A possible Erectile Dysfunction (ED) Treatment.
Electro Shockwave Treatment (ESWT) has been used or many treatments ranging from breaking up kidney stones initially to treating sports injuries like ligament strains and tendinitis. Now as an erectile dysfunction treatment used in Men’s health to treat erectile dysfunction attributed to poor blood flow to the penis.
How does ESWT work for ED?
ESWT emits low intensity shockwaves into the penis causing new, healthy blood vessels to develop thus rendering the previous unhealthy blood vessels obsolete. The previously unhealthy blood vessels were causing poor blood flow into the penis resulting in erectile dysfunction.
Who will benefit from ESWT?
ESWT as a cure for erectile dysfunction will only work if the cause of the erectile dysfunction is a vascular cause. Poor blood supply to the penis can be caused by long standing illnesses like Diabetes Mellitus or Hypertension which are common in the population.
If the cause of erectile dysfunction is not related to the condition of the blood vessels, the treatment will not be beneficial to you. Other causes of erectile dysfunction include hormonal status, stress, nutrition and general wellbeing.
ESWT cannot however cure the problem of erectile dysfunction immediately. It usually works best with medications and would require a few sessions to gain full effect.
What is the success rate?
Using the IIEF score ( International Index of Erectile Function Questionnaire), studies have shown a 76% improvement in patients undergoing ESWT treatment for erectile dysfunction. Another study also showed that 21 out of 29 patients scored favourably in the Erection Hardness Score after treatment with ESWT.
In cases of severe ED (where an erection was nearly impossible even with medication), 72.4% of patients showed remarkable improvement and were able to have spontaneous erections after getting ESWT therapy in combination with oral medications.
What is the Erectile Dysfunction Treatment procedure like?
Like aforementioned, not everyone is a candidate for ESWT treatments. A consultation is first required to determine the cause of the erectile dysfunction. If it is found to be of vascular origin, ESWT may be prescribed.
Firstly, a clear gel will be applied on the base of the penis and the penis making sure to cover all sides. Then the treatment probe will be placed on the skin of the penis and the base of the penis.
The probe will then deliver low intensity shockwaves into the desired area while the operator moves it about the treatment area. The process has been reported as painless with most patients not having any sort of discomfort throughout the procedure. Some have reported a tingling sensation in the penis or pelvis area though.
You will require a total of 6 treatment sessions in the following series of treatment plan options.
- 1 session everyday for 6 days
- 3 sessions per week for 2 weeks
- 2 sessions per week for 3 weeks
Each session of the ESWT treatment will last about 20 to 30 minutes.
Most patients will see an improvement in the erectile dysfunction problem two weeks after completion of treatment.
In the off chance that there is no improvement in the problem, some patients may be advised to undergo another cycle of six treatment sessions. This can be done as soon as three weeks after the completion of the first session.
As earlier mentioned, treatment works best with medications taken throughout the duration of the treatment as per doctors’ advise to improve the health of the blood vessels in the penis.
