When you hear the phrase “extracorporeal shockwave therapy,” you may automatically associate the word “shock” with pain. This may concern you if you desire this treatment for erectile dysfunction or Peyronie’s disease, considering the sensitivity of the treatment area.
However, you may be surprised to learn that extracorporeal shockwave therapy isn’t known to cause pain. Additionally, when you choose the Affirm Clinic to receive this treatment, you will receive care from a practitioner who strives to make the process as comfortable and safe as possible.
Let’s discuss what you can expect from extracorporeal shockwave therapy at our office.
Process
During extracorporeal shockwave therapy, your practitioner will use an applicator that emits a type of sound wave, known as shockwaves. The applicator looks like a wand. Your practitioner will place it along different regions of the penis, where it’ll send shockwaves or gentle pulses into the tissue. The pulses will encourage blood flow to the area and promote tissue remodeling.
Shockwave therapy temporarily causes inflammation of tissue, which triggers your body’s natural healing defenses to regenerate and repair cells. In terms of Peyronie’s disease, shockwave therapy can also break down scar tissue – which causes an irregular curvature and pain during erections.
What Does it Feel Like?
For most men, extracorporeal shockwave therapy causes no pain, unless you had preexisting pain in the region. You may feel a bit of discomfort or an awkward sensation from the pulses, but this is not considered painful by most men. If you do feel pain, simply let your practitioner know, who will adjust the device’s settings to decrease the intensity of the shockwaves.
Screening Before Shockwave Therapy
Before your doctor performs extracorporeal shockwave therapy, you’ll need to undergo a thorough evaluation. This helps the doctor determine the effectiveness and safety of the treatment for your condition.
Your doctor will want to know if you have any nerve disorders, for example, which could impact the treatment. In addition, your doctor will screen you for any infections in the treatment area and take into consideration if you have any blood clotting disorders or are on an anticoagulant.
Part of the physician’s assessment will look at why you have erectile dysfunction. Since shockwave therapy doesn’t help with all causes of erectile dysfunction, you should only get the treatment if it will effectively deal with your specific underlying cause.
After Your Treatment
You won’t need any downtime or recovery period following treatment. Your practitioner will recommend you avoid certain strenuous activities to prevent any undesirable symptoms. In most cases, patients don’t have any pain after treatment. You may experience some mild pain during intercourse if done immediately following the treatment. Fortunately, this symptom is temporary.
Most patients need more than one treatment for effective results, so you may not notice an immediate improvement. Your practitioner will discuss this beforehand, so you know when to expect to see results.
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy in Edmonds and Seattle, WA
At Affirm Clinic, we understand how important men’s health issues are to your quality of life. Conditions like erectile dysfunction and Peyronie’s disease can take a toll on your health, happiness, and overall well-being. That’s why we offer state-of-the-art treatments like extracorporeal shockwave therapy to bring effective relief to our patients.
If erectile dysfunction or Peyronie’s disease is taking a toll on your life, contact the Affirm Clinic, serving Edmonds, Seattle, and the surrounding areas, for a solution today. Simply call (206) 231-6000 or use our online contact form.
