The Importance of Technology in Treating ED With Shockwave, or GAINSWave, Therapy
Since the 1980s, shockwave therapy has been used in the medical field to treat everything from breaking up kidney stones to addressing conditions like tendinitis, joint pain, and bursitis. More recently, physicians and scientists have had promising results using this kind of therapy to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). Several years ago, shockwave therapy - popularized by marketing company GAINSWave - became popular in the U.S., causing the introduction of several other “wave” technologies that claimed to help men suffering from erectile dysfunction. More recently, some of these devices are even sold direct to consumers - and can even be found on Amazon! It is important to note that most of these devices are not backed by medical evidence and research, and, due to inferior technological capacities, their efficacy must be questioned.
Shockwave therapy is administered by aiming shockwaves (aka energy waves) at treatment areas from outside the body. According to a study in the Urology & Nephrology Open Access Journal, “this non-invasive low-intensity shockwave therapy (LISWT) has been shown to significantly improve erectile function in men.” There are dozens of other additional research reports that support the efficacy of this approach.
The “Other” Wave Technologies - Questionable and Unproven
Clinics around the country are heralding the effectiveness of several “wave” technologies to treat erectile - referring to their solutions as everything from Sound Wave to Acoustic Wave to Swiss Wave. Despite this surge in alleged solutions, many of these clinics are using equipment that is not backed by research and medical evidence and are not capable of providing demonstrable, quantifiable results. GAINSWave is a marketing, training, and education-based concept. They do not sell devices and there’s no such thing as a “GAINSWave device.” As the prevalence and popularity of GAINSWave have increased, many GAINSWave clinics are using underpowered devices. As a result, protocols and results at clinics using the “GAINSWave” name can vary dramatically.
Shockwave Therapy - The Device Makes a Difference
Dr. Kate Kass employs equipment backed by significant medical research and study. Specifically, she uses two kinds of shockwave devices manufactured by Storz Medical - “focused” and “radial” - both FDA-certified to treat acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain. These are both “scheduled” devices - which can only be overseen and purchased by a medical professional. Dr. Kass employs focused and radial devices so she can provide her patients with optimal treatment options. Whereas a focused device is technically a more powerful device that more deeply penetrates the tissue, the radial device reaches shallower tissue. The focused device casts a laser beam-like shockwave - compared to a radial device that produces a wider, shallower beam.
Because focused shockwave devices require higher level medical providers to operate them (i.e. a doctor or registered nurse) and are more expensive, very few clinics offer focused shockwave therapy. Dr. Kass is dedicated to providing the most evidence-based and effective treatments, so she chooses to offer both radial and focused shockwave therapy.
The Technological Difference
A medical device’s true ability to address the underlying causes of ED lies in its energy output capacity. A certain amount of energy is needed to bring about a biological response in the tissue of the penis, and more specifically the corpus cavernosum. There is a minimum amount of energy necessary to cause neovascularization, encourage angiogenesis, break up scar tissue, create a stem cell response, and stimulate nitric oxide production. Medical devices with negligible capacities, such as the devices on the market that mimic radial shockwave (that generate less than .22 mj/mm2) simply do not deliver adequate energy to address the root causes of erectile dysfunction. Focused shockwave devices are more powerful devices and offer deeper penetration - this technology does not have any issue generating adequate energy to produce changes in the tissue.
Home Devices - Can They Replace In-Office Treatment?
For all the reasons outlined above - maximum capacity devices and evidence-based protocols are necessary for the effective treatment of erectile dysfunction. The devices coming onto the market targeted at home use do not provide sufficient energy to cause changes in the tissue that leads to long-term improvements in erectile function.
Our Clinic’s Choice - An Evidence-Based Device
“I decided to work with Storz because they are the worldwide leader in the space,” said Dr. Kate Kass. “They have been in the business for over 70 years and are highly regarded in the medical community. Additionally, the equipment I chose are “scheduled” devices - which can only be purchased and overseen by a medical professional. And the devices we selected provide more than ample energy needed to stimulate an adequate response and effectively treat ED.”