EPAT Therapy Treatment Demystified: Understanding Its Uses and Applications

If you currently or have ever had a musculoskeletal condition or injury, you know that recovery can be a long road. New breakthroughs in the sound of acoustic wave therapy have brought promise to those with both acute and chronic musculoskeletal issues. 

As you keep reading, we will explore the ins and outs of EPAT therapy, including the science behind its function, what it can treat, and what the future holds for this incredible treatment option. 

 

Introduction to EPAT therapy

EPAT is a non-invasive solution for treating musculoskeletal pain and promoting healing. Broadly speaking, EPAT uses acoustic waves to increase blood flow, stimulate cell growth, and reduce inflammation in affected areas. 

This cutting-edge therapy uses shockwaves to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes. Those who undergo EPAT Therapy experience reduced pain and faster recovery time from injuries and pain caused by chronic conditions, sports injuries, or the effects of age. What’s more, is that EPAT requires no anesthesia or recovery downtime.

Versions of EPAT have been used in clinical settings since the early 2000s, EPAT is quickie becoming a more relevant treatment option for patients seeking non-invasive solutions to their conditions. 

 

Understanding the Science Behind EPAT Therapy

Think back to your last biology class. In that class, you probably learned that cells use chemicals to signal, or “talk,” to each other. Think about it like sending a text message to someone in the same meeting as you. 

You type out a message and hit send. That message gets packaged by your phone and transmitted. It is then received, and unwrapped by your friend’s phone. That message’s delivery then elicits a response from your friend and the cycle begins again. 

Cells work in the same way, except instead of a phone receiving the message, the signaling chemical has receptors that unwrap and interpret the message. Some of these receptors, called mechanosensitive ion channels, are specifically designed to respond to physical force.

 

When these receptors are triggered by an external force, they elicit a response that might cause things like muscular contraction, increased blood flow, growth factor release for healing wounds, or cytokine release to help with bone remodeling. The process of using mechanical force to stimulate a biochemical response is called mechanotransduction. 

 

The science behind EPAT is based on an understanding of mechanotransduction. EPAT uses acoustic waves to apply gentle force to cells and trigger those mechanosensitive receptors. When those receptors are triggered, they stimulate increased blood flow and growth factors to the impacted area to promote tissue repair and improve musculoskeletal function. 

 

The Uses and Applications of EPAT Therapy

EPAT Therapy has several non-invasive applications for helping reduce pain and promote healing in the body. Here are a few of the major uses of EPAT:

• Musculoskeletal conditions: Conditions such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, tennis elbow, rotator cuff injuries, and so forth. By stimulating tissue regeneration, EPAT can motivate healing in the body. 
• Bone fractures: EPAT therapy has been shown to help accelerate bone healing. EPAT works to stimulate bone remodeling mechanisms in the body and increase the production of new bone tissue. From here, EPAT is even helpful in improving fracture healing outcomes. 
• Chronic pain: For individuals suffering from chronic back, neck, or joint pain, EPAT’s ability to help reduce inflammation is supportive in reducing chronic pain. 
• Erectile Dysfunction:  EPAT therapy has also been shown as an effective treatment for erectile dysfunction. The treatment helps to improve blood flow to the penis and encourages the production of new blood vessels.
• Skin rejuvenation: EPAT has been shown to be an effective stimulant for producing collagen and elastin, two important elements of youthful skin. EPAT therapy can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and cellulite. 

 

Overall, the applications of EPAT Therapy are abundant. The non-invasive nature and minimal side effects make it a popular choice for treating several medical and cosmetic conditions. 

 

Musculoskeletal Conditions Treated with EPAT Therapy

As we talked about earlier, EPAT therapy is popularly used to treat musculoskeletal conditions. Let’s take a closer look at what that encompasses and how. 

• Plantar Fasciitis: This is a common condition that causes sharp pains in the heel and bottom of the foot. A major cause of plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes.  
• Tendinitis: Tendinitis is an inflammation of the tendon, and often occurs as a result of overuse. 
• Lateral Epicondylitis: More commonly known as tennis elbow, this injury is a type of tendinitis that occurs in the tendons of the forearm and elbow. Severe or chronic tennis elbow can be exacerbated by the presence of scar tissue that prevents complete healing and causes inflammation. 
• Shin Splints: Caused by repetitive stress and strain of leg muscles, shin splints can lead athletes to experience irritation and inflammation in the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue of the lower leg. 

EPAT therapy helps stimulate blood flow to the affected area to reduce pain and promote healing. 

 

Other Medical Conditions Treated with EPAT Therapy

While primarily used to treat Musculoskeletal issues, EPAT has been shown to effectively treat other conditions such as: 

• Erectile dysfunction: EPAT can help stimulate the release of growth factors to help promote the growth of new blood vessels. This helps improve blood flow and stimulate tissue regeneration within the penis for long-term improved erectile function.
• Peyronie’s disease: Characterized by the development of scar tissue on the penis, Peyronie’s disease can cause painful inflammation. EPAT helps to break up that scar tissue and increase blood cell regeneration to alleviate pain associated with Peyronie’s disease. 
• Dupuytrens contracture: EPAT can be used to promote tissue regeneration and reduce the pain and inflammation caused by thickened tissue in the palm of the hand. 

 

EPAT Therapy Vs Other Treatment Options

When it comes to other treatment options, the market is full; however, EPAT has several advantages. Some of these advantages are that it’s: 

• Non-invasive
• Quick and convenient 
• Offers long-lasting results
• Does not require medication.

With that being said, EPAT can be used in conjunction with other treatment options. Here are a few alternatives and how they compare to EPAT therapy: 

 

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)

ESWT and EPAT are very similar in function and mechanism. The main difference between the two is that EPAT uses lower-intensity acoustic pressure waves, while ESWT uses high-intensity shock waves. ESWT is used to penetrate deeper into the tissue. 

When compared to EPAT, ESWT is generally less comfortable for patients. It can also have more side effects and have a longer recovery time. However, ESWT may be a more appropriate treatment depending on the condition and several other factors that should be assessed by your provider. 

Surgery

Surgery is a more invasive treatment option that involves incisions and, more often than not, anesthesia. Surgery comes with a higher risk of complications and longer recovery time when compared to non-invasive options.  

For some musculoskeletal conditions, surgery may be necessary. The choice between EPAT and surgery will depend on the specific condition. With that being said, EPAT can be an effective first line of treatment before deciding on surgery. 

Physical therapy

Physical therapy is another non-invasive treatment option that focuses on improving mobility, flexibility, and strength to support the resolution of musculoskeletal conditions. Physical Therapy will use a combination of modalities to help support your specific needs and can be customized to a patient’s individual needs. In some cases, a combination of EPAT and physical therapy may be used for the best results. 

 

What to Expect During an EPAT Therapy Session

EPAT therapy typically involves a series of sessions spaced out over a few days. During each session, your licensed healthcare provider will use a small hand-held device to deliver acoustic shockwaves to the affected area. The EPAT tool will be moved over the skin in a circular motion as the shockwaves are focused on the target tissues. 

Treatments can last anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on your needs and the size of the area being treated. While it is generally not painful, you may feel some discomfort or a slight tingling sensation. 

At this point, it’s important to note that EPAT therapy requires multiple sessions to achieve the best results. The number of sessions may vary and will depend on the assessment carried out by your healthcare provider both before and during your sessions. Your practitioner will develop a custom treatment plan to help meet your specific needs and goals. 

 

Conclusion and Future of EPAT Therapy

While EPAT therapy is a well-established mode of treatment for musculoskeletal conditions, it is constantly evolving. Recently, research in the field of regenerative medicine offers promising results for treating conditions such as chronic wounds and degenerative joint diseases. This is just a glimpse into the promise of  EPAT therapy as a powerful tool for healing. 

 

As new research and technology are made, it’s possible that EPAT therapy’s applications will become an important tool in treating many musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal conditions.