Some soft-tissue problems respond quickly to care. Others dig in — the heel that still stabs every morning after months of stretching, the elbow that flares every time you grip something, the tendon that aches long after the original strain should have healed. For that stubborn category, Mayfield Advanced Chiropractic offers radial shockwave therapy on the Chattanooga Intelect RPW 2 — and we are currently the only provider in the Alexandria area with this technology.
What Shockwave Therapy Actually Is
Despite the intense-sounding name, shockwave therapy is a non-invasive treatment delivered through a handheld applicator placed on the skin. The device sends acoustic pressure waves into the injured tissue. No needles, no incisions, no medication — a session typically takes only a few minutes per area.
Why It Helps Tissue That Stopped Healing
Chronic tendon and fascia problems have usually stalled: the acute injury phase ended long ago, but the tissue never finished remodeling, so it sits in a painful, degenerated state that rest alone does not change. The acoustic waves create a controlled micro-stimulus in that tissue, which increases local blood flow and restarts the body's own repair response. In effect, it reminds a stalled injury that it still has healing to finish — which is why shockwave shines precisely on the problems that have already outlasted rest, ice, and stretching.
What We Use It For
- Plantar fasciitis — the classic first-steps-in-the-morning heel stab, especially cases that have run for months.
- Tennis and golfer's elbow — chronic tendon irritation at the elbow that flares with grip and lifting.
- Achilles and patellar tendon pain — overuse tendinopathies in runners and active adults.
- Chronic shoulder and hip soft-tissue pain — including stubborn trigger-point regions that keep re-tightening.
What a Course of Care Looks Like
Shockwave is not a one-and-done zap. Most conditions respond over a short series of sessions, usually spaced about a week apart, and it works best as part of a complete plan — at Mayfield Advanced Chiropractic that means pairing it with the rehabilitation and strengthening work that keeps the problem from rebuilding once the tissue calms down. During treatment you feel a rapid tapping pressure against the sore area; it can be briefly uncomfortable over the most irritated spots, but sessions are quick and there is no downtime — most people walk out and carry on with their day.
Is It a Fit for Your Problem?
The honest answer comes from an exam, not a blog post. Soft-tissue pain that has lasted more than a few months, that keeps returning after rest, or that has plateaued with other care is the profile where shockwave is worth a serious look. An evaluation with Dr. Samuel Mayfield or Dr. Conrad Taylor will tell you whether your case fits — and if a different approach would serve you better, that is what we will recommend instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does shockwave therapy hurt?
You feel a strong, rapid tapping over the treated area, and it can be briefly tender over the most irritated tissue — most patients describe it as very tolerable, and the intensity is adjusted to you. Sessions are short and there is no recovery downtime.
How many sessions does it take?
Most tendon and fascia conditions are treated over a short series — commonly three to six sessions about a week apart — with improvement often building for weeks after the series ends as the tissue continues remodeling.
Who else in Alexandria offers this?
To our knowledge, Mayfield Advanced Chiropractic is currently the only provider in the Alexandria area offering radial shockwave therapy, delivered on the Chattanooga Intelect RPW 2.
Where are you located and how do I book?
Mayfield Advanced Chiropractic is at 5419 Jackson Street Ext, Suite B in Alexandria, Louisiana, serving Alexandria, Pineville, Ball, Woodworth, and greater Rapides Parish. Call (318) 787-2708 or book online at mayfieldclinics.com.