Extracorporeal shock wave therapy for the treatment of coccydynia: a series of 23 cases

Abstract

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy had favorable outcomes in treating coccydynia. The majority of patients had partial relief of their pain and disability following this therapy.

The Efficacy of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for Chronic Coccydynia

“…We postulate that the pain intensity increased in these patients owing to the induction of inflammation by ESWT. The induction of inflammation has been suggested as a mechanism attributed to the effect of ESWT [26].…”

Enhanced Spinal Therapy: Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for the Spine

“…Conservative management of coccydynia includes NSAIDs, ligament massage, manual manipulation for malalignment, steroid and anesthesia injections, or physical therapy with interferential current or shortwave diathermy [ 16 , 20 ]. ESWT has recently emerged for the treatment of coccydynia and has been proposed as an effective treatment for relieving pain and improving quality of life with promising outcomes reported [ 15 - 18 , 19 ].…”

“…The ESWT treatment protocols in each study were similar as each study applied moderate energy flux density (ranging from 0.09 - 0.2 mJ/mm2, total 2000 - 3000 impulse) to the point of maximal coccyx tenderness, once weekly for three to four consecutive weeks. Marwan et al and Aydin et al both applied ESWT with patients in a lateral lying position with flexed knees, while Lin et al applied therapy with patients prone and knees flexed [ 16 , 18 , 19 ]. Concerning the duration of effect of ESWT, Lin et al and Haghighat et al demonstrated that effects were observed for at least two months, while Marwan et al and Aydin et al found it to be as long as six months [ 16 - 19 ].…”

Coccygectomy; Is it Worthwhile in Every Patient with a Refractory Coccygodynia? An Updated Review

“…In cases with coccygeal mobility, digital manipulation may be more helpful [36,38] . Other less common modalities sometimes mentioned include radiofrequency ablation and extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ECSWT) [39][40][41] .…”