Shock Wave therapy is not currently approved by the FDA, but significant testing has been performed and many peer reviews prove Shock Wave therapy to be effective in up to 80% of patients, and some clinics report a 93% success rate.
In order to understand how the application of acoustic wave therapy was developed for ED, it’s important to understand the use of LiSWT in its historical context. The clinical term for sound pulse technology is low-intensity shockwave therapy (LiSWT). LiSWT has been used in orthopedics for years to help heal broken bones, injured ligaments, and injured tendons, LiSWT has also been used to improve wound healing by using targeted high-energy sound waves to speed up tissue repair and cell growth.
As another example, Urologists have also employed extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy for breaking apart stones within the body for decades. Now,low-intensity shockwave therapy (LiSWT), is being explored for several other urological applications to treat chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) or nonbacterial prostatitis.
By applying the benefits of this therapeutic technology to the problem of erectile dysfunction, Acoustic wave therapy for ED has met with great success, and many men report positive effects after the first session. Shock wave therapy offers a non-drug ED treatment that is non-invasive, requires only a topical numbing solution, and a series of six sessions with no recovery period. Shock wave treatment also treats the causes instead of the symptoms, with long term effects that can last up to two years.
Insurance coverage typically evolves in tandem with innovations in medical technology. As treatments undergo the protocols involved in FDA approvals, and testimonials gather regarding the use of acoustic wave therapy for ED, insurance companies will ultimately need to respond to meet the demand. Perhaps acoustic wave therapy will prove to be the most effective ED treatment, and the preferred ED treatment for many in the future.
Ask ED specialists about the costs for shock wave therapy, and see if it’s the most effective ED treatment for you.