Shockwave Therapy and Gainswave in Rochester NY
What is Sexual Dysfunction?
Sexual dysfunction is a problem that can happen during any phase of the sexual response cycle and it can prevent people from experiencing satisfaction from sexual activity (Cleveland Clinic).
How does an erection occur?
When the blood vessels of the corpora cavernosa relax and open up, blood rushes in through the cavernous arteries to fill them. The blood then gets trapped under high pressure, creating an erection. The tunica albuginea (the membrane surrounding the corpora cavernosa), helps to trap the blood in the corpora cavernosa, sustaining the erection (Cleveland Clinic)
What is ED?
Erectile dysfunction (impotence), or ED, is the most common sex problem that men report to their doctor. ED is defined as trouble getting or keeping an erection that’s firm enough for sex. Erectile is considered a sexual dysfunction, affecting an estimated as many as 30 million men. Though it’s not rare for a man to have some problems with erections from time to time, ED that is progressive or happens routinely with sex is not normal, and it should be treated by a doctor (Urology Health).
Why do I suddenly have erectile dysfunction?
ED can occur for many reasons and can cause stress and tension in a man’s life. Though ED isn’t the same as premature ejaculation, men can experience both at the same time making sexual activities difficult. Men should consider consulting a physician and/or treatments if the erection slowly loses firmness and/or the man loses the ability to maintain an erection for over 6 months. It should be noted men with impotence may continue to have normal orgasm and ejaculation without a full erection (Harvard Health).
How many people experience ED?
The Massachusetts Male Aging Study surveyed 1,709 men aged 40–70 years between 1987 and 1989 and found there was a total prevalence of erectile dysfunction of 52 percent. It was estimated that, in 1995, over 152 million men worldwide experienced ED. For 2025, the prevalence of ED is predicted to be approximately 322 million worldwide (Hopkins Medicine). It is normal if a man has problems getting or maintaining an erection up to 20 percent of the time he has sex (Everyday Health)
Does ED go away?
ED can go “away” on its own in fact most men will experience some form of ED in their lifetime. ED will be a cause for concern if it lasts more than 6 months, affects relationships, and/or becomes a mental strain.
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Causes of ED?
In the past, it was believed that the main cause of ED was psychological problems. It is now known that for most men it is physical; a blockage of the blood vessels for a variety of reasons (Hopkins Health).
Mental
Mental issues can affect a man’s sexual performance. Men that are severely depressed have a high propensity to also have cardiovascular diseases further causing ED. It is known that some antidepressant medications cause erectile failure. Men that are experiencing this condition or symptoms should consult a doctor and/or a therapist.
Physical
When the blood vessels are open an erection can occur. If there is any blockage or disfunction with these blood vessels a man can experience ED. Here are some common diseases that can directly cause ED.
Peyronie's disease
Peyronie’s disease is where plaques (segments of flat scar tissue) form under the skin of the penis. These plaques can cause the penis to bend or become indented during erections. The plaques can often be felt through the skin and can be painful (Urology Health).
Risk factors and lifestyle choices
Men that make risky lifestyle choices might be inadvertently causing ED. It’s important for men to disclose to a doctor if they are partaking in the below risk factors:
- Smoking
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Using illegal drugs
- Being overweight
- Not being physically active (NIKKD)
Risk factors and lifestyle choices
The risk of developing long-term ED, the type caused by a medical condition that interferes with either the nerves that control an erection or the blood supply needed to maintain one, increases with age (Everyday Health)
Underlying conditions
Many different factors affecting your vascular system, nervous system, and endocrine system can cause or contribute to ED (NIDDK). Below are some of the diseases that can cause ED:
- Heart disease
- Clogged blood vessels (atherosclerosis)
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes - ED can stem from damage to nerves and blood vessels caused by poor long-term blood sugar control for patients who have type 2 diabetes (Mayo Clinic)
- Obesity
- Metabolic syndrome — a condition involving increased blood pressure, high insulin levels, body fat around the waist and high cholesterol
- Parkinson's disease - diminished sexual function is practically inevitable. From lack of sexual desire to low libido to difficulties with orgasmic functioning, this chronic, progressive, neurological disease can impair your sexuality in one way or the other (APDA)
- Multiple sclerosis
- Prostate cancer - Surgery for prostate cancer can sever some of the nerves or arteries that are needed for an erection. For men who undergo a radical prostatectomy (removal of the prostate gland), the estimates of how many men will regain their ability to have erections vary widely, from 25% to 80% (Harvard Health)
- Certain prescription medications - These include antidepressants
- Sleep disorders
- Treatments for prostate cancer or enlarged prostate
- Surgeries or injuries that affect the pelvic area or spinal cord
- Low testosterone - The hormone testosterone plays a big part in men’s health, but perhaps its most meaningful role is to fuel sex drive. If testosterone levels drop too low, men can experience erectile dysfunction as well as lackluster libido (Harvard Health)
What can I do to treat ED?
Before going to a doctor it’s important to access and record the number of times ED happens. If it is more than 20% of the time, it’s essential to a man’s health to see a doctor. Once a man has been evaluated by a medical professional, they should consider making positive lifestyle changes like, exercising more, eating healthy, stop drinking and smoking.
Treatments for ED in Rochester, NY:
Prescription medications – Some helpful prescription medications a doctor might prescribe are:
- Viagra
- Levitra, Staxyn
- Cialis
- Stendra
Wave Therapy
A lot of patients have chosen to use therapies that provide results and eliminate the use of drugs and potential side effects. Shockwave therapy is a highly studied, FDA-researched therapy that provides results for patients with ED. Most of the wave therapies that provide results are ones treated in a medical facility by a trained medical professional. Shockwaves (SWs) are acoustic waves that carry energy and when propagating through a medium, can be targeted and focused noninvasively to affect a distant selected anatomical region. (NCBI). The energy intensity for these devices will be around 300 SWs (energy intensity of 0.09 mJ/mm2.
Shockwave Therapy
Low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (LI-ESWT) is a novel modality that has recently been developed for treating erectile dysfunction (ED). Shockwave Therapy is unique in that it aims to restore the erectile mechanism in order to enable natural or spontaneous erections. Shockwave therapy is known for fewer side effects than comparable treatments (US Library of Medicine). In fact, in a recent study by Andrology, one hundred and eleven patients were treated with standard Li-ESWT protocol and had complete data at the end of the study. No adverse side effects were reported by patients with regard to Li-ESWT.
Gainswave therapy
There are two types of probes that can be used with shockwave therapy, one is focused (linear) and the other is unfocused (radial). GAINSWave uses unfocused extracorporeal shockwave technology (ESWT) to break down plaque resting in the blood vessels. Gainswave therapy is non-invasive, has little to no side effects, and drug/side effect free (The Urology Place). Results usually last for 2-3 years.
Positive Effects of Shockwave and Gainswave Therapy
The improvement in erectile function and overall sexual performance after treatment for men has been life-changing for thousands of patients. Most of these happy patients report enhanced erections, more spontaneous Intimacy, increased sensation, long-lasting results, better orgasms and overall Improved Sexual Performance.
In-Home Wave Therapy
There are many devices on the market that provide claims of “solving ED” or “providing relief” but these devices have proved unreliable, as they don’t provide enough “energy” to produce a result. As with any in-home devices, consumers using them aren’t trained and knowledgeable enough on the device to provide effective results. Anyone who is experiencing ED, should consult a doctor in Rochester, NY.
What do the Shockwave Therapy treatments look like?
The medical professional should administer shockwave therapy. The clinician applies a probe to the penis, which is coated in a special gel. Different areas of the penis are usually targeted. Men usually don’t need anesthesia or experience pain, although they might have a tingling sensation in the treated area. The typical treatment course is 6 treatments over 6 weeks, and 50-80% of patients will report an improvement in their erections 30 days after they have completed the full treatment cycle (Urology San Antonio).
Research
Effects of Low-Intensity Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy on Erectile Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (NIH | 2017)
Low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (Li-ESWT) has been proposed as an effective non-invasive treatment option for erectile dysfunction (ED).
Review of the Current Status of Low Intensity Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (Li-ESWT) in Erectile Dysfunction (ED), Peyronie's Disease (PD), and Sexual Rehabilitation After Radical Prostatectomy With Special Focus on Technical Aspects of the Different Marketed ESWT Devices Including Personal Experiences in 350 Patients (NIH | 2020)
Although the literature of the positive effects of penile low intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy is meanwhile substantial, there are substantial differences regarding both the sources of energies and extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) devices.
LI-ESWT applied to the corpora cavernosa showed a statistically significant improvement in the quality of erections in ED patients with or without oral or intracavernous treatment, without side effects. The improvement effect diminished slightly in the final assessment. (Hindawi | 2017)
Impact on the Quality of Erections after Completing a Low-Intensity Extracorporeal Shock Wave Treatment Cycle on a Group of 710 Patients
Statistics
- Low-intensity shock wave therapy also demonstrated promising results in patients with vasculogenic ED (Dspace Repository | 2021)
- Six sessions of LiST applied once weekly for 6 weeks or twice weekly for 3 weeks seem to be equally safe and effective in patients with CP/CPPS (Wiley Online Library | 2021)
- 93.9% of the patients with mild ED without CAD responded to treatment and 72.7% resumed normal erectile function, from low-intensity shockwave treatment for erectile dysfunction (Asian Journal of Andrology | 2021)
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