people with diabetic neuropathy. People who’ve received shock wave therapy report improved symptoms.

However, shock wave therapy is still a new treatment option for diabetic neuropathy. Additional data is needed before complete statistics are available.

In one small study from 2022, 73% of participants had improved diabetic neuropathy symptoms after receiving shock wave therapy treatments. Most of these participants reported “very much improvement.” Study participants did not experience harmful side effects, and most reported improvements in quality of life as well.

Additional uses for shock wave therapy

Diabetic neuropathy is one of many conditions that can be treated with shock wave therapy. The treatment was first used to help resolve kidney stones in the 1980s.

Other conditions that can be treated with shock wave therapy include:

Shock wave therapy is a treatment option that can help lessen the pain of diabetic neuropathy. The treatment works by using energy waves to increase blood flow and promote body healing.

It is noninvasive and can be a good option for people who haven’t seen success with other treatments. Although shock wave therapy is still a new treatment for diabetic neuropathy, early data has suggested it is safe and effective.