If you have mild ED and you cannot or do not want to take PDE5Is, your doctor may recommend extracorporeal shockwave therapy or ESWT. Keep in mind that ESWT is currently not a covered option for ED. See below for more information and pricing.
How Does it Work?
ESWT can reach deep into the tissue which will stimulate the body’s healing process. During the healing process, new blood vessels are formed, which increase blood flow to the penis. This may result in an improved ability to get and maintain an erection.
Our sexual health doctors have been watching the literature since 2012 to find acceptable data on this therapy prior to offering therapy to our patients. Earlier this year, several journal articles were published offering credibility with supporting data for this treatment. It is important to note that we will be utilizing the same machine and treatment regimen as was used in the recent studies.
Low-Intensity Shock Wave Therapy for 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. The condition can have physical or psychological causes on one or both partners. One of the major causes of ED is vascular, where the penis does not get enough blood flow to obtain an erection.
Why is it important to know what type of machine is being used?
There are many machines out there being used to treat ED. These machines may be FDA-cleared to treat various conditions such as plantar fasciitis. We chose the DuoLith machine manufactured by Storz Medical because it was the machine that has been researched and used by urologists to treat this condition. This machine is classified as an FDA Class II device that requires medical supervision to operate. The low-intensity shock waves emitted from this machine utilize lower energy levels but are spread over a larger focal volume. Other machines, most commonly used, emit radial shock wave technology that utilizes dispersive pressure waves with significantly lower energy and lower tissue penetration compared to Low-intensity shock wave therapy.
Although frequently advertised as ED treatments direct to consumer, men’s clinics, radial shock wave therapy has significantly less supporting data then low-intensity shock wave therapy and should not be grouped together with low-intensity shock wave therapy when critically assessing the therapeutic benefit of shock wave therapy in the treatment of ED.
Improved Blood Flow in Penis
Low-intensity shock wave therapy (LIST) 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. This stimulates the creation of new blood vessels that help to improve blood flow within the penis to achieve a firmer erection.
The treatment is simple and painless, performed in our office once a week for a recommended 8 weeks. Many patients report a noticeable improvement of their ability to achieve an erection within a few weeks.
There is finally enough clinical data to support our offering this treatment. Our machine is the one that has been used in the trials that have had significant results.
How much does it cost?
Insurance companies do not reimburse at this time as it has not received FDA approval to treat ED.
We will be using the protocol of two treatments per week for 4 weeks for 8 total treatments. You will be re-evaluated three months after treatment ends. The cost of this is $3200.
We use Stortz Medical’s DuoLith machine for this therapy. This is the machine used in studies that have been endorsed by urologists. This is a class II machine that emits low-intensity focused shockwave therapy and requires medical supervision to operate. Other centers offer a class I device emitting radial shock wave therapy which does not require medical supervision to operate and does not penetrate as deeply into the tissue.
What to Expect?
- Non-invasive treatment
- No downtime
- Virtually painless application
- Improvement in the erection
- More spontaneous sex life
- No painful prostaglandin injections
- Almost no risks or adverse effects
- Well-tolerated treatment method
- Longer erection
- Improved penile stiffness
- Promotes the development of new blood vessels
- Mechanical pulses on the penis
- No need for PDE-5 inhibitors
- Stimulation of the corpus cavernous of the penis
Interested in ESWT or Have Questions?
If you or your loved ones are interested in receiving ESWT treatment or have any questions about the treatment, our providers are here for you! Please give us a call or text 804-330-9105 to schedule an appointment with our experts today.
