… in nature, shockwaves appear when explosive events happen, in thunderstorm, when lightning strokes occur, or when airplanes break the sound barrier and they can be heard directly as a loud »bang«.
… in medicine, shockwaves are usually generated in an extracorporeal energy source, directed into the body and concentrated on the target region to be treated
Shock waves are acoustic pulses that are characterized by high positive pressure amplitudes and a steep increase in pressure in comparison to the ambient pressure. They can transmit energy from the place of generation to distant areas and may cause windowpanes to shatter, for example.
How do shock waves differ from ultrasound?
How do shock waves differ from laser?