Low-intensity shockwave therapy (LISWT) has been used for years to help with wound healing and improve healing of bone fractures and damaged or inflamed tendons and ligaments. Show
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy But this treatment is now being offered for men with erectile dysfunction (ED) caused by inadequate blood flow to the penis, called vasculogenic ED. Urologist Daniel Shoskes, MD, says LISWT may be an option — particularly for men with mild to moderate ED who’ve had success with medications known as phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors. “It has a very long track record as a device in terms of efficacy and safety,” explains Dr. Shoskes. “If someone, for instance, takes a PDE5 inhibitor and has a great response but wants to not have to take it, those are patients who typically do very well.” How low-intensity shockwave therapy boosts blood flowErections require a sufficient blood supply, and anything that limits blood flow to the penis — such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes — can lead to ED. With LISWT, a physician uses a wand-like device to deliver mild shockwaves to the penis. Studies have found that the treatment is associated with a growth of new blood vessels and (in animal studies) recruitment of stem cells to the penis. In a recent meta-analysis of 10 randomized controlled trials involving a total of nearly 900 men with vasculogenic ED, researchers reported that, compared with sham treatment, LISWT resulted in significant improvements in measures of erectile function and penile blood flow. “It has been shown in studies that pretty much everyone gets an improvement in blood flow,” Dr. Shoskes says. “Over the years there have been a number of studies showing overall improvement in the ability to get erections, either alone or with a PDE5 inhibitor.” What type of results can you expect from LISWT?For men with vasculogenic ED, Dr. Shoskes and colleagues at Cleveland Clinic administer LISWT once a week for six weeks, although the ideal treatment protocol has yet to be determined. Each treatment session lasts about 15 minutes. No anesthesia is necessary, and for upwards of 95% of patients, the procedure is painless, Dr. Shoskes says. “Our own experience has been very similar to the published literature. We find success about 62% of the time. I define success as going from no erections to having erections able to penetrate, or having PDE5 inhibitors no longer work and now they work great,” he explains, noting that the benefits of treatment tend to remain durable for at least a year. Who is a good candidate for LISWT?Generally, men with mild to moderate vasculogenic ED who have had some response to PDE5 inhibitors are ideal candidates for LISWT. Other men, such as those with nerve damage due to pelvic cancer surgery and those with ED resulting from psychological causes, typically don’t respond to the treatment, Dr. Shoskes advises. Although LISWT has a long track record in medicine, its use for treating ED in the United States is relatively new. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasn’t approved it specifically for ED, and guidelines from the American Urological Association note that LISWT shouldn’t be offered outside of a clinical trial — a position with which Dr. Shoskes disagrees. Furthermore, for ED, insurance coverage of LISWT is lacking. In some practices, the treatments can cost thousands of dollars (Cleveland Clinic charges $300 per treatment session, Dr. Shoskes says). “But it is a very reasonable option as part of an integrated treatment approach,” he adds. “For the right patient who’s counseled the right way, it’s a low- to zero-risk treatment that may have surprisingly good effects. If it doesn’t break the bank for you to have this therapy, it’s certainly worth considering.” This article first appeared in Cleveland Clinic Men’s Health Advisor. Many men struggling from erectile dysfunction have already experienced the disappointment and frustration of so-called treatments, therapies and home remedies that promised to cure their condition—only to leave them off no better than before. For this reason, it’s hard to blame chronic ED sufferers for being skeptical when new treatments and therapies
are hailed as the next solution to their erectile dysfunction. Yet even in the face of that pessimism, many skeptics of ED treatments are being converted into believers by a new, science-backed treatment known as focused linear compression therapy. Even if past erectile dysfunction therapies have failed to deliver their promised results, clinical research has shown that this innovative treatment may be the breakthrough
intervention many ED patients have been waiting for. Read on to learn more about FLCT, the evidence behind this new approach, and the reason for its rising popularity among men diagnosed with erectile dysfunction. What is Focused Linear Compression Therapy?Focused linear compression therapy, or FLCT, is an innovative treatment for erectile dysfunction that increases blood flow to the penis through a series of short, pain-free treatments that stimulate blood flow and nerve tissue development in and around the penis. It is best-known for its ability to facilitate erections in men who suffer from vascular disorders affecting the penis. Unlike other treatments that may require surgery or minimally invasive procedures to treat erectile dysfunction, FLCT offers a completely non- invasive, needle-free and pain-free treatment backed by multiple research studies. It also comes with no known side effects or required recovery time, making it an easy treatment even for individuals with busy schedules or a laundry list of responsibilities. What Does Shockwave Therapy Do?FLCT is a noninvasive process that stimulates blood flow and blood vessel development through small shockwaves that are delivered through the vascular material of the penis. These small compression waves stimulate a number of regenerative processes in the penis, all of which can help repair vascular damage that may have developed over years and decades. By eliminating blood vessel plaque, opening up blood vessels and stimulating the growth of new vascular structures and nerve endings, these small shockwaves are successful in rejuvenating the vascular material of the penis to dramatically restore a person’s ability to produce an erection. In some cases, men experience an enhancement to their sexual health that makes them feel years younger. These shockwaves have also been successful in improving not only the ability to get an erection, but also the strength of that erection and the quality of sensations experienced by men during sexual arousal. The Scientific Case for Using Linear Compression Therapy for ED TreatmentsA lot of purported erectile dysfunction treatments have been promoted as transformative interventions for men suffering from this condition. But no other treatment has been met with such widespread praise for its positive effects in a number of men struggling from vascular impediments to getting an erection. In one prominent research study, every man receiving shockwave therapy treatments for their erectile dysfunction was found to experience an increase in blood flow to their part of their body, illustrating the measurable benefits of FLCT on the vascular structures within the penis. Other research studies have hailed this intervention as a “revolutionary treatment” that “significantly improved” outcomes for men with mild to moderate ED, without any identifiable side effects. More recently, research has shown the benefits of broader applications of shockwave therapy treatments to support patients suffering from ED as well as concurrent health issues such as diabetes and Peyronie’s disease. As the research around FLCT grows, the case in favor of this treatment method only seems to grow stronger. Linear Compression Therapy: How to Get StartedWith more than 90 percent of patients reporting improved sexual performance and overall satisfaction with their shockwave therapy treatments, many individuals suffering from ED are eager to take the first step toward receiving these treatments for themselves. The journey to improved sexual health and effective ED treatments begins with a no-risk consultation with an erectile dysfunction specialist. During this meeting, you will discuss your history of erectile dysfunction and undergo an ultrasound to have the vascular structures in and around your penis evaluated. This baseline ultrasound will help clinicians confirm that your case of erectile dysfunction will be well-served by these shockwave therapy treatments, clearing the way for you and your clinician to develop a treatment plan aimed at rehabilitating the vascular structures in your penis. Even if you still have reservations about the efficacy of focused linear compression therapy, there’s no risk in meeting with a clinician to learn more about this treatment and how it might deliver the relief from erectile dysfunction that you have been seeking for years. The more you learn about this innovative treatment, the more convinced you might become to see for yourself whether shockwave therapy can make a difference in your erectile dysfunction. Does focused linear compression therapy work for ED?Conclusions: The randomized single-blind study confirms that Li-ESWT significantly improves erectile function.
What is linear compression for erectile dysfunction?Introduction: Linear Shock Wave Therapy (LSWT) is a new noninvasive therapy that uses low-intensity shock waves to induce local angiogenesis promising modality in the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED).
How long does shockwave therapy take to work for ED?Most people who get shockwave therapy for ED will often see benefits within one to three months. The initial results (within the first several weeks) can be dramatic.
What is the cost of focused linear compression therapy?The benefits of LiSWT can remain viable for a year, with 95% of men seeing instant results. Each treatment varies from $290 to $450.
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Focused linear compression therapy for erectile dysfunction
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