Shock wave therapy for erectile dysfunction

Low Intensity Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (LiESWT) has been tested by Italian scientists. Exposure to the penis with sound waves can solve the problem of impotence by "stimulating the growth of nerve fibers and blood vessels".

What is shock wave therapy

This method consists in applying up to 2400 sound pulses to the shaft of the penis for 20 minutes.

Italian researchers claim that the impulses increase the production of growth hormones, which restore the tissues of the penis that have been exposed to such an effect. According to them, intense exposure to the genitals during 20-minute sessions does not cause pain.

It is believed that the method works by stimulating the growth of new nerve fibers and blood vessels, normalizing the function of the penis.

How the study was conducted

Scientists have suggested that shocking the penis with sound waves can solve the problem of erectile dysfunction. A relatively new treatment has been tested on a group of men suffering from impotence. At the same time, a comparison was made with traditional tadalafil therapy.

All 156 study participants had type 2 diabetes, as erectile dysfunction is a common problem among people with diabetes. This can happen due to damage to the nerves and blood vessels caused by poor blood sugar control.

In the study, patients took a daily Cialis (Tadalafil) tablet for 12 weeks. However, half of them also received shock wave therapy twice a week for three weeks at baseline.

Experimental results

Six sessions of 2400 acoustic pulses per penis were found to produce significantly better results than erectile dysfunction pills alone.

Paolo Verze from the University of Naples reports that low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (LiESWT) is a "promising" therapy for erectile dysfunction.

The degree of erectile dysfunction of the participants was measured using the 5-element international index test for this disease. A score of 22 to 25 indicates a healthy condition, while a score of five to seven indicates severe erectile dysfunction.

Men aged 57 had a mean dysfunction score of 15.5 at baseline. During the study, measurements were taken at 4 and 12 weeks, as well as control evaluation measurements after the end of all types of therapy after 24 weeks.

Scores improved significantly in both groups after four weeks, by 2.9 points in the tadalafil-only group and by 3.9 points in the LiESWT group.

After 12 weeks, the scores were 18.8 in the tadalafil-only group and 19.8 in the shock wave group.

Control measurements six months later, despite a slight decrease in overall performance, clearly indicated the advantage of the LiESWT method. Those who underwent LiESWT noted that their erectile function improved by 3.8 points compared to 1.8 points for those who did not have it.

Optimal intensity of shock wave therapy

The second study looked at how many shockwaves were most effective 1500, 1800, or 2400 shocks per session.

Patients who received the most intense shock wave therapy of 2400 pulses improved their condition the most by 4.7 points.

Overall, the combined approach of tadalafil and LiESWT at 2400 pulses produced a "significant advantage" over those treated with tadalafil alone, the researchers report.

LiESWT Perspectives

In an article published in the Asian Journal of Andrology, it is noted that the authors of shock wave therapy stimulate the production of growth hormone, the main factor that helps in tissue healing and cell growth. This, according to Dr. Werze and colleagues, can regenerate the nerve fibers and blood vessels in the penis, improving blood flow.

"Hence, shock wave therapy has the potential to restore natural erections and treat disease," they state.

The results of the study were enthusiastically received by experts. Thus, sexual health expert Dr. Diana Gall from the online service Doctor4U, in an interview with the British tabloid The Sun, said:

"Medicines like tadalafil have long been used to treat erectile dysfunction. But shock wave therapy is a new weapon in the sexual health arsenal, and this study has shown encouraging results. Combined with erection drugs, this method can offer real hope to those who suffer from erectile dysfunction".