SoftWave Therapy for Low Back Pain: What It Can and Can't Do
September 23, 2026
The short version: most low back pain improves with movement, time and hands-on care. When it doesn't — when the same band of muscle keeps locking up, or a stiff, achy back has outlasted a few months of stretching and adjustments — SoftWave therapy is one of the non-invasive options worth talking about. It is not a substitute for a diagnosis, and it is not a fix for every back.
Why low back pain is so common
The low back carries your bodyweight, absorbs impact, and bends and twists thousands of times a day. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke notes that back pain is one of the most common reasons adults see a doctor, and that most episodes are mechanical — muscle or ligament strain, joint irritation, disc changes — rather than a sign of serious disease.
Mechanical pain responds to mechanical care. That is why the first steps are almost always movement, chiropractic adjustment, soft-tissue work and load management rather than scans and injections.
Where SoftWave fits
SoftWave therapy sends broad, low-intensity acoustic pressure waves into the tissue under a handheld applicator. Our OrthoGold 100 is FDA 510(k) cleared for relief of minor muscle aches and pains, temporary increase in local blood circulation, and activation of connective tissue. Our SoftWave explainer walks through what that clearance does and does not claim.
For a low back, that usually means treating the paraspinal muscles, the glutes and the hip region alongside the tender area itself — because a back that keeps flaring is often being pulled on by something above or below it.
What it won't do
- It will not reverse degenerative disc disease or regrow a disc.
- It will not decompress a nerve root — that is what spinal decompression and other care are for.
- It will not substitute for imaging when your exam suggests something structural.
- It will not help if the real driver is how you sit, lift or sleep and nothing about that changes.
When to be examined before anything else
Back pain with numbness down a leg, weakness in the foot, changes in bladder or bowel control, unexplained weight loss, fever, or pain after a significant fall or crash needs a medical evaluation first. MedlinePlus lists the same red flags. If Dr. Raby's exam points outside chiropractic scope, she refers you out — that is the whole point of starting with a consultation.
What a session is like
Gel, then the applicator moves across the low back and hips for several minutes. You feel a firm, rhythmic tapping, strongest over the sore spots. No anesthesia, no downtime, and you drive yourself home. Most people notice something — looser, warmer, less guarded — within the first few visits, and Dr. Raby sets a checkpoint so you are not paying for open-ended sessions.
Getting started
The $49 new patient visit covers the consultation, exam, any diagnostics needed and your first SoftWave treatment. SoftWave is self-pay and prices are subject to change; you get the numbers in writing before anything beyond that first visit. Book online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SoftWave therapy safe for the lower back?
It is non-invasive, drug-free and applied to the surface of the skin, and most patients tolerate it easily. It is avoided over certain areas and in specific situations — pregnancy, active infection, tumors, and over implanted devices among them — which is why every plan starts with a consultation and exam.
How is SoftWave different from an adjustment?
An adjustment restores motion to a joint. SoftWave works on the soft tissue around it, aiming to increase local circulation and settle irritable tissue. They are often used together: the adjustment addresses the mechanics, SoftWave addresses the tissue that keeps pulling things back out of line.
How soon would I know if it's working?
Most people have a reasonable read within the first handful of visits. Dr. Raby sets an explicit checkpoint at your first treatment so there is a clear point at which you both decide to continue, change the plan or stop.