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No — this is one of the main differences between laser and shockwave.
Most patients feel nothing more than a gentle, soothing warmth as the laser passes over the treated area, and there's no discomfort during or after treatment for the vast majority of people.
Class IV lasers are significantly more powerful than the low-level "cold" lasers used in many clinics, which allows them to treat deeper tissue and deliver a full therapeutic dose in just a few minutes rather than much longer sessions.
We use a Class IV device for this reason — it lets us treat more effectively without asking patients to sit through long appointments.
Laser therapy is typically delivered as a short course rather than a single session.
Most conditions need around 4–8 sessions, often two to three times a week to begin with, tapering as symptoms improve.
Your practitioner will assess your condition and progress at each visit and give you a realistic estimate of how many sessions you're likely to need.
Both are non-invasive technologies used to treat musculoskeletal pain, but they work differently.
Shockwave uses mechanical pressure waves and can cause some discomfort during treatment, making it well suited to very chronic, dense tissue like calcific tendons. Laser uses light energy, is generally painless, and works by boosting circulation and cellular repair rather than mechanically disrupting tissue.
Your practitioner will recommend whichever — or both — suits your specific condition.
Laser therapy is commonly used to treat:
* Tendinopathy, including Achilles, tennis elbow and golfer's elbow
* Arthritis and joint pain
* Sciatica and nerve-related pain
* Sports injuries and muscle strains
* Post-surgical inflammation and scar tissue
* Chronic and acute soft tissue pain
It's particularly effective for conditions where reducing inflammation quickly, without medication, is a priority.
Laser therapy has an excellent safety profile and most patients experience no side effects at all.
Very occasionally, patients notice mild, short-lived warmth or redness in the treated area, which settles quickly.
Yes, when carried out by a qualified practitioner using a registered device.
Laser is not suitable for everyone, however — it's generally avoided over the abdomen during pregnancy, over active cancer, over the thyroid, and in patients taking photosensitising medication.
Your practitioner will take a full history before treatment to confirm it's appropriate for you.
Yes — and it's not optional at our clinic, it's how we deliver it.
Laser is always combined with manual therapy and osteopathy in the same appointment as part of our in-house combination therapy approach, addressing both the tissue being treated and any surrounding joint or muscular restriction contributing to your pain.
Some patients notice reduced pain and swelling after their very first session.
For chronic conditions, the fullest benefit tends to build gradually over the course of treatment as the tissue repairs.