Erectile Dysfunction
What is Erectile Dysfunction (ED) and how do Pelvic Floor Physiotherapists treat it?
ED is the inability to attain or sustain an erection due to a variety of reasons. One of the common underlying causes is poor blood flow to the penis which can be a result of aging or disease or surgery.
Goal of treatment is to increase penile blood flow and improve pelvic floor muscle strength, and this is achieved by combining the following:
- Specific pelvic floor muscle exercises to improve erection function
- Shockwave Therapy
- Vacuum constriction devices
What is Shockwave Therapy and how does it improve ED?
Shockwave therapy is a very successful, non-invasive therapy that uses a handheld device to deliver low -frequency, acoustic shockwaves (not electrical shocks) to the base and shaft of the penis. The shockwaves break down any restrictions in the tissue, stimulate new blood vessels to grow in the area and therefore improve blood flow and quality of erections.
Hassle FREE ONLINE appointment booking
You may book your appointment online with us. Please note that confirmation may take up to 24 hours.
FAQ
Does Shockwave Therapy hurt?
Who provides the Shockwave treatments?
How long does each treatment take?
How many treatments do I need?
Is a referral required?
Will the treatments be covered by my Insurance Company?
What does research say?
Recent study published in BMC Urology in 2019 showed that:
A pelvic floor muscle exercise program commenced prior to prostate surgery enhanced post-surgical measures of pelvic floor muscle function, reduced incontinence and improved quality of life.
The Early Use of Vacuum Therapy for Penile Rehabilitation After Radical Prostatectomy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis published in American Journal of Men’s Health in 2018 showed that early use of vacuum therapy appears to have excellent therapeutic effect on post radical prostatectomy patients and no serious side effects were identified
Can low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy improve erectile dysfunction? A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study Anne B. Olsen, Marie Persiani, Sidsel Boie, Milad Hanna and Lars Lund published in 2014 in Scandinavian Journal of Urology showed that shockwave therapy does yield positive results in men with ED and further long term studies need to be conducted.
Things that most men wish they knew?
- That they have a pelvic floor
- Any change in erectile function may indicate onset of heart disease
- Physiotherapy is not something men would think of to help their ED. However, specialized pelvic floor physiotherapy focused on the pelvic floor muscles improves erection function
- Starting pelvic floor muscle exercise program prior to prostate surgery improves incontinence and quality of life
- Drinking alcohol especially beer can worsen urinary incontinence
- Regular exercise after prostate cancer diagnosis can lead to lower prostate cancer mortality
Hassle FREE ONLINE appointment booking
You may book your appointment online with us. Please note that confirmation may take up to 24 hours.
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