Erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as either an inability to get or maintain an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse. Up to 30 million men in the United States suffer from ED, which is INCREDIBLE considering there are 162 million men total in the country. That’s close to 20%!
- PRP Therapy and other biologics
- Shock Wave Therapy
- Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Our Scottsdale shockwave therapy for erectile dysfunction has been shown to be extremely effective. Shockwave therapy involves the application of sound waves that involve both a positive and negative phase. The positive phase induces direct mechanical forces on tissue, while the negative phase produces a cavitation and gas bubbles.
The acoustic waves are created by compressed air, which transmits the energy into the body tissues. Regeneration and repair are then promoted, which in the case of ED includes the following benefits:
- New Blood Vessel Formation – the repetitive shock waves lead to expression of several growth factors which facilitate angiogenesis. The new blood vessels are excellent for allowing for spontaneous erections and bring oxygen and nutrients in for healing tissue.
- Reversal of Chronic Inflammation – Chronic inflammation prevents the healing of damaged tissue. Shock wave therapy actually starts the healing cycle with chemokines, cytokines, which then leads to tissue repair and remodeling.
- Stimulation of Collagen Production – Shockwave therapy increases collagenesis, which leads to more complete healing than can be achieved natively.
All of these together are very effective for erectile dysfunction, whether it’s due to a blood flow or neurogenic issue. The mental health reasons, not so much.
Here are some FAQ’s on Shockwave therapy for Erectile Dysfunction:
Hundreds of studies have looked at the effectiveness of shockwave therapy for ED, either from a vascular cause or neurologic. For mild to moderate ED, shockwave therapy has been exceptionally effective (references below). Most studies have only looked at follow up for six months, while those looking at one year mostly have shown that additional treatment may be needed at that time.
For moderate to severe ED, shockwave therapy may be effective, but does extremely well when growth factors, stem cells and exosomes are added. R3 does this with the proprietary E Shot!
In the past 5 years, well over a hundred peer reviewed studies have been published on the results of shockwave therapy for erectile dysfunction. This includes looking at ED resulting from both a vascular issue (e.g. diabetes) along with a nerve issue (such as post-prostatectomy).
A review of studies from 2019 by Brunckhorst et al ( International urology and nephrology) showed in 9 out of 11 studies that shockwave therapy for ED produced a significant improvement in erectile function after LISWT at 6-month follow-up).
A 2022 review article by Yao et al was published in the American Journal of Men’s Health and looked at the results of 16 randomized studies. Over 1000 patients were included in the various studies. The authors found identified that LI-ESWT could significantly increase IIEF (erectile function) and EHS (erection hardness) in ED patients, especially in moderate ED group. The longest outcome in these studies was for 6 months follow up.
With regards to ED secondary to a neurogenic reason (e.g. post-prostatectomy), a 2022 review article by Sighinolfi et al in European Urology showed excellent results in small studies.
According to the authors, “small clinical trials with short follow-up show that LI-ESWT could potentially play a role in the management of postprostatectomy ED. Despite limited reports in the literature, low-intensity shockwave therapy after removal of the prostate is a promising noninvasive treatment for dealing with erectile dysfunction after surgery.”
R3 offers shockwave therapy for neurogenic ED, but typically in combination with the E Shot. The E Shot includes hundreds of growth factors, stem cells and exosomes to amplify the shockwave results.
Each shockwave therapy treatment for ED takes approximately thirty minutes between the numbing time and the shockwave therapy.
Most treatment regimens include 4 to 8 sessions (weekly or twice/week) so as to effectively break up scar tissue, reduce inflammation and initiate properly the angiogenesis (new blood flow).
R3 Anti-Aging has chosen the Intelliwave low-intensity shockwave therapy device. The Intelliwave is effective, durable and well tolerated by patients. It includes a full range of customizable settings so each patient is treated with a regimen tailored to optimal outcomes.
The FDA has evaluated various shockwave devices over the past decade for several indications. Some of the benefits of shockwave therapy, such as improvement of blood flow and improvement of connective tissue damage are FDA-approved indications. However, it is not FDA-approved for the management of erectile dysfunction.
However, it is widely offered and effective for ED, and R3 offers it often in conjunction with PRP and exosome therapy. The decision of whether to use shockwave for ED alone or with biologics depends on the severity, so each patient is different!
The risks of shockwave therapy for treatment of erectile dysfunction are absolutely minimal. The device does make some loud sounds to produce the shockwaves, but the penis is numbed with cream prior to the treatment, so it’s a virtually painless procedure.
Patients may experience some redness due to the treatment, which will resolve quickly. Patients may experience mild bruising, swelling, pain, numbness or tingling in the treated area which quickly resolves. There are no injections or drugs involved.
Shockwave therapy for ED is not currently covered by any insurance plans. R3 offers package pricing which is extremely competitive. We will also price match ANY comparable treatment option pricing.
R3 Anti-Aging offers shockwave therapy for ED in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Glendale, Gilbert, Chandler AZ along with Nashville and Brentwood TN. The treatments are customized to each patients needs with first rate shockwave devices by experienced providers.
In conjunction with shockwave therapy for erectile dysfunction, R3 also offers the E Shot, which is a proprietary combination treatment encompassing growth factors, stem cells and exosomes to concomitantly boost the effectiveness for ED.
At R3 Anti-Aging, the cost of shockwave therapy for ED is only $175 per session. R3 also offers packages for the treatment, such as six treatments for just $800. In addition, R3 has been a leader for over a decade in regenerative therapies worldwide. This includes PRP therapies, exosomes and stem cell procedures.
With over 45 Centers and 20,000 treatments offered globally, you will be in the best hands at R3. Our providers teach doctors!
