Acoustic Sound Wave Therapy is a revolutionary treatment that uses low-intensity sound waves to improve conditions such as chronic pain, erectile dysfunction, neuropathy and more. Originally used to break up kidney stones, ESWT is used to break up a scar or other tissue and promote tissue repair and regrowth. Low and high frequency sound waves are used to cause microtrauma to the tissue under the skin, which stimulates the body's natural healing process in the area. Acoustic wave therapy for ED, known as Shockwave or GAINSWave, stimulates the corpora cavernosa (arteries of the penis) and associated nerve tissue.
Each Shockwave session begins with a topical anesthetic solution applied to the patient's genitals. Because erectile tissue extends beyond the area of the penis, treatment will include the area under the testicles and down to the perineum, except in patients with prostate cancer. Different solutions with different strengths are used, depending on the patient's health and individual response to pain. If a patient is especially nervous about pain, a dorsal block of the penis can be used to completely block the nerve response during therapy.
The emergency specialist will monitor the numbness to ensure that the effect wears off as soon as possible, 2 ½ to 4 hours. Acoustic wave therapy (AWT) is a mechanical stimulation that encourages natural healing processes in the body. The clinical term for this treatment used by urologists is low-intensity shock wave therapy (LiSWT). During treatment, a small wand-like device uses directed sound waves to stimulate penile tissue and encourage blood flow, which can also speed up the healing process.
Low-intensity shockwaves have also been shown to grow new blood vessels and improve blood flow in the penis, which is essential for erections. Acoustic wave therapy works best for men who have mild to moderate erectile dysfunction, which usually means that oral medications such as Viagra work well or at least help a little. For men who are not candidates for acoustic wave or if acoustic wave does not provide satisfactory improvement, other treatments for erectile dysfunction are available. An acoustic wave therapy treatment plan usually includes six sessions, spaced two weeks apart, with three sessions a week, or three weeks, with two sessions a week.
Low-intensity shockwave therapy on the penis may help men with severe erectile dysfunction (ED) who do not respond to conventional treatment with phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE) inhibitors. There is increasing clinical research supporting the effectiveness of acoustic wave therapy for the treatment of vaso-related ED. For even greater erectile rejuvenation, acoustic wave therapy can be combined with P-Shot (platelet-rich plasma), which adds a high concentration of growth factors to strategic areas according to a patented protocol. Acoustic waves create microtrauma in the tissue, stimulating the body's natural healing response.
In a review of 14 studies of men who received low-intensity extracorporeal acoustic wave (LI-ESWT) treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED), there was evidence that these men experienced improvements in their ED after LI-ESWT. Acoustic waves focused on the area create new blood vessels in the penile tissue, allowing men to achieve and maintain firm and spontaneous erections. When acoustic waves penetrate an injury site, they vibrate in powerful bursts that cause cell renewal, helping damaged tissues to heal more quickly and effectively than traditional treatments alone. Although extremely rare, it has been reported that acoustic wave therapy may have induced venoocclusive vascular insufficiency.
Because acoustic waves are non-invasive and painless when used correctly, athletes can receive acoustic wave therapy treatments during practice sessions to prevent injury from occurring in the first place.
