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Sexual dysfunction

Shock therapy can improve erectile function

Nature Reviews Urology volume 8, page 645 (2011)Cite this article

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Shocking the penis might seem extreme, but the therapy used in this study was of a lower intensity than that used to break up stones. Previous experiments with low intensity ESWT (LI-ESWT) revealed its ability to induce blood vessel growth and thus improve blood flow.

Up to 35% of men with ED fail to respond to conventional treatment with phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, and are left with the options of intracavernosal injections or penile implant surgery. Researchers identified 29 men with severe ED (mean IIEF-ED score 8.8) who were unresponsive to PDE5 inhibitors; the key inclusion criterion was a low erection hardness score (EHS) of 0–2 during PDE5 inhibitor therapy.

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ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Gruenwald, I. et al. Low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy—a novel effective treatment for erectile dysfunction in severe ED patients who respond poorly to PDE5 inhibitor therapy. J. Sex. Med. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2011.02498.x

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  1. Sarah Payton
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Payton, S. Shock therapy can improve erectile function. Nat Rev Urol 8, 645 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrurol.2011.178

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