Extracorporeal shockwave therapy sounds a little scary, especially when talking about sensitive areas like the penis. The truth is this unique treatment option has been used for decades, especially to break up kidney stones. Today, medical science knows shockwave therapy is useful for many different medical problems including erectile dysfunction.
What causes erectile dysfunction?
An erection requires blood to fill two critical arteries in the penis. When that doesn’t happen, the diagnosis is likely to be erectile dysfunction. There is no one cause of this condition but, in most cases, it is treatable.
Erectile dysfunction (ED), or the inability to get or maintain an erection for sex, can interfere with:
- Personal relationships.
- Self-confidence.
- Emotional well-being.
It’s a condition that affects about 5 percent of men over the age of 40. At some point, most men experience it once or twice, but for some ED is a chronic problem.
Potential causes of this condition include:
- Heart disease.
- High blood pressure.
- Metabolic syndrome.
- Complication of medication.
- Prostrate cancer or enlargement.
It can be stressful, so finding the right treatment is essential. For some, that treatment will be extracorporeal shockwave therapy.
What is extracorporeal shockwave therapy?
An excellent way to understand extracorporeal shockwave therapy is to break the name down:
- Extracorporeal refers to something done outside the body.
- Shockwave means the utilization of pressure waves.
- Therapy refers to a form of treatment.
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy is a treatment applied outside the skin that uses pressure waves, or specifically, sound waves. During the procedure, Dr. Hornsby passes low-intensity sound waves through the erectile tissue using a device called a lithotripter. The goal is to stimulate blood flow, to clear plaque from the existing vessels and to encourage the creation of new blood vessels.
What are the benefits of extracorporeal shockwave therapy?
The most obvious benefit is that extracorporeal shockwave therapy is a noninvasive treatment option. It doesn’t require medication, injections or hormone treatments. It is also safe for men who must avoid other therapies due to heart or vascular problems.
A 2013 study published in Therapeutic Advances in Urology found this treatment method to be effective in rehabilitating erectile tissue and improving blood flow to the penis.
Do the shockwaves hurt?
Men feel nothing during this procedure. There is no pain or discomfort, and the treatment is non-evasive. Some may feel a tingling after the process similar to the pins and needles you get when your leg falls asleep. That feeling is the result of the improved blood flow to the organ.
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy takes just a few minutes, typically less than 30 total, and afterward, the patient can return to his regular activity with no downtime.
To find out if shockwave therapy is right for you or someone you love, book an appointment online today.
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