Soundwave technology is a relatively recent development in ED treatments, and has already proven to be highly effective for many men.
Learn about acoustic wave therapy for ED, how it works, and whether it might be the best ED treatment for your ED problems.
What is acoustic wave therapy?
The clinical term for shockwave therapy is low-intensity shockwave therapy (LiSWT). Acoustic wave therapy has been used in orthopedics to help heal broken bones, injured ligaments, and injured tendons, and has also been used to improve wound healing. By targeting high-energy sound waves, LiSWT has been proven to speed up tissue repair and cell growth.
Acoustic wave therapy for ED, known as Shockwave, or GAINSWave, is used to stimulate the corpora cavernosa (the penile arteries) and associated nerve tissue. Each session begins with an application of topical numbing solution to the patient’s genitals. Depending on the patient’s health and individual pain response, different solutions with different strengths are used. A penile dorsal block may be used to completely block nerve response during the therapy if a patient is especially nervous about pain. Numbness must be managed to ensure that the effect wears off as soon as possible, from 2 ½ to 4 hours.
An instrument then applies soundwaves to stimulate a mechanical and chemical response in the body. Mechanically the soundwaves break up micro-plaque in the arteries that feed the penis.
Patients report Increased sensitivity and firmer, longer lasting erections. A typical session lasts 20-25 minutes in blocks of 2000 pulses after 2000, the instrument shuts off, and the therapist will proceed to another area. Because erectile tissue extends beyond the area of the penis, treatment will include the area under the testicles and up to the perineum, except with patients who have prostate cancer.
AUUA employs the Duolith® device by Storz Medical to apply extracorporeal shock wave treatment (ESWT). Used for the treatment of vascular ED since 2010, the effectiveness of the Duolith® device has been demonstrated in clinical studies.
The Duolith® device generates focused shock waves within a powerful and individually selectable energy range, and is equipped with the Storz Medical cylindrical coil to deliver a constantly high energy dynamic in the entire focus zone.
Focused shock wave therapy with the DUOLITH® is a non-invasive treatment option for men with ED, and AUUA is currently the only practice in Arizona that employs the advanced DUOLITH® device by Storz Medical to treat ED.
A treatment plan of acoustic wave therapy typically involves six sessions, spaced into two weeks, with three sessions a week, or three weeks, with two sessions a week.
Key Benefits of Shockwave Therapy
As an alternative to Viagra and other potency drugs, shockwave therapy provides more than a short term effect, and treats the cause instead of the symptom. The increase in nitric oxide creates a similar effect as PDE-5 inhibitors, such as Vardenafil (Viagra), Sildenafil (Levitra), and Tadalafil (Cialis), but the effect of the treatment can last up to two years. 4-12 weeks after the therapy, patients will experience neovascularization, the breaking up of plaque and the formation of new blood vessels. Over the course of treatment, patients will begin to see the benefits, and some men experience a marked improvement after only one session.
These attributes make the shockwave treatment much longer lasting and more restorative.
Overcome the mental hurdle in receiving treatment, and take advantage of the long term positive benefits of shockwave therapy.