Has there ever been a time in your life when you felt like all your efforts to improve your health were in vain? Maybe you tried to lose weight, only to pile it back on again. Maybe you tried to quit smoking but keep going back, or perhaps you have committed to exercising more often only to find yourself making excuses to just sit on the couch.
We get it.
But if you’re starting to give up hope on ever getting rid of your foot pain, the Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists are here to restore your confidence—thanks to new treatment options such as EPAT. Even better, you probably don’t even need surgery!
Indeed, we have treated many patients just like you, who have suffered from acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain, by using the most innovative, non-invasive treatments available. With the continuous advancements made in regenerative medicine throughout the past decades, there are many modern and proven treatment solutions for your pain.
So What Is EPAT?
EPAT stands for Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology. This treatment is one of the most advanced and highly effective non-invasive treatment methods approved by the FDA.
EPAT improves your body’s regenerative potential, rather than further damaging an area that has degenerated because of poor blood flow, tissue injury, overuse or weakness. This is done by using acoustic pressure waves to safely increase metabolism and blood flow, and stimulate or enhance the healing of an injury.
Any damaged tissue that may be causing you discomfort will gradually regenerate and begin to heal after the treatment, which induces “microtrauma” to the injury site. This triggers a cascade of natural and beneficial biological reactions, including the release of cytokines and chemokines (which are essential for healing injuries).
In other words, you can think of EPAT as a way of “pressing the start button on healing.”
What Conditions Can Be Treated by EPAT?
EPAT is commonly used in our office to address acute or chronic musculoskeletal pain and/or pain that significantly impairs mobility or quality of life.
Some of these conditions may include:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Plantar plate injuries
- Achilles tendinitis
- Peroneal tendinitis
- Posterior tibial tendinitis
- Anterior tibial tendinitis
- Neuromas
- … and more.
We usually recommend EPAT for acute injuries as part of first-line therapy, since it will allow you to recover faster and return to the activities you love most. It is also recommended for patients coming to us with chronic injuries that have failed to respond to other therapies, and patients who simply want to avoid major downtime during other treatments.
What Does Treatment Look Like?
When you come to our office for your EPAT treatment sessions, we will first apply a cooling gel to the skin over each of the injured areas. We will then expose the affected areas to a series of pulses, which will gradually be increased as tolerated to a therapeutic level during the session.
Treatment is performed in office and usually consists of 3 sessions on a weekly basis. Patients with more chronic injuries may require one or two more sessions, however. And most sessions will last about 10-15 minutes.
EPAT is usually well tolerated and does not typically require the use of any use of anesthesia or nerve blocks.
Many of our patients start to feel the benefits of EPAT after only 3 sessions. Some patients even report getting immediate pain relief after a single session—though for others, it can take up to four weeks for pain relief to begin.
Either way, overall success rates are very high. In fact, EPAT eliminates pain and restores full mobility to more than 80 percent of patients!
But Is it Safe?
Absolutely. EPAT is an FDA-approved technology used around the globe. An extensive amount of medical experience, state-of-the-art engineering and optimal quality is used to build each EPAT device. Not to mention all the clinical studies and tests that have confirmed its safety and efficiency.
The bottom line is, when performed by a qualified caregiver, EPAT has virtually no risks or side effects.
Are You Considering EPAT in Austin, TX?
If you are considering EPAT, you should reach out to an experienced podiatrist. Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists can help. Our office provides a wide variety of advanced, effective treatment options for all kinds of painful conditions. Ready to schedule an appointment? Contact us online or call our Austin office at 512.328.8900.