Shockwave Therapy vs. ED Medications

Patients often ask whether shockwave therapy replaces the pills they have heard about. The two are different approaches, and neither is universally better than the other.

Oral ED medications

Oral medications are established prescription options for appropriate patients. They are taken by prescription, reviewed against your other medications and medical history, and monitored by your clinician. We do not discuss dosing online — that conversation belongs in the office.

Low-intensity shockwave therapy

Shockwave therapy is a different, in-office treatment approach that applies low-intensity acoustic energy externally. It may be discussed for selected patients after a urologic evaluation, and it is being studied for its potential effects on blood flow and vascular function in erectile tissue.

How the choice is made

• Erectile dysfunction can have more than one contributing cause
• An evaluation looks at vascular, metabolic, hormonal, medication and urologic factors
• Treatment choice depends on that evaluation, not on picking a package first
• Depending on the patient, more than one approach may be discussed

The right treatment depends on the cause — which is why an evaluation comes first.

Talk it through

Our team can review your history, explain the options that may be appropriate for you, and help you understand what to expect. Palm Springs Urology Medical Group accepts Medicare and certain PPO plans; coverage varies by plan and by service.