Men's Health

Shockwave Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction and Penis Rejuvenation

Our initial consultation price with our experts is £200 and must be paid in advance to secure your appointment time.

What Is Erectile Dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction often referred to as ED, is the inability to achieve and sustain an erection suitable for sexual intercourse. The prevalence of erectile dysfunction increases with age and whilst around 20% of adult men suffer from erectile dysfunction that increases to 50% for men aged 40 and above.

Shockwave therapy is the latest treatment modality for patients suffering from erectile dysfunction and it is one of the few treatments options that improves natural erections and can potentially rejuvenate the erection mechanism. In addition, shockwave therapy has the following advantages:

• Non-invasive treatment lasting 20 minutes in a treatment room - walk in and walk out within 30 minutes
• No medication required
• Fewer complications than other treatment modalities
• Significant clinical benefit often experienced 6-8 weeks after treatment

Shock Wave Therapy FAQs

How does it work?

Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (EWST) works by passing an intense but short energy wave that travels faster than the speed of sound into the tissues. Originally used to treat kidney stones in the 1970's lithotripsy (as it was known), used acoustic shock waves to break up the stones without the need for surgery. Clinicians soon discovered that whilst patients were being treated for kidney stones they reported that other non-related medical conditions either improved or had disappeared entirely. This, in turn, led to the discovery that shockwaves had a healing impact on painful and chronic conditions in the musculoskeletal system. Devices were then developed to treat a range of tissue injury in different parts of the body. Today Shockwave therapy is widely used to treat all kinds of indications from soft tissue injuries (tendinopathies) in humans and horses to diabetic foot ulcers to erectile dysfunction and even cellulite.

Shockwave treatment initiates a proinflammatory response in the tissue where the shockwaves have been applied. The body responds by increasing the blood circulation and metabolism in the impact area which in turn accelerates the body's own healing processes.

In the specific case of Erectile Dysfunction, shockwave improves erections via two mechanisms:

1. Promotes angio-genesis (development of new blood vessels) in the penis which means that the blood flow to the penis increases. Hence stronger erections are achieved
2. Rejuvenation of penis smooth muscle - the majority of patients suffering from ED do so because the smooth muscle in their penile arteries has been damaged thus inhibiting the functioning of the so-called veno-occlusive mechanism. Shockwave therapy has been shown to induce the body to repair the smooth muscle in the penis and thus improve the function of the veno-occlusive mechanism.

Am I a candidate for Shockwave Therapy?

Theoretically, shockwave therapy can help all patients suffering from ED and even improve erections in men with no issues. However, given that it is a new treatment modality, scientific evidence is still being gathered and we only recommend the treatment to patients who actually suffer from erectile dysfunction.

Patients who do not respond to an intra-cavernosal injection test, are NOT good candidates for shockwave therapy since this will generally mean that their erection mechanism is significantly damaged and it is unlikely that they will benefit from this treatment modality.

A full pre-treatment diagnostic evaluation is always advised before a patient proceeds with this option in order to establish if it is appropriate and also determine the optimum treatment protocol.

What are the expected benefits?

There is a growing body of scientific evidence that shockwave therapy for ED can help in the following ways:

• Patients with mild to moderate ED that respond well to PDE-5 inhibitors might be able to regain their natural erections and no longer need - or reduce their dependence on medication.
• Patients with moderate to severe ED that do not respond to PDE-5 medication and rely on injections or other topical treatments may become more respondent to PDE-5 medication after shockwave therapy.
• Shockwave therapy will in most cases improve the outcomes of any other treatment modality.

What should I expect during my treatment session?

Each treatment session lasts around 20 minutes. When you arrive at the clinic the specialist physio will take you to the room with the shockwave machine where you will get undressed and lie on the treatment bed. She will then apply the treatment using a special probe on different parts of your penis and perineum. Most patients experience very little discomfort or pain during the session. It is important that if you do not feel comfortable you let your physio know and the shockwave intensity will be adjusted accordingly.

We do encourage you to bring a chaperone if you wish.

Are the results permanent?

The biological effects of shockwave therapy are permanent and have been established on a basic scientific level. However, erectile dysfunction depends on the lifestyle of patients and is usually a symptom of underlying health issues which lead to ED. Because ED usually gets worse in patients with comorbidities, this means that the improvements after the treatment might be reversed over time if the underlying conditions are not addressed.

Given that the treatment is relatively new, the longest period that patients have been followed up after treatment in a systematic way as part of a clinical trial was 12 months. The results of this study indicate that the treatment benefits were preserved after one year from the treatment but further studies are required to investigate the efficacy after a longer period of time.

Is the Shockwave Therapy treatment itself painful?

Sometimes the treatment is a bit painful, but most people can stand these few intense minutes without medication. If patients are in pain during the treatment, they are to notify the physio as there are some adjustments that can be made to reduce the discomfort, however, having some pain during the treatment illustrates that shockwaves are having a positive effect.

Will there be any pain after the treatment?

Normally patients experience a reduced level of pain or no pain at all immediately after the treatment, but a mild and diffuse pain may occur a few hours later. This dull pain can last for a day or so.

What if there is pain experienced after the treatment?

Shockwave therapy treatment initiates a pro-flammatory response in the tissue that is being treated. If necessary patients may use ordinary prescription-free painkillers. Do not use anti-inflammatory medication or ice in the treated area as both may interfere with the body's self-healing abilities.

What if the shockwave therapy treatment doesn't work?

Usually, the response to shockwave therapy treatment is good however it may take several months before the maximum effect is achieved. If after 3-4 months the patient still does not experience a pronounced improvement, then other treatment modalities will need to be considered.

We offer a complimentary follow-up consultation six months after your treatment.

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