It’s not uncommon to experience difficulty getting an erection every once in awhile. But if it’s a recurring problem that impacts your self-esteem and your intimate relationship with your significant other, it might be ED: erectile dysfunction.
ED is a condition that affects more than half of all men who are 40-70 years old. It’s often diagnosed if you have consistent difficulty getting and maintaining an erection that’s strong enough for sexual intercourse.
Untreated, ED makes having sex difficult or impossible. Having ED can hurt your confidence and your relationship, but it doesn’t have to. Advances in medicine have led to a number of promising treatments for ED, including shockwave therapy.
Bonnie S. Friehling, MD, offers holistic ED treatment options, including noninvasive shockwave therapy, for men in Columbia, Missouri, and nearby communities. Call our office to make an appointment and find out if shockwave therapy could bring your confidence back to the bedroom.
Understanding the causes of ED
There are a few different conditions that might affect your sex life, including low sex drive or issues involving ejaculation. But ED refers specifically to your ability to achieve and maintain an erection. You might have ED if you’re unable to get an erection, it doesn’t last long enough for sex, or it’s too soft for sex.
Your body achieves an erection when blood flows to your penis and expands the chambers inside it, called the corpora cavernosa. If blood flow to the penis is low or blocked, it’s hard to get or maintain an erection.
A variety of health conditions can cause ED, including:
- Heart disease
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Depression or anxiety
These conditions, along with lifestyle choices like smoking, drinking alcohol, or leading a sedentary life, all impact blood flow to the penis and can lead to ED.
Shockwave therapy stimulates blood vessels
Because ED is caused by restricted blood flow to the penis, shockwave therapy works by improving blood flow to treat ED. If you’re diagnosed with ED, Dr. Friehling helps you decide if shockwave therapy could be right for you. In most cases, a series of 6-12 shockwave treatments is recommended.
With shockwave therapy, Dr. Friehling uses low-intensity acoustic waves directed at the tissue inside your penis. The energy helps clear blockages inside blood vessels, but most important, it encourages the growth of new blood vessels.
Shockwave therapy stimulates stem cells and growth factors to boost regeneration in tissue and blood vessels. These new blood vessels improve blood flow to the penis, which means it’s easier to get and maintain a strong erection.
Each shockwave therapy session takes just 15 minutes. We can apply a numbing cream to the treatment area to help keep you comfortable, but most patients report minimal discomfort and experience no downtime.
Following treatment, your body will grow new blood vessels and you can expect a noticeable change in your ability to get and keep an erection. To find out more about shockwave therapy as a treatment for ED, contact us today.