Shocking Alternative to Viagra:
The First Real Alternative to Viagra in 15 Years?

Viagra (a prescription-only medication) is the most popular treatment for erectile dysfunction (also known as "impotence"), and has been for over 15 years.

But the little blue pill could soon be a thing of the past, as a totally new form of treatment, sound wave therapy (which is still in clinical trials), could be offered instead.

During a recent meeting of the European Society for Sexual Medicine in Madrid, Spain, it was proposed that, according to recent studies, extra-corporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) could provide a long-term treatment for erectile dysfunction.

In a Scandinavian study of the potential effectiveness of ESWT, 112 men with erectile dysfunction took part. Half of the men received five weekly doses of low-intensity sound waves to six parts of their penis. The other 56 men were given a placebo (a treatment, such as a tablet, that does not contain an active ingredient/component).

At the start of the study none of the men were able to have penetrative sex without medication. However, by the end of the study 57% of the men who received the low-intensity sound waves (via ESWT) said they could have sex without medication, in contrast to the 9% who were given a placebo.

Ilan Gruenwald of the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel, said that the treatment seemed to enhance blood flow to the penis by encouraging the growth of new blood vessels. If this is correct, then treatment could be long-lasting.

Even though ESWT is offered in some clinics around the world, Trinity Bivalacqua at Johns Hopkins University and Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, said that he would not offer ESWT to his patients just yet, as treatment protocols need to be standardised. However, he is confident for the future of the therapy: "I've been a sceptic, but IÕm becoming a believer."

So, until ESWT actually becomes available, if you, or someone you love, have been diagnosed with ED, then perhaps prescription medication (such as Cialis, Levitra, or Viagra) would be an appropriate treatment.

For more information about ED or prescription medication to treat it, or for a free private online consultation (with a UK GMC-registered doctor) about treatment for the condition, please CLICK HERE.

For more info about ESWT, see: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2077807-sound-wave-therapy-is-first-alternative-to-viagra-in-15-years/