Israeli scientists have developed a new way to combat erectile dysfunction – sound waves. The therapy uses shock waves which are fired into the body, ultimately helping men who suffering from erectile problems.
The therapy is pain free and works by stimulating new blood vessels to grow in the genital area. Previously developed 20 years ago, the therapy was originally intended for use to dissolve kidney stones. The waves of pressure go through the skin and are not sufficient to damage tissue, but are the right pressure to smash the stones into a sand-like consistency that is then passed out when the patient urinates.
Several studies have now shown that the therapy encourages blood vessels to grow, by triggering Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, which signals to the body that the new vessels need to start growing. The potential for encouraging better blood flow around the body has also led to hopes that the treatment could also be used to combat heart disease.
In the trial, 20 men with an average age of 56 were recruited to take part. All were taking medications like Viagra or Cialis and most had suffered from impotence for 3 years. The severity of their problem was then measured using a system frequently used to doctors to assess impotence, the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction, a points system with a low score indicating a significant problem.
After treatment, the men saw their scores increase by between 5 to 10 points, indicating that the therapy significantly improved their condition.
The doctor leading the study, Dr. Yoram Vardi, said that the treatment was important because it could offer a biological solution to erectile dysfunction rather than controlling the condition with medication. However the treatment is still a very long way of being offered to patients and clinical trials are ongoing.