What Is Shockwave Therapy?
Shockwave therapy is designed to treat erectile dysfunction with high frequency, low energy shock waves directed at the penis. These waves help increase healthy blood circulation throughout the penis, which is necessary to get and maintain an erection. Treatment is performed in the comfort of our professional office, requires zero downtime from sex or any other normal activities, and can deliver life-changing results in an average of 6-12 treatments. In general, our patients find that they feel more sexually proficient and confident in the bedroom after their treatment plan is completed.
How Does It Work?
The sound waves used during treatment are emitted from a wand-like device which is held by one of our trained doctors and passed over the target area for 15-30 minutes. The sound waves create gentle, low-level shocks that can restore broken-down blood vessels, stimulate new vessel growth, and dislodge debris that can accumulate in the vessels and restrict healthy blood flow. Since the penis contains millions of blood vessels that affect its sensitivity, erection strength, and erection longevity, treatment can effectively treat erectile dysfunction by addressing this major issue.
What Are the Benefits?
This treatment offers several excellent benefits for men who experience erectile dysfunction.
Better Erections
The best and most important benefit of treatment is better erections. Instead of struggling with erectile dysfunction, you can be confident in your ability to get and sustain a firmer, stronger erection for a longer period of time. For most men, the difference in their erections before and after shockwave therapy is undeniable. This leaves both them and their sexual partner happier and more satisfied.
Increased Sensation
Once your blood circulation improves, you can expect to experience a significant improvement in the sensation you feel during arousal. The penis is designed to be one of the most sensitive areas of the body, as evidenced by the abundance of blood vessels found in this organ. However, age can affect your circulation and cause decreased sensation and pleasure during sex. Shockwave therapy helps restore this key part of sexual interaction and enjoyment.
Stronger Orgasms
When your erections are stronger and your circulation is improved, your orgasm experience is also heightened. Many of our patients report that they reach orgasm more often after treatment. In addition, their orgasms lasted longer and felt more satisfying.
Shorter Refractory Period
In general, men who are older feel like then need to wait longer between sexual encounters. It can be challenging for them to get multiple erections in a row due to a long refractory period, or recovery time necessary between erections. With this treatment, the refractory period can be noticeably shortened, giving men a heightened sex drive and the ability to engage in sex multiple times with shorter recovery times.
Steady Improvement
Each treatment continues your progress, which can be seen in spontaneous erections in the 24-hour period after your appointment and improved sexual performance during the time between your treatments. However, this progress is steady and offers regular improvement until your final results are delivered. Unlike some medications, this treatment does not offer instant, short-lived results. Instead, it works with your body to produce long-lasting improvements. This typically occurs after 6-12 treatments.
Restored Confidence
Perhaps the most important result is the increased confidence you will experience once your erectile dysfunction is effectively treated. It can be both discouraging and embarrassing to see the aging process impact your sex life. With this treatment, you can continue to enjoy sex and ensure that your partner enjoys it, too, even as you continue to grow older.
How Long Does It Last?
In general, patients can see final results that last 1-2 years without any maintenance treatments. This makes shockwave therapy one of the most efficient and long-lasting treatment options for erectile dysfunction. It also means that you can expect to live your life without worrying about taking pills or frequent appointments. As the aging process continues, you may experience some of your concerns return. At this point, most patients choose to have regular treatments going forward to maintain their desired results.
How Does It Compare to Other Treatment Options?
In general, the other main options for treating erectile dysfunction are pills or surgery. Pills can appear to be a quick and easy way to fix this issue. However, these strong medications ignore the root cause of erectile dysfunction–blood circulation–and do not work with your body to achieve results. In addition, older men can be at risk for serious complications if they use these medications, and some men experience negative side effects that impact other areas of their lives. The biggest issue, however, is that pills simply don’t offer a long-lasting, sustainable, healthy solution.
Surgery, on the other hand, is considered to be a better option for achieving permanent results. While it can correct some of the circulation issues causing erectile dysfunction, it comes with higher costs, a significant recovery time, and many serious risks. Some men require surgery to address their issues, but most are able to use this treatment option instead. It is more cost-effective and won’t push the pause button on your sex life with a long recovery period. Even better, results can last 1-2 years and can be maintained for much longer with simple, painless follow-up appointments.
Can It Treat Conditions Like Peyronie’s Disease?
While decreased or inhibited blood flow is a major cause of erectile dysfunction, medical conditions like Peyronie’s Disease can worsen the problem. Tissue Scarring and plaque in the penis tissue can cause the penis to become shorter and more curved over time, leading to a variety of concerns including erectile dysfunction. This treatment can be an excellent option to treat this disease and see significant improvement in your condition.
The powerful waves used during this treatment can slowly break down the scarred tissue in the penis over time. This can lead to better blood circulation, a more natural appearance without curvature, and a return to your normal penis length. In addition, erectile dysfunction can be improved, allowing you to have sex without discomfort or low confidence.
Who Is an Ideal Candidate?
Our skilled doctors will help you evaluate your unique situation and concerns during an initial consultation. However, most men who experience some level of erectile dysfunction are able to pursue this treatment. An ideal candidate is seeking a non-invasive solution and has an informed understanding of what to expect from treatment. While most of our patients are over 45, erectile dysfunction can happen at any age.
You may not be an ideal candidate for treatment if you experience high cholesterol, which can contribute to erectile dysfunction, or take some medications which have been proven to cause erectile dysfunction. In these cases, our doctors may try to help you address this issue by treating these conditions or changing medications to achieve desired results. If you have any questions about your candidacy, our doctors are ready to give you more specific information on how this treatment can improve your life.
What Should I Expect?
At our professional office, every patient’s experience is different. However, here is a general overview of what you can look forward to when you choose to pursue treatment with us.
Consultation
First, one of our doctors will meet with you for a brief initial consultation. The purpose of this appointment is to learn about your personal experience with erectile dysfunction, review your medical history, note your symptoms, and talk about your goals and ideal results. This conversation will help us determine whether this treatment is right for you. If you are approved for treatment, your doctor will also recommend a treatment plan to address your concerns. This plan will be built around your lifestyle and can be changed as needed based on the results you see.
Preparation
Your doctor will give you specific instructions to follow before your appointment based on your health, habits, and other factors. You should plan to follow them carefully to ensure optimal results. In general, we recommend hydrating before your appointment, temporarily avoiding some medications or herbal supplements which could interact negatively with treatment, and stopping the use of alcohol and tobacco several days before treatment. You should feel free to contact your doctor with any questions about these preparation steps before your first appointment.
Treatment
On the day of your appointment, we recommend that you wear loose, comfortable pants. The treatment will be performed in the comfort of a private room in our office. Your doctor will apply a topical numbing cream to the target area. This will prevent any discomfort during treatment, although the vast majority of patients report that treatment is completely painless. Next, your doctor will turn on on the handheld wand and pass it over your target area for approximately 15-30 minutes. You will hear a high-pitched sound and may feel a slight tingling as the sound waves target the blood vessels and improve circulation.
Recovery
For the first several hours, you may experience some mild tenderness in the treated area. This is normal and does not inhibit your normal activities, including sex. Some patients experience spontaneous erections during the first 24 hours. This is a result of the instantly improved circulation in the penis. You should continue to drink water after your appointment. In addition, you should avoid any medications, alcohol, or tobacco your doctor instructed you to stop taking until your recovery period is complete. This period typically lasts just 24-48 hours.
Results
After your first treatment, you should notice some improvement in your sexual performance, refractory period, and general sensation during sex. Your following appointments will continue to improve these areas. Appointments are usually scheduled at least 1 month apart to allow your body to recover. Once your treatment plan is complete, you could see final results lasting up to 2 years.
Once your results begin to fade, you have the option to continue experiencing the benefits of treatment with regular maintenance appointments. These appointments can be performed as frequently as needed, and your treatment plan can be modified at any point. With a treatment plan that fits their lifestyle, many patients experience results that last for years.
