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Impotence in men can be treated with sound waves
Last reviewed: 30.06.2025
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Erectile dysfunction (impotence) in men can be treated with sound waves, scientists from the Israeli Rambam Medical Center have proven.
Patients who received “extracorporeal shock wave therapy” recovered on average 3 weeks after the start of treatment and continued to show improvement for 2 months after the end of the course. About 30% of patients returned to normal and did not require further treatment. No patient complained of pain or adverse events.
Shock wave therapy is used to break up kidney stones. In addition, low-intensity sound waves improve blood flow to the heart, causing vascular regeneration. Therefore, the researchers suggested that sound waves could improve blood flow to the penis.
Previous studies have shown that this works for moderate impotence. This time, volunteers with severe erectile dysfunction who had not responded to other treatments were recruited. The group's average severity score was 8.8 (10 and below - severe erectile dysfunction, 26-30 - normal erection). Two months later, that score had risen by ten points.
The average age of the patients was 61 years. They underwent 12 procedures over 9 weeks. A month after the end of the treatment, they were prescribed medications.
At the same time, this study was small - only 29 people, so it remains unclear: maybe this is nothing more than a placebo effect.
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