SoftWave vs Sofwave: A Naperville Guide to Two Easily Confused Treatments

You searched for SoftWave. Or maybe you searched for Sofwave. The two names differ by exactly one letter — and that single letter changes everything. SoftWave and Sofwave are completely different products, made by different companies, using different technology, treating different conditions. One is a regenerative pain treatment. The other is a cosmetic skin-tightening device. They’re not variations of each other. They’re not different brands of the same technology. They are two distinct products that happen to have nearly identical names.

At some point in your research, you almost certainly noticed clinics talking about one as if it were the other, or marketing materials that used both spellings interchangeably as if it didn’t matter. It matters. The differences are clinical, technical, and practical — and getting them confused means showing up at the wrong type of clinic for the wrong problem.

Most patients who land at our Naperville clinic asking about “Sofwave” actually mean SoftWave (the pain treatment), and most patients who see SoftWave advertised think it might be the cosmetic skin treatment they read about in a magazine. The names cause real confusion in real searches.

We’ve had patients schedule SoftWave consultations expecting wrinkle treatment, and we’ve heard from people who spent weeks searching for skin tightening when what they actually needed was pain treatment. The confusion runs in both directions, and it costs patients time and money before they realize the products are different. This article exists to make the distinction crystal clear.

Synergy Institute Acupuncture & Chiropractic is a SoftWave therapy clinic in Naperville. We offer the regenerative shockwave treatment for chronic pain, tendinopathy, rotator cuff conditions, frozen shoulder, plantar fasciitis, and other musculoskeletal applications. We do not offer Sofwave — the cosmetic ultrasound skin-tightening device. If you’re researching shockwave-based regenerative pain treatment, you’re in the right place. If you’re researching cosmetic skin tightening, that’s a different product entirely and not something we offer.

Dr. Jennifer Wise is a Palmer College graduate with 26+ years of clinical experience, dual credentials as a Doctor of Chiropractic and Acupuncturist. We were the first clinic in Naperville to offer SoftWave (the regenerative pain device) in August 2021. If you’ve been searching for the best SoftWave specialist near me in Naperville, this guide walks through exactly what SoftWave is, exactly what Sofwave is, and how to tell which one matches what you’re looking for.

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Synergy Institute Acupuncture & Chiropractic is a SoftWave therapy clinic located in Naperville, Illinois at 4931 Illinois Rte 59, Suite 121, near 111th Street. We treat patients from Naperville, Plainfield, Bolingbrook, Aurora, Oswego, Lisle, and the surrounding south suburbs of Chicago for chronic musculoskeletal pain, tendinopathy, joint conditions, and shoulder problems using authentic SoftWave technology — the TRT OrthoGold 100 device manufactured by SoftWave Tissue Regeneration Technologies.

What makes Synergy specifically a SoftWave clinic and not a Sofwave clinic comes down to a fundamental distinction: we treat pain, not appearance. SoftWave’s electrohydraulic shockwave technology is used to drive tendon healing, joint regeneration, and recovery from chronic musculoskeletal conditions. Sofwave’s ultrasound technology is used to tighten skin and reduce visible signs of aging. Different problems, different devices, different categories of medicine.

SoftWave Tissue Regeneration Technologies and Sofwave Medical LTD are two unrelated companies offering two unrelated medical devices. SoftWave uses electrohydraulic acoustic shockwaves generated through a patented parabolic reflector, with treatment depth up to 12 centimeters and a broad treatment zone designed for musculoskeletal tissue. Sofwave uses SUPERB™ (Synchronous Ultrasound Parallel Beam) technology, with treatment depth limited to 1.5 millimeters in the mid-dermis, designed exclusively for cosmetic skin treatment. The technologies, manufacturers, FDA clearances, target tissues, and clinical applications are entirely different.

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The Short Answer: SoftWave vs Sofwave

If you’re trying to heal a tendon, restore joint function, or recover from chronic pain — SoftWave is what you’re looking for. If you’re trying to tighten skin or reduce wrinkles — that’s Sofwave, and it’s not something Synergy offers.

Schedule your $49 SoftWave Discovery Session at Synergy →

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What SoftWave Is

SoftWave is the brand name for the TRT OrthoGold 100, an FDA-cleared device manufactured by SoftWave Tissue Regeneration Technologies (TRT). It’s a form of unfocused electrohydraulic Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) — the technology used at our Naperville clinic and the device behind much of the published shockwave research for shoulder, plantar fasciitis, and tendinopathy applications.

How SoftWave works. Electrical discharge inside the water-filled head of the device generates true acoustic shockwaves. A patented parabolic reflector creates parallel waveforms that distribute energy approximately 7 centimeters wide and up to 12 centimeters deep. These shockwaves trigger several biological responses in damaged musculoskeletal tissue: stem cell recruitment, angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation), collagen remodeling, and modulation of chronic inflammation.

What SoftWave treats: chronic tendinopathy, rotator cuff calcific tendonitis and partial tears (see SoftWave for rotator cuff tears), frozen shoulder especially in the fibrotic stage (see SoftWave for frozen shoulder), plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, patellar tendinopathy, gluteal tendinopathy, mild-to-moderate joint arthritis pain, and chronic pain conditions involving tissue degeneration. SoftWave also has FDA clearances and clinical applications in pelvic health, diabetic foot ulcers, chronic wounds, and acute second-degree burns.

Who uses SoftWave: the technology is used by team physicians for NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL teams, and at major medical centers including Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and Walter Reed Military Medical Center. SoftWave is delivered in regenerative medicine clinics, chiropractic offices, sports medicine practices, and orthopedic settings — including ours.

This is what Synergy offers. Since August 2021, we’ve used the authentic TRT OrthoGold 100 as part of integrated treatment protocols for chronic pain and musculoskeletal conditions. For deeper reading, see our SoftWave service page, our SoftWave for shoulder pain guide, our Shockwave vs SoftWave comparison for the device-comparison breakdown, our Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) master article which covers the technology and terminology in depth, or our best treatments for shoulder pain in Naperville hub for the broader landscape.

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What Sofwave Is

Sofwave is a completely different medical device, manufactured by Sofwave Medical LTD — a separate company unrelated to SoftWave Tissue Regeneration Technologies. The product uses SUPERB™ (Synchronous Ultrasound Parallel Beam) technology, which delivers ultrasound energy (not shockwaves) to a precisely targeted depth in the dermal layers of the skin.

How Sofwave works. Ultrasound transducers deliver focused thermal energy at approximately 1.5 millimeters depth in the mid-dermis. The energy creates controlled microthermal injuries that stimulate the body’s natural collagen and elastin production response. Over the following weeks, new collagen formation tightens and lifts the skin in the treated area. The technology stays in the upper layers of skin and is not designed to penetrate to the deeper musculoskeletal structures that SoftWave addresses.

What Sofwave treats: mild-to-moderate skin laxity, fine lines and wrinkles, eyebrow lift, neck tightening, submental (under-chin) tightening, and short-term improvement in the appearance of cellulite. It’s a cosmetic aesthetic treatment, not a medical pain treatment. Typical protocol is 2–3 treatments approximately 6 weeks apart, with collagen remodeling continuing for 12 weeks after treatment.

Synergy Institute does not offer Sofwave. We’re a regenerative pain clinic and don’t offer cosmetic skin-tightening or aesthetic treatments of any kind.

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Side-by-Side Detailed Comparison

The two technologies are not interchangeable. Sofwave does not produce shockwaves and does not penetrate to musculoskeletal tissue depth. SoftWave does not stimulate dermal collagen at the depth required for cosmetic skin tightening. Each device is engineered for its specific application.

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Why the Names Cause So Much Confusion

The confusion between SoftWave and Sofwave isn’t an accident. It’s the natural consequence of multiple overlapping factors:

The names differ by one letter. “SoftWave” includes the “t” in soft; “Sofwave” drops the t. In written text, the distinction is easy to miss. In verbal communication or voice search, the two are indistinguishable.

Both use the marketing phrase “regeneration.” SoftWave talks about tissue regeneration. Sofwave talks about collagen regeneration. Both are technically accurate to their respective applications, but the shared vocabulary blurs the distinction.

Both are FDA-cleared. Both companies highlight FDA clearance in marketing, which sounds the same to a patient researching options.

Both are non-invasive. Both products emphasize “no surgery, no downtime, no anesthesia” — language that sounds nearly identical to the patient ear.

Both reference acoustic or wave technology. Shockwaves and ultrasound are both wave-based technologies, even though the underlying physics, depths, and biological effects are entirely different.

Some clinic marketing materials use the spellings interchangeably. A patient who reads “SoftWave” in one ad and “Sofwave” in another may assume they’re variations of the same product or alternative spellings.

The confusion is real and reasonable. The point of this article is to make the distinction unmissable so patients can find the right type of clinic for the problem they actually have.

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How to Tell Which One You Need

The cleanest way to know which product you’re looking for is to ask what problem you’re trying to solve.

If your goal is pain relief, tendon healing, or joint recovery → ✅ SoftWave (what Synergy offers)

If your goal is wrinkles, skin tightening, or aesthetic improvement → ✅ Sofwave (not offered at Synergy)

You’re looking for SoftWave (and Synergy is a fit) if:

• You have chronic shoulder pain, rotator cuff issues, or frozen shoulder
• You have plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, or tennis elbow
• You have chronic tendinopathy or partial-thickness tendon tears
• You have joint pain or mild-to-moderate arthritis pain
• You’re trying to avoid or delay orthopedic surgery
• You’re trying to recover from chronic musculoskeletal conditions that haven’t healed with conventional care
• Your physician or physical therapist recommended “shockwave therapy” or “ESWT”

You’re looking for Sofwave (which is NOT what Synergy offers) if:

• You want to reduce facial wrinkles or fine lines
• You want non-surgical skin tightening on your face, neck, or under chin
• You want to lift sagging eyebrow or jawline skin
• You want to improve crepey skin on arms or legs
• You’re researching cosmetic alternatives to a facelift
• A provider mentioned “Sofwave skin tightening” specifically

If you’re not sure which category your need falls into, the simplest test is: is the problem about how something feels (pain, mobility, function) or how something looks (laxity, wrinkles, sagging)? Pain and function → SoftWave. Appearance → Sofwave.

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What Synergy Specifically Offers

To remove any ambiguity: Synergy Institute Acupuncture & Chiropractic offers SoftWave — the regenerative pain treatment using the TRT OrthoGold 100 device — as part of integrated multi-modality protocols including chiropractic care, acupuncture, MLS laser therapy, and other adjunct treatments. We’ve offered authentic SoftWave since August 2021 and are the longest-standing SoftWave provider in Naperville.

We do not offer Sofwave (cosmetic skin tightening). We do not perform any cosmetic aesthetic treatments. We are a regenerative pain and musculoskeletal clinic.

If you’re a current patient or someone considering Synergy for a chronic pain or musculoskeletal issue, you’re in the right place. If you arrived here looking for skin tightening, that’s not something Synergy provides — we focus exclusively on regenerative pain and musculoskeletal care.

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Pricing Transparency (For SoftWave Only)

Your first visit at Synergy Institute is our $49 SoftWave Discovery Session — a complete evaluation and your first SoftWave treatment, so you can experience the therapy and we can confirm whether you’re a good candidate before committing to a full course. After that, per-session SoftWave pricing in the Naperville area generally runs $125–$250 for authentic TRT OrthoGold 100 technology. SoftWave is not covered by insurance; we offer affordable self-pay options. For a full breakdown, see our cost of shockwave therapy in Naperville guide.

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Why Choose Synergy for SoftWave in Naperville

• First in Naperville since August 2021. Longest continuous SoftWave experience in the area.
• Authentic TRT OrthoGold 100. True unfocused electrohydraulic SoftWave technology, not lookalike or imitator devices.
• Pain and regeneration focus. We treat musculoskeletal conditions, not cosmetic concerns — clear scope, clear expertise.
• Dual credential. Dr. Jennifer Wise is a Palmer College graduate with 26+ years of clinical experience and dual credentials as a Doctor of Chiropractic and Acupuncturist.
• Multi-modality integration. SoftWave sequences with chiropractic, acupuncture, MLS laser, and other modalities based on your specific case.
• Honest assessment. If SoftWave isn’t right for your condition, we’ll tell you on day one.

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Schedule Your $49 SoftWave Discovery Session in Naperville

If you’ve confirmed that SoftWave (the regenerative pain treatment) is what you’re looking for and you want to find out whether you’re a good candidate for it, our $49 Discovery Session includes a complete evaluation and your first treatment.

Synergy Institute Acupuncture & Chiropractic 4931 Illinois Rte 59, Suite 121 Naperville, IL 60564 (near 111th Street)

Call or text (630) 454-1300, or call our office directly at (630) 355-8022 to schedule your appointment and claim your $49 SoftWave Discovery Session.

Serving Naperville, Plainfield, Bolingbrook, Aurora, Oswego, Lisle, and the surrounding south Chicago suburbs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is SoftWave the same as Sofwave?

No. They are two completely different products from two unrelated companies. SoftWave (with the “t”) is a regenerative pain treatment device manufactured by SoftWave Tissue Regeneration Technologies — it uses electrohydraulic acoustic shockwaves to treat musculoskeletal conditions like rotator cuff problems, plantar fasciitis, and tendinopathy. Sofwave (without the “t”) is a cosmetic skin-tightening device manufactured by Sofwave Medical LTD — it uses SUPERB™ ultrasound technology to treat wrinkles, fine lines, and skin laxity. Same name minus one letter, but entirely different technology, manufacturers, and applications.

Does Synergy Institute offer Sofwave for skin tightening?

No. We are a regenerative pain and musculoskeletal clinic — we offer SoftWave (the pain treatment) but not Sofwave (the cosmetic skin-tightening device). We do not provide cosmetic aesthetic treatments of any kind.

What is the difference between SoftWave shockwave and Sofwave ultrasound?

SoftWave produces true acoustic shockwaves via electrohydraulic technology — energy generated by electrical discharge inside a water-filled head, distributed through a patented parabolic reflector to a treatment depth of up to 12 centimeters. Sofwave produces ultrasound thermal energy via SUPERB™ technology — high-frequency sound waves targeted at the mid-dermis at approximately 1.5 millimeters depth. Shockwaves and ultrasound are different physical phenomena. They have different penetration depths, different biological effects, and different appropriate applications. SoftWave activates stem cells and stimulates angiogenesis in damaged musculoskeletal tissue. Sofwave stimulates dermal collagen production for skin tightening. They are not interchangeable.

Will SoftWave help my wrinkles or skin laxity?

No. SoftWave is designed to treat musculoskeletal conditions — chronic pain, tendinopathy, joint problems, plantar fasciitis, rotator cuff issues, frozen shoulder, and similar applications. It is not a cosmetic treatment, and it does not stimulate the dermal collagen production responsible for cosmetic skin tightening. If skin tightening is your goal, SoftWave is not the treatment designed for that purpose.

Will Sofwave help my shoulder pain or rotator cuff tear?

No. Sofwave is an ultrasound-based cosmetic device designed to tighten skin and reduce visible signs of aging. It operates at a depth of approximately 1.5 millimeters — far too superficial to reach the rotator cuff, joint capsule, deep tendons, or other musculoskeletal structures that cause shoulder pain. Sofwave is not designed for, FDA-cleared for, or clinically appropriate for musculoskeletal pain treatment. If you’re dealing with shoulder pain or a rotator cuff issue, you’re looking for SoftWave (the pain treatment), not Sofwave (the cosmetic device). See our shockwave for shoulder pain guide for the treatment-intent overview.

Why do the two products have such similar names?

The two companies — SoftWave Tissue Regeneration Technologies and Sofwave Medical LTD — are unrelated and developed their products and brand names independently. The similarity is a coincidence of marketplace naming convention. Both products use wave-based technology (acoustic shockwave for SoftWave, ultrasound for Sofwave) and both market themselves as non-invasive, FDA-cleared treatments, which contributes further to the consumer confusion. The names differ by exactly one letter — the “t” in “SoftWave” — and that single letter is the only spelling clue separating two fundamentally different medical devices.

How can I tell if my doctor or another clinic is talking about SoftWave or Sofwave?

The simplest way to tell is by what’s being treated. If the conversation is about pain, tendons, joints, rotator cuff, plantar fasciitis, or musculoskeletal recovery — that’s SoftWave. If the conversation is about wrinkles, skin laxity, eyebrow lift, neck tightening, or cosmetic appearance — that’s Sofwave. You can also ask the clinic directly: “Are you using the TRT OrthoGold 100 (SoftWave) device, or the Sofwave SUPERB™ ultrasound device?” Confirming the specific manufacturer and device name resolves any ambiguity.

Are both SoftWave and Sofwave FDA cleared?

Yes — both products have FDA clearances, but for completely different applications. SoftWave has FDA clearances for multiple musculoskeletal and wound care applications. Sofwave has FDA clearance for lifting the eyebrow, submental tissue, and neck, and for short-term improvement in the appearance of cellulite. The FDA clearance one product has for cosmetic skin tightening does not transfer to the other product’s pain applications, and vice versa.

What does SoftWave cost in Naperville?

The first visit at our Naperville clinic is our $49 SoftWave Discovery Session, including evaluation and your first treatment. After that, per-session SoftWave pricing in the Naperville area generally runs $125–$250 for authentic TRT OrthoGold 100 technology. SoftWave is not covered by insurance.

What does a first visit at Synergy Institute look like for SoftWave?

Your first visit at our Naperville clinic is a $49 SoftWave Discovery Session. We start with a thorough history, then a hands-on exam appropriate to your condition: posture and biomechanics, range of motion, provocative testing, and review of any imaging you’ve had. We screen for contraindications and assess which condition category your case falls into. If you’re a SoftWave candidate, we deliver your first treatment in the same visit. By the end you’ll have a clear diagnosis, an honest candidacy assessment, recommended session frequency, and transparent pricing — or a referral to the appropriate specialist if that’s the right next step.

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References

1. SoftWave Tissue Regeneration Technologies — Manufacturer information for the TRT OrthoGold 100 device. https://softwavetrt.com/
2. Sofwave Medical LTD — Manufacturer information for the Sofwave System. https://sofwave.com/
3. Speed C. A systematic review of shockwave therapies in soft tissue conditions: focusing on the evidence. Br J Sports Med. 2014;48(21):1538-1542. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24662010/
4. Auersperg V, Trieb K. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy: an update. EFORT Open Rev. 2020;5(10):584-592. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33204500/
5. Notarnicola A, Moretti B. The biological effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (eswt) on tendon tissue. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 2012;2(1):33-37. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23738271/
6. U.S. Food and Drug Administration — 510(k) Premarket Notification database for ESWT devices and ultrasound aesthetic devices. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfpmn/pmn.cfm
7. Safety and Efficacy of Sofwave Treatment to Lift Lax Skin (NCT04829227) — ClinicalTrials.gov. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04829227

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Reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Wise, DC, Acupuncturist — May 2026

Medical Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or replace professional evaluation. SoftWave Tissue Regeneration Technologies and Sofwave Medical LTD are two distinct, unrelated companies offering two distinct, unrelated medical devices. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment of your specific condition.