If you have chronic tendon pain, you have probably been offered a cortisone shot. It is fast, it is familiar, and it often takes the edge off within days. So why would anyone choose shockwave therapy instead? The honest answer is that the two do very different things, and the right choice depends on what you are trying to accomplish.
What cortisone actually does
A cortisone injection is a potent anti-inflammatory. It can quiet pain quickly, which is genuinely useful in the right situation. The trade-off is that cortisone does not heal the tissue, and repeated injections into a tendon can weaken it over time. For a degenerative tendon problem that is not primarily inflammatory, the relief can be temporary and the underlying issue is left unaddressed.
What StemWave does differently
StemWave shockwave therapy is not a pain blocker. It delivers focused acoustic waves into the tissue, and it is applied to the area that hurts rather than injected into it. It is non-invasive, with no needles, no medication, and no scheduled downtime. StemWave is a Class I, 510(k)-exempt therapeutic massager, so we describe what the treatment does mechanically and leave the claims about what it will do for your tendon to your own result.
| Cortisone shot | StemWave shockwave | |
|---|---|---|
| Main effect | Reduces inflammation, masks pain | Stimulates healing in the tissue |
| Speed of relief | Often fast | Builds over a short series |
| Repeated use | Can weaken tendon tissue | No tissue breakdown |
| Invasiveness | Injection | Non-invasive, no needles |
| Downtime | Minimal | None |
How we help you decide
Neither option is right for everyone. Some acute, inflammatory problems genuinely respond well to a single, well-placed cortisone injection. Many chronic, degenerative tendon problems are better served by a treatment that improves the tissue. At Journey Orthopaedic Institute, we will give you a straight answer about which path fits your specific injury and your goals, and we lead with the least-invasive option that actually works.
Transparent, direct care
JOI is cash-based and out of network, so you see one clear price before you decide, with no prior-authorization runaround. StemWave shockwave is cash only. It is not covered by any insurance, so there is no claim to file and nothing arrives afterwards. The price you see is the entire transaction. The consultation is $50 and a single session is $200. Most patients are treated as a course rather than one visit, so the one-joint package is $1,500 and the two-joint package is $2,600. Which of these fits you is decided at your consultation, and the full list is on our pricing page. Review StemWave pricing and our full price list, and see a double board-certified sports surgeon in days, not months. Book a visit to talk through the right approach for your tendon pain.