Targeting knee, joint pain without surgery
By Jenny Peterson
For people living with knee pain, joint discomfort, neuropathy and other chronic aches, surgery isn’t always the only option. New non-invasive technologies are helping some patients find relief and return to the activities they enjoy.
One of the latest tools available is SoftWave technology, a non-invasive treatment designed to address pain in the knees, joints, shoulders and other areas of the body.
The therapy uses acoustic sound waves to stimulate the body’s natural healing response and has gained attention among athletes and active adults, as well as those experiencing age-related joint pain.
How SoftWave Therapy Works
Dr. Christopher Gray, a chiropractor and owner of Advantage Healthcare of Charleston, added SoftWave technology to his practice a year ago as part of the clinic’s broader focus on physical medicine and non-surgical pain management.
Advantage Healthcare is an integrated physical medicine practice specializing in regenerative technologies designed to stimulate cellular rejuvenation, reduce pain and improve function.
“One of the things that I always tell my patients on the very first day is, ‘We do not just treat your pain, we treat the cause,’” Dr. Gray said. “Treating just the pain is typically what some medical doctors do and just give you medications to mask your symptoms. Treating the cause is getting down to the root cause of what’s causing the pain.”
According to Dr. Gray, SoftWave therapy is often most effective for patients with persistent pain who have not yet experienced severe or irreversible tissue damage.
“The majority of the patients do fantastic,” he said. “I’ve got the treatment protocol and they just have to follow it to be able to get better.”
Non-Surgical Pain Management Options
As a physical medicine practice, Advantage Healthcare of Charleston offers a variety of treatments for musculoskeletal conditions and neuropathy, helping patients address issues affecting the knees, joints, arms and legs without invasive procedures.
Dr. Gray said the technology is also being explored for additional applications.
“We can even use it on the brain,” he said. “It can help with Parkinson’s disease, it can help with dementia and can help with memory loss. It’s not a quick fix and it needs to be done multiple times, but it has been shown to work.”
He noted that SoftWave therapy is not appropriate for everyone.
“The only contraindication of doing both laser and SoftWave therapy is if they have or had cancer, because it grows cells,” he said.
While many patients seeking treatment for knee pain and neuropathy are 55 and older, Dr. Gray said younger patients, including athletes, also benefit from therapy.
Advantage additionally offers physicals, weight-loss lasers, GLP-1 medications, peptides and PRP injections. It plans to introduce IV therapy services focused on wellness, recovery and performance.
Helping Patients Stay Active
Ultimately, Dr. Gray said the goal is helping patients stay active and improve their quality of life.
“Patients today are looking for a more drug-free option to their healthcare,” he said. “They want to be more physical and be more active. We have many options to help them decide what’s best for them.”
