최종 업데이트: 2026년 8월 27일

Every other treatment for erectile dysfunction works on the moment. Tablets and injections produce an erection when needed and change nothing about why it stopped happening. Low-intensity shockwave therapy is the one treatment that aims at the underlying blood supply instead — which is what makes it interesting, and why it is worth being careful about how much is claimed for it.

관련 읽을거리: the major causes of ED — the link on this page previously pointed to an address that no longer exists — and how oral tablet therapy works.

Before anything else: ED is a vascular warning

The penile arteries are narrower than the coronary arteries and are affected earlier by the same disease, so erectile dysfunction frequently appears years before a heart attack or stroke. Any man presenting with ED — particularly under about 60, or with diabetes, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol or a smoking history — should have those checked.

That comes first because it is the part with the most to gain, and because quietly buying a course of treatment without it means the warning goes unheard. See also what exercise does for erectile function.

Man in consultation about erectile dysfunction treatment options
The assessment matters more than the choice of device.

What it is, and what it is proposed to do

Low-energy acoustic waves are delivered through the skin to the erectile tissue in a series of short outpatient sessions. There is no needle, no anaesthetic and no recovery period.

The proposed mechanism is that the mechanical stimulus prompts new small blood vessels to form, improves the behaviour of the vessel lining, and reduces fibrosis in the erectile tissue. An earlier version of this article presented those as established effects. They come largely from laboratory and animal work, and while they are a coherent explanation for what is observed clinically, describing them as demonstrated in men overstates what has been shown. The honest version is that the mechanism is plausible and the clinical effect is what has actually been measured.

Where the evidence actually stands

The earlier version of this article described the treatment as having scientifically significant effectiveness, a scientifically confirmed synergistic effect with tablets, and no serious side effects. That is more confident than the field is, and it has been rewritten.

The limitation that matters most when comparing clinics

This was absent from the earlier version and is the most practically useful thing on the page.

There is no single agreed protocol. Devices differ, the energy delivered differs, the number of sessions differs, where on the penis the probe is applied differs, and so does the spacing of treatments. A result obtained in one trial with one machine does not automatically transfer to a different device at a different setting.

The practical consequence for a man being quoted a price: ask what device is used, how many sessions, over how long, and what happens if it does not work. Two clinics offering shockwave therapy may be offering quite different treatments.

Shockwave therapy device used to deliver low-energy acoustic waves to the erectile tissue
Devices and energy settings vary between clinics, which is why results from one protocol do not simply transfer to another.

How long it lasts

The earlier version was straightforward about this and deserves credit for it, because many clinics are not: the effect fades. Roughly one man in ten has returned to his previous state by three months, and by two years more than four in ten have. Those figures are approximate, and the direction is not in doubt.

So this is a treatment with a maintenance schedule rather than a cure, and the cost of the maintenance belongs in the decision from the start. It should be discussed before the first session, not when the improvement starts slipping.

Who it suits, and who it does not

Where tablets and shockwave both fail, injection therapy and the full range of ED treatment including penile implant surgery remain — and an implant is a definitive solution with high satisfaction rather than a defeat.

Couple, illustrating that erectile dysfunction treatment is judged by what it changes in daily life
The treatment is judged by what changes in real life, not by a number on a scan.

A note on tablets

Where PDE5 inhibitors such as sildenafil or tadalafil are used alongside this treatment, one warning applies absolutely: they must never be combined with nitrates — including nitrate sprays, patches and tablets under the tongue used for angina — because the combination can cause a catastrophic drop in blood pressure. Tell whoever prescribes them about every heart medicine you take. Caution also applies alongside alpha blockers, which many men take for the prostate.

당일 진료가 필요한 증상

태국에서 응급 상황이 발생하면 다음 번호로 전화하십시오: 1669.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shockwave Therapy for ED

Does it work?

Randomised trials show improvement over sham treatment in men with mild to moderate vascular ED, with a modest average effect that is larger in milder disease. Guidance is divided — some bodies list it as an option in selected men, others still classify it as investigational. It is offered here with those limits explained beforehand. An earlier version of this article described it as scientifically validated, which was too strong.

How long do the results last?

They fade. Approximately one man in ten has relapsed by three months and more than four in ten by two years. It is a treatment with a maintenance schedule rather than a cure, and the cost of maintenance belongs in the decision from the outset.

Why do different clinics offer different protocols?

Because there is no single agreed one. Devices, energy levels, session numbers, application sites and spacing all vary, and results from one protocol do not automatically transfer to another. Ask what device is used, how many sessions, over how long, and what happens if it does not work.

Is it painful, and are there side effects?

Most men describe mild discomfort at most. There is no needle, no anaesthetic and no recovery time, and side effects are uncommon and minor — transient discomfort or redness. That is a fair description; describing any procedure as having no serious side effects at all is not.

Should I have my testosterone checked first?

Yes. Low testosterone is treated in its own right, and judging any ED treatment while it is uncorrected wastes both the treatment and the assessment. The same applies to uncontrolled diabetes and to a medication that may be causing the problem.

진료 상담 예약 안내

소라위 위러스폰 박사는 대만 카오슝의 창구룽 기념 병원에서 남성 질환 전문의 자격을 취득했으며, 남성 건강 환자를 진료합니다. Bangkok Hospital Headquarters 그리고 촌부리의 Samitivej Sriracha Hospital에서 진료하는 요일: 088-022-1445. Bring a list of your medicines and any recent blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol or testosterone results.

직접 내원하기 어려운 해외 환자분들을 포함한 환자분들을 위해 Bangkok Hospital 원격진료를 이용하실 수 있습니다. 비뇨기과 이메일로 미리 예약해 주세요: bhquro@bdms.co.th. Samitivej Sriracha는 대면 진료만 가능합니다. 비용에 관한 문의는 이 웹사이트가 아닌 병원에서 답변해 드립니다.

면책 조항: 이 콘텐츠는 Bangkok Hospital Headquarters의 비뇨의학과 전문의인 Dr. Soarawee Weerasopone이 작성하고 감수한 것으로, 교육 목적으로만 제공됩니다. 개인에 대한 의학적 조언, 진단 또는 처방이 아니며, 개인 메시지 채널이나 소셜 미디어를 통해서는 어떠한 조언, 진단 또는 처방도 제공되지 않습니다. Dr. Soarawee는 공개 소셜 미디어 계정을 운영하지 않으며, 그의 이름으로 개인 상담을 제안하는 모든 계정은 사기입니다. 태국에서 응급 상황이 발생하면 다음 번호로 전화하십시오: 1669.

의학적 작성 및 검토: 소아라위 웨라소폰 박사(Dr. Pom) — 방콕 병원 본점 공인 비뇨기과 전문의, 2016년부터 비뇨기과 진료 중. 수련: 대만 창 Gung 기념병원 로봇 수술(2019) · 연수: 도쿄 준텐도 대학 병원 내비뇨기과(2022) · 연구원 및 임상 참관인, 미국 베이로 의과대학 스콧 비뇨기과(2025–2026).

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