Practitioners can call shockwave therapy for erectile dysfunction (ED) Low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (LI- ESWT). Low-Intensity Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy is a safe treatment option for men who suffer from ED, and may be effective at improving, and may even treat, ED in some patients. The trial showed that low-intensity shock wave therapy worked well in restoring erectile function in men with moderately to severely vasculogenic ED.
A pilot study from 2010 found that, of 20 men with vasculogenic ED, all had improved erectile function following shockwave therapy for 6 months. Although there is considerable heterogeneity in treatment protocols used and devices used, meta- analyses from multiple randomised trials indicate that men with vasculogenic ED experienced a substantial improvement in erectile function following shockwave therapy. Studies suggest up to 75% of men using medication for their ED undergoing low- intensity shockwave therapy for their ED were able to discontinue taking medication for their ED because their sexual function improved as a result of treatment.
In a recent meta-analysis of 10 RCTs, which included nearly 900 men with vasculogenic ED, researchers reported that, compared to sham treatments, LISWT led to substantial improvements in measures of erectile function and blood flow in the penis. Another meta-analysis also concluded that shockwave therapy produced significant improvements in erectile function when compared to no-treatment. In short, research has mostly shown that shockwave therapy works as a treatment for ED, especially in men who have mild or moderate ED.
Rather than increasing blood flow to the penis temporarily, like most drugs used for ED, shockwave therapy is designed to rebuild the erectile machinery and enable men with ED to get an erection naturally and spontaneously. Shockwave therapy is designed to restore the tissue that has been damaged, rather than simply increasing blood flow through pills or propping the penis with a prosthesis. Instead of making getting an erection easier, it is designed to build new blood vessels and rebuild your ability to naturally achieve and sustain an erection.
Shockwave therapy seems to work best in men who have vasculogenic ED, a blood vessel disease that impacts the blood flow to tissues in the penis. There is still some debate over how exactly shockwave therapy works for ED, but it appears to encourage stem cells to migrate into the treated region, as well as for new, smaller blood vessels to develop and open up in the penis.
Low-intensity external-corporeal shock wave therapy has no effect on men who suffer from serious erectile dysfunction caused by diabetes, or who have had a prostatectomy, cystectomy, or radiation. The European Association of Urologys guidelines on erectile dysfunction recommended the use of low-intensity shock wave treatment for patients with mild organic erectile dysfunction or those with a poor response to phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors, according to Georgios Hatzichristodoulou. Georgios Hatzichristodoulou, M.D., an associate professor of urology at the Julius-Maximilians-University WA 1/4 rzburg in Germany, has conducted some of Europes studies of shock wave treatment of erectile dysfunction and Peyronies disease.
The American Urological Association (AUA), which estimates as many as 30 million U.S. men suffer from erectile dysfunction, categorizes shockwave and stem cell therapies as investigative, with poor evidence for benefits and risks. Newswise -- April 6, 2022 -- As more men seek treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED), many clinics are marketing an unapproved shockwave treatment intervention -- shockwave therapy (SWT) -- with large variations in technology, costs, and provider credentials, according to analysis in Urology Practice(r), an official journal of the American Urological Association (AUA). The prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) is increasing, with more than 320 million people globally expected to be affected by ED by 20215.1 Beginning with the adoption of oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, the ED market has boomed. The prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) is rising, with over 320 million individuals worldwide projected to suffer from ED by 2025.1
Beginning with the introduction of oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors in the late 1990s, the market for ED therapies has exploded.11 The landscape of a dTC marketplace has encouraged a number of profit-making mens health care practices to branch out beyond prescriptions for testosterone, PDE5 inhibitors, and intravenous injections into offering restorative therapieslike erectile dysfunction therapies like KMSLASER shockwave therapy Machine.
Across all clinics, DTC marketing has been used to reach men suffering from symptoms, frequently with conflicting claims regarding mechanism of treatment and cure rates. Given the substantial costs associated with the candidates therapies, it is critical for evidence-based messages to extend to patients. If patients are exploring a second-line treatment, they should be evaluated by urologists equipped to perform formal assessments for male health and to offer data-driven, patient-centered discussions about their treatment options.
Keep in mind, your physician might also suggest that you first try more widely used treatments. If you are looking for a Pill-Free Treatment and are not interested in an invasive procedure, speak to your urologist about shockwave therapy and where in your area that treatment might be available. There are a small number of studies published in respected medical journals that back up shockwave therapy and suggest that it is a worthy option for some men who are having problems getting an erection, but likely only those who are having problems getting an erection primarily because blood flow is not good to their penis.
Many large-scale, blinded studies are now completed showing radial pulse waves are effective in treating non-chronic ED caused by inadequate vascularization. Low-intensity shockwaves are approved to treat plantar fasciitis, Achilles and tennis elbow, and the technique is being studied for patients with coronary artery disease. Low-intensity shockwave therapy (LISWT) has been used for years to aid in wound healing and enhance the recovery from bone fractures and damaged or inflamed tendons and ligaments.