Extra-Corporal Shock Wave Therapy for
Erectile Dysfunction

Dear Patient,

if you are dealing with erectile dysfunction, you are not alone: ED is a condition that affects millions of men around the world. The good news is that today there are effective treatment options.

Many cases of ED are caused by vascular issues. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is a relatively new and innovative method to treat a vascular erectile dysfunction. It is painless and many patients report a noticeable improvement of their ability to achieve an erection within a few weeks.

Erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common sexual disorder. Men affected by ED have consistent trouble with achieving and maintaining an erection firm enough to have sexual intercourse despite being sexually stimulated. This can have a significant effect on the quality of life of men and their partners.

Causes and therapy

The condition can have physical or psychological causes. One of the major causes of ED is restricted blood flow to the penis – the amount of blood in the cavernous bodies may then not be enough to cause an erection. This type of ED is called vascular erectile dysfunction.

Men with ED are often treated with oral medications. However, they are not the only way to treat erectile dysfunction. One of the alternatives is extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT).

Shock wave therapy for erectile dysfunction

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy has been used for the treatment of vascular erectile dysfunction since 2010. During treatment, low-intensity shock waves are applied to different areas of the penis. The therapy with shock waves is simple and no anaesthesia is required.

Blood flow is improved

The shock waves stimulate the creation of new blood vessels in the cavernous bodies. This improves the blood flow in the penis, which may positively affect the ability to achieve an erection.

One therapy session usually takes 15 minutes. In general, an average of 6 to 10 therapy sessions are necessary.

What are shock waves?

Shock waves are audible high-energy sound waves. In the medical world, they have been used successfully for the treatment of various medical conditions since around 1980 (for example in orthopaedics).

Compared to surgery, shock wave therapy is a non-invasive treatment option. This means that the shock waves are generated outside of the body (“extracorporeally“) in a therapy system and then travel through the patient‘s skin into the tissue. This is why the method is called “extracorporeal shock wave therapy” or ESWT. Depending on the area of application, low-energy or high-energy shock waves are applied.

A major advantage of this innovative treatment option is the fact that it has virtually no risks or side effects.