Five things to fix before treating ED
Shockwave therapy is a very effective treatment for erectile dysfunction. However, it is an investment in yourself and, as with any investment, you want to be sure to get the most out of it. At SageMED, we always ensure that we have given our patients the very best chance at success. Here is the top 5 action items that I recommend all guys take care of first.
Check your testosterone levels and ensure those are optimize first. I have had dozens of consults where a male patient was ready to pay out of pocket for shockwave and P-shot treatments and I insisted on getting this checked first. Turns out they were very low and simply prescribing optimal TRT resolved their ED. In most cases, the TRT and subsequent visits were covered by their insurance.
Stop smoking! I tell any guy that is still smoking that they have very little chance of success, and if they do get benefits, they will be short lived. You have be smoke free for at least a month prior to shockwave therapy.
Get the blood sugar under control. Diabetics and pre-diabetes actually get worse results than smokers if their blood sugar is not well controlled. I am glad to work with patients and their endocrinologist to get their A1C (the lab we use to track blood sugar problems) to less than 6.4%. At that time, shockwave will be much more effective.
Ease up on the booze! Let's face it. These COVID plagued years have gotten a lot of us hitting the bottle a lot more than usual. Keep it to 1 serving per day (none is best) for 1 month prior to shockwave therapy. Alcohol alone can cause ED.
Get your vitamins checked. The top 5 nutritional deficiencies I have seen in the last 11 years of practice are Vitamin D, Omega 3 fats, Folate, B12, and Magnesium. Recently iodine is becoming more and more frequent as well. Be sure to get these check and corrected, sometimes it can take up to three months to get these levels optimized.
Lots of patients are frustrated that their doctors don't know that they should (or know how to) check these things. We offer a complete package of integrative services at SageMED , and we accept most insurances for primary care services. I strongly suggest you see myself or one of the many great physicians at SageMED prior to getting shockwave therapy or any other expensive out of pocket service. It will greatly enhance your results and, in some cases, may be all you need.