Safety of shockwave treatment
Hello! I really need advice. I'm suffering from psoriasis, of course, but I'm currently suffering from Patellar tendinitis,too. The physiotherapist has suggested Shockwave therapy. I'm concerned about its safety when it comes to ps patients and the inflammation it might trigger.
Hi
, thank you for reaching out to the community here. Sorry to read about everything you're dealing with at the moment. Any additional issues on top of the psoriasis can feel like a lot!
I believe we have a few community members over in our psoriatic arthrtitis community - https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/community - who have tried shockwave therapy for various tendon/ligament issues. It may be worth posting in the forums over there too. From memory, I believe we've heard mixed results - some people have found it very helpful, others didn't feel an improvement, and I recall one person saying that they noticed an increase in pain with this therapy. Unfortunately, I don't think psoriasis came up in any of these discussions that I'm recalling. I hope anyone with personal experience with this therapy will chime in here.
Have you been able to check in with your doctor about your concerns regarding the shockwave therapy? And do you mind me asking how long you've been dealing with the patellar tendinitis? I had inflammation in this area which actually ended up being enthesitis due to psoriatic arthritis, so I can empathise with your struggles. I didn't realise how much I used my knees until they weren't working properly! Just in case it's helpful/of interest, I wanted to share the following article on how psoriatic arthritis affects the tendons and ligaments: https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/psa-symptoms/tendons-ligaments I hope you can find some relief and very soon. Warmly, -Catherine, Community ModeratorHi Cathy, thank you so much for empathising! I've had plaque psoriasis for over 30 years now with its usual flare-ups and recessions(in the summer). Tendinitis is something I've dealing with for the past year in various ligaments because I work out mainly doing weight lifting. Last time I checked I didn't have ps. arthritis although that was a couple of years ago. Unfortunately we don't really have any psoriasis specialists in Greece. It's mostly dermatologists who do their best to promote biological agents. Most of us patients are pretty much left to our own devices.I will read the article, thanks.
Anyway, my first appointment for shockwave treatment is tomorrow, so....fingers crossed!, you're more than welcome. I really hope the shockwave therapy helps and doesn't cause any psoriasis flares. I don't think it would be recommended for psoriatic arthritis patients if this was a common side effect, although that's just me thinking out loud and isn't based on anything of substance! Fingers crossed it all goes okay for you.
It's interesting that you mention your psoriasis going into remission during the summers over there in Greece - I don't seem to get any relief from the UK sun but when I went to Corfu for a week back in 2009, a guttate psoriasis flare I was having at the time completely cleared up! Unfortunately, the psoriasis did return once I got back home but it was nice to have a break from it. I'm sorry to hear that there aren't many specialists over there. It's hard enough to manage this disease with specialist medical input, never mind without it. Is there anything that helps you manage your psoriasis, alongside the sunshine?
Wishing you the very best for your first shockwave session today. Please do keep us all updated on how it goes. We'll be thinking of you! Warmly, -Catherine, Community Moderator
Hey,
! We appreciate you reaching out with your concern. I understand your concern about trying Shockwave therapy while managing both psoriasis and patellar tendinitis. From my understanding, shockwave therapy involves using high-energy sound waves to stimulate healing, which can sometimes cause localized inflammation as part of the healing process. For people with psoriasis, this might potentially trigger flare-ups in some cases. The biggest advice I recommend is discussing your concerns with both your physiotherapist and a dermatologist. They can help evaluate if the therapy is safe for you, especially considering your psoriasis. There may be alternative treatments that might be available to minimize the risk of inflammation. All the best, Latoya (Team Member) Hi Latoya. Yes, that's how it works. It's the induced inflammation that I'm worried about, however the pain I've been having all year now just doesn't go away with standard psysiotherapy treatments or mild workout and stretches. Unfortunately doctors here -Greece- aren't informed about shockwave treatment or whether it can hurt a psoriasis patient. The physiotherapist says that she has had experience with Lupus patients but not psoriasis. My first appointment is tomorrow and I think I'll just do it cautiously on one leg and wait and see. Next session will be on Friday. Thank you so much for replying to my concerns.
, thanks for sharing. So sorry you are going through so much right now. My doctors tried this on me back in the 70's. I hadn't been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis yet, but I was 80% covered in psoriasis and having lots of pain. I only did one treatment. I didn't feel any better after this. We are all different and this happen to me a long time ago. Do you have psoriatic arthritis along with psoriasis? Let us know what you decide. Diane (Team Member) Hei Diane, thank you for answering to me. It's been two years since I last checked for Psoriasic arthritis. I've been lifting weights for about 4-5 hours a week ever since 2021 so I'm used to having joint pains. I'm not sure if I developed arthritis and I would prefer to avoid knowing. I mean, all the 30+ years that I've had plaque psoriasis my most constant struggle has been not to let it affect my life and habits (much). At some point I also had 70% body coverage and felt like scratching till doomsday. Eventually I decided to expose my skin to the ample greek summer sun and that has been a constant recess factor for the past 10 years. My skin clears in the summer and gives my body some time to reduce inflammation levels. Flare-ups are much less severe after that. What did you do? How did you manage to reduce the affected areas?
About the shockwave treatment, the physiotherapist said it requires about 10-15 sessions. I'll have to start tomorrow and I hope I have made the right decision for myself. I will make sure to post my experience of it., It is so awesome that you lift weights. Keep up the good work. I am 100% sure this helps a lot. I can't even lift a pencil.
I never showed my skin of it. If I did decide to show a little bit, it would be at night. My saving grace came when I met my husband. I was 35. He was my voice and who advocated for me. We saw doctor after doctor. One finally started me on biologics. That was over 25 years ago. This was the only treatment that got me almost clear. I have never stop using them.
Please let us know how that first treatment goes. We would love to hear more about this. Diane (Team Member)
Hey
! I came across someone over in the psoriatic arthritis community who has found shockwave therapy helpful. They very kindly said that I could share their comment about shockwave therapy with you. Here it is:
"I don’t have psoriasis on my feet. What it does do is promote healing where it’s applied which helps build collagen in the joints. The feet often get neglected by our immune system as they are the end of the body and blood supply is lesser. It’s not a pleasant experience but I could hardly walk. I’m still sore but can walk a lot better and the pain is now about a 4 and was a 10. I will go another round for 5 weeks soon, every week. Hope that helps"
I hope that is helpful! How have the sessions been going so far? Really hoping that they make a difference for you and without any negative effects. Warmly, -Catherine, Community Moderator
