Shockwave Therapy & Deep Tissue Laser
Two non-invasive, evidence-based tools that stimulate your body’s own repair process, break through scar tissue and calcification, and get chronic pain and stubborn injuries moving again.
Chronic pain, stubborn injuries, and cancelling weekend plans are not things your doctor likes to hear, especially when they persist despite rest, therapy, or medication. In many of these cases, the acute inflammation gets managed, but the underlying injury and tissue damage never really gets addressed. If that low-level background inflammation lingers, it can lead to micro-adhesions and even scar tissue, a process behind conditions like adhesive capsulitis (“frozen shoulder”), which often follows a rotator cuff strain that was never properly resolved.
The missing piece is regeneration: stimulating the body’s own energy production and fibrolytic mechanisms (breaking up scar tissue and calcification) so proper function can be restored. That’s exactly where Shockwave Therapy and Deep Tissue Laser come in. Layering these therapies lets us take advantage of overlapping biological mechanisms while leaning on each one’s unique strengths.
Shockwave Therapy
Also known as extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT), this is a non-invasive treatment that uses acoustic energy to target damaged or inflamed tissue, stimulate circulation, and accelerate healing. Originally developed to break up kidney stones, it has since become a trusted tool for musculoskeletal rehabilitation.
Shockwave delivers high-energy acoustic pulses that create controlled microtrauma at the cellular level, just enough to trigger a healing response without causing further damage. This increases blood flow, activates stem cell migration, breaks up scar tissue and calcifications, and stimulates collagen production.
Deep Tissue Laser
Deep Tissue Laser therapy, or photobiomodulation, uses focused light to trigger a process where photons enter the tissue and interact with a light receptor in the mitochondria called a chromophore, at a site called cytochrome-C oxidase. Once activated, cells produce more ATP, restoring normal cell metabolism and setting off a cascade that decreases pain and speeds healing.
Laser therapy treats acute and chronic conditions as well as post-activity recovery. It’s also used as an alternative to prescription drugs, a way to prolong the need for some surgeries, and a tool for pre- and post-surgical pain control.
The Science Behind It
Shockwave and tendon repair
Research on tendinopathy shows ESWT’s mechanical pulses stimulate tenocyte proliferation and collagen synthesis, upregulate growth factors like TGF-β1, and support angiogenesis and tissue remodeling, helping explain its role in chronic tendon healing.
Laser and cellular metabolism
Photobiomodulation research points to light stimulating mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase, which increases ATP production and modulates cell signaling pathways tied to inflammation, tissue repair, and pain reduction.
How laser changes pain signals
Laser therapy slows the conduction rate of C and A-delta nerve fibers, which is part of why pain levels can shift during the very first treatment. It also increases factors like dopamine, beta-endorphin, and nitric oxide, while decreasing inflammatory mediators like bradykinin and prostaglandin PGE-2.
Tissue healing at the cellular level
Both modalities increase fibroblastic, osteoblastic, and tenocyte activity, promote new collagen formation, and improve microcirculation and neovascularization, the building blocks of durable tissue repair.
Sources: Simplicio CL et al., “Extracorporeal shock wave therapy mechanisms in musculoskeletal regenerative medicine,” Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics and Trauma (2020); Frankowski DW et al., “Light buckets and laser beams: mechanisms and applications of photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy,” GeroScience (2025).
Who These Therapies Are For
Shockwave and Deep Tissue Laser are commonly used together or on their own to treat:
What It Feels Like
Shockwave Therapy
Most patients describe a combination of deep pressure, pulsing, and tapping. It’s not typically painful, though areas with more inflammation or calcification may feel more sensitive. Intensity can always be adjusted for comfort. Afterward, the area may feel sore or tender, similar to post-exercise fatigue, which usually subsides within a day or two.
Deep Tissue Laser
Laser therapy is more of an anti-inflammatory treatment, and most patients feel little to no discomfort, just a calm warming sensation over the treated area. The treatment head is placed in direct contact with the skin or held just above it, and safety glasses are worn throughout.
Why Patients Choose These Therapies
Non-Invasive
No needles, incisions, or downtime.
Accelerates Healing
Stimulates the body’s own repair mechanisms rather than masking symptoms.
Breaks Through Plateaus
Often effective for injuries that haven’t responded to other therapies.
Reduces Reliance on Medication
A tool for managing pain without leaning on medications or injections.
Short, Focused Visits
Treatments typically last 2 to 8 minutes with long-lasting results.
Layers With Other Care
Combines well with other regenerative therapies like PRP or umbilical-derived allografts.
What to Expect During Your Appointment
A typical appointment lasts around 20–30 minutes. Here’s what you can expect:
Assessment — We begin by evaluating the injured area and confirming whether shockwave or deep tissue laser therapy is the right fit for your condition.
Preparation — Appropriate clothing is worn to allow direct contact with the treatment area, and safety glasses are worn during laser treatment.
Treatment — For shockwave, the device is placed directly on the skin and high-energy pulses are delivered to the affected tissue, with intensity adjusted for your comfort. For laser, the treatment head is placed in direct contact with the skin or held just above it. Both modalities typically last 2 to 8 minutes depending on the treatment goal.
Post-Treatment Guidance — You may be advised to avoid high-impact activity for 24–48 hours to allow the healing process to unfold. Most conditions call for 3 to 15 treatments depending on severity.
When Will I See Results?
Results vary by condition and how long it’s been present, but most patients experience some improvement after a single treatment. Because many injuries developed over time, multiple sessions are usually needed to tip the scales toward long-term healing.
2–3 Sessions
Noticeable improvement
4–6 Treatments
Marked improvement, spaced 4–7 days apart
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it feel like?
Laser treatments are administered directly to the skin, since clothing interferes with delivering light to the tissue beneath. Most patients feel a soothing warmth, and many describe higher-powered laser treatments as delivering rapid pain relief. Shockwave feels more like deep pressure, pulsing, and tapping, with intensity adjusted to your comfort throughout.
How long do treatments last?
Both modalities are quick, usually 2 to 8 minutes, depending on the size, depth, and chronicity of the condition being treated. Higher-power devices are able to deliver a therapeutic dose of energy in a short amount of time.
How many treatments will I need?
Most patients see results after 3 to 5 treatments, though your practitioner will build a specific plan based on your diagnosis and the tissues involved. Chronic conditions typically require more sessions than acute ones.
Ready to Get Moving Again?
If you’re curious whether Shockwave Therapy or Deep Tissue Laser is right for you, we’d be happy to schedule an evaluation and answer your questions. Sometimes the solution isn’t more medication or more rest, it’s the right stimulation to heal.
The Shockwave Therapy and Deep Tissue Laser devices used at Gateway Natural Medicine are cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for certain indications. Not all conditions or uses described on this page have been evaluated or approved by the FDA. These statements are for informational purposes only and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results may vary.