Shock waves are audible high-energy sound waves. In the medical world, shock waves have been used successfully for the treatment of various medical conditions since around 1980.
For example, shock waves are used in orthopaedics for the treatment of painful insertional tendinopathies and non-healing bone fractures. In urology, they are used to disintegrate kidney stones and to treat vascular erectile dysfunction (since 2010). Depending on the area of application, low-energy or high-energy shock waves are applied.
Detailed background knowledge on the physics and technology of shock waves is available on our STORZ MEDICAL website at:
What are shock waves?
Go to https://patients.uroweb.org/shockwave-therapy-ed/ for evidence based information on shockwave therapy for ED.
Source: EAU Patient Information
Compared to surgery, shock wave therapy is a non-invasive treatment option. This means that the shock waves are generated outside of the body (»extracorporeally«) in a therapy system and then travel through the patient‘s skin into the tissue. This is why the method is called Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy or ESWT. A major advantage of this innovative treatment option is the fact that it has virtually no risks or side effects.
Find out more about the treatment of vascular erectile dysfunction with shock waves.