Does Shockwave Therapy for ED Work?
Dr. Stephen Beyer
1/10/2024
Shockwave therapy is a drug-free treatment for ED. It works best for men with vasculogenic ED. Vasculogenic ED is a blood vessel disorder affecting blood flow to the tissue in the penis. Studies show encouraging results when patients use this therapy.
However, remember that occasional episodes of ED are usual. They can be due to lack of sleep, stress, alcohol use, or temporary hormonal changes. If it becomes frequent and affects your sex life, you need to seek advice from your doctor. Do this first before going for shockwave therapy.
What Is Shockwave Therapy?
Technically, this is known as a low-intensity shockwave therapy. The procedure has been helping heal broken bones and injuries to ligaments and tendons for years. It improves the healing of wounds and speeds up tissue repair and cell growth.
It uses high-frequency, low-intensity sound waves that trigger the release of growth factors. The growth factors help in the formation of new blood vessels. They remove any micro-plaque in your blood vessels to enhance blood flow to tissues in the penis. Improving blood flow is the same goal as other traditional ED treatments.
However, shockwave therapy is pill-free. It not only treats ED and restores your sex life, but it also keeps your penis healthy. It is an outpatient procedure, so you do not have to spend time in a hospital.
Procedure
The doctor uses what’s called a wand on different areas of your penis. He takes about 15 to 20 minutes on each of the target areas. The device emits soft pulses to coax the release of growth factors and improve blood flow. The growth factors remodel tissue in the penis and help form new blood vessels. As it is an in-office procedure, it provides safety and comfort for the patient.
Treatment Plan
The usual treatment plan involves sessions twice weekly for three weeks. You will have three weeks of no treatment sessions before resuming with another round of sessions. These will also be twice weekly for three weeks.
Results
Research shows that the effects of shockwave therapy last for about a year. Data also shows that it stimulates the blood flow in the penis and helps grow new blood vessels. It works for people who are not responding to medication or do not want to take medication. It also works for people who would like to try regenerative therapy.
Benefits
Once the procedure is complete, you can drive yourself home. You will start to see the benefits of the treatment in one to three months. However, there are other dramatic results that you may notice immediately.
Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive erectile dysfunction treatment that deals with its root cause. It is safe, comfortable, and yields long-term results. It improves the flow of blood to your penis and regenerates tissue.
It has no downtime, so you can receive treatment and get back to work. There is no bruising, swelling, or scarring. More research is still in the pipeline. Hopefully, it will determine whether shock wave therapy has any side effects.
For more information on whether shockwave therapy works for ED, call Beyer Functional Wellness at (708) 719-9100 to reach our office in Mokena, Illinois.
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