DIY Shockwave Therapy Machine

Hello all,
I’ve been encountering some interesting anecdotes about the efficacy of ultrasonic shockwave therapy for ED, which is often paired with the claim that the therapy induces the penis to produce new blood vessels. The therapy itself in a clinic costs about $4000 for 12 sessions, and a pre-packaged machine costs about $1200. I’m starting this thread in the interest of coming to a meticulous understanding of shockwave therapy in the further interest of perhaps formulating a rudimentary design for a home-made shockwave device, if it turns out that such a thing is feasible.

My suspicion is that these machines are quite simple, generating and transmitting ultrasonic vibrations at a set frequency. This really shouldn’t be too hard to build if that’s the case, but I’m not a technical, electrical or mechanical adept so if those with some applicable knowledge base on the forum feel like chiming in, I feel sure we can either come to a DIY solution that makes this prospective therapy more accessible, or at least rule it out.

My initial thought is a simple circuit powering an ultrasonic piezo-transducer at a variable frequency range, with the right housing/casing, would be functionally identical to these $1200 machines.

Right now I’m looking over some datasheets from a google search on “ed shock wave therapy datasheet frequency,” in the interest of figuring out what frequency range the machine operates in.

Anyway, further input from the technical minded is greatly appreciated!

Link to a datasheet on one of these machines, go to page 17 for technical specs:

My question is how different are they from a tens unit? Is it not a similar concept?

A little bit more researching and I’m getting a better handle on the process (from watching youtube videos of the machines in action).
It looks like what we’ll end up needing is a 1-3MHz piezo transducer and a control circuit that will output short bursts of 1-3MHz pulses at a given frequency per minute. In other words, we need to get a piezo to output between 60 and ~200 short bursts of ultrasonic vibrations (1-3MHz) per minute.
I honestly don’t think this would be too hard! If anybody’s familiar with Arduino circuitry, consumer-level near laymans can do pretty cool programming without having to learn too much.
I imagine if this ends up coming to fruition, well end up with an ultrasonic transducer mounted on some sort of PVC wand hooked up to an arduino-controlled power supply, which will get the piezo to mimic the vibration patterns of these machines.

More datasheets and links, with some faint hints at the technical operating specs
(page 29)

1-3MHz piezo
Ultrasonic Transducer For Massage 3MHz 25mm - SMMSG25F3000 - STEMINC - Piezoceramic Discs, Plates, Transformers, Bimorphs and Cylinders

crucial info on the theory behind the therapy overall:
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Review - PMC

Hey Kings,
My understanding of Tens units is that they are applying electrical stimulation, while the shockwave therapy machines I’m referring to are supplying acoustic vibrational shockwaves, not different from the shockwaves of a speaker, but at a frequency range that interfaces directly with vascular structures.
I’ve had Tens electro therapy before on a back injury, very different thing, although I wonder if it utilizes a similar physiological response system.

Thanks for explaining it! My first thought was that they were doing similar things. I own a tens unit for the same reason. What sucks is I had (had being the key word)some other little machine that now sounds similar to shockwave. It was prescribed after my spinal fusion to heal faster. Of course it got thrown out. Those days are a fog so I can’t say for sure what it was. I just hope I didn’t throw out a free device!

Damn! Well, if it was a nerve damage therapy, from what I gather chances are it was an electro-stimulation device as opposed to one of these ESWT machines. I think those tend to be cheaper anyway, don’t sweat it!

Spinal fusion!? Wow, man that sounds nuts!

Another crucial component, not the wavelength, but the duration of the 1-3MHz pulse, seems to be laid out in one of the studies I’ve been glancing over:
"The duration of each wave is often less than 10 µs and can be divided into a compressive phase with peak acoustics of 30 to 100 MPa followed by a negative pressure tensile phase…"
Low-Intensity Shock Wave Therapy and Its Application to Erectile Dysfunction - PMC

What a negative pressure tensile phase is, I have no idea. Perhaps this just means the duration between pulses, negative pressure in that no force is being applied?

All of this seems pretty doable to somebody with some basic arduino/programming knowledge, which unfortunately is not me. I’m open to trying to learn though.

Perhaps integral to the timing circuit:
How to Build an Adjustable Square Wave Generator Circuit with a 555 Timer

The square wave oscillations will give us the "on" vibrations, and we should be able to attenuate amplitude or the ultrasonic output power by varying the input voltage.
Another square wave oscillator in the circuit will give us our pulse per minute frequency (10-200) with a set duty cycle on this oscillator determining the duration of each pulse.
Edit: Perhaps a duty cycle isn’t the best option for setting the pulse duration, as 10 µs is such an unbelievable tiny fraction of what that oscillator will be set at. I’m not sure what’ll be the best bet for getting us that 10 µs burst of square waves.

I think this should be a fairly simple circuitry project! My only worry is that I’m misunderstanding some huge essential dimension, haha.

Maybe this will be the key. A "pulse circuit":
https://www.ele ctronicdesign.c … r-pulse-circuit

Sounds like putting your penis in a sonic cleaner

I shall follow this thread with interest

Sorry, I didn’t mean to make trivial of this and the previous post on the subject, it was just what sprang to my mind.

I have a shockwave device. I think if you tap yourself with the edge of a wooden hair brush you get the same effect. You can try putting something in between your skin and the brush that will let only the sound waves pass through. It doesn’t seem very complicated, in fact, there are a lot of massage therapies based on tapping and my opinion is that this is what it is.

I can’t really say with any confidence that it helps more than basic PE stuff discussed in all these threads. It’s not a holy grail.

Oh, and that biohacker that posts on the internet about red light, P shot and shockwave to me is exaggerating a lot or he is a great first responder/highly suggestible/susceptible to placebo more than average.

Good advice! Thanks for the input!
Man, if this is a $3000 wooden spoon…wow!
Makes me wonder if we can get some rough analysis on the acoustic resonance properties of tapping your penis with a wooden spoon, haha!
Based on one of these NCBI articles, it does look like the trigger for the adaptive response does sit within a relatively narrow frequency range, so maybe there’s a little bit more to the ESWT than that but jfc, at this point, who knows. Not sure I can bring myself to sitting alone at home slapping my penis with a wooden spoon though…

Ha!

Just remember when they do the scientific studies, for accuracy they will indicate what frequency/dosage etc they used to show a result. It doesn’t mean someone decided that’s the only one that works. For example, there are red light studies that mention what frequency they tested but when you look at other studies and literature, the effective frequencies are all over the place.

I know there are very old Indian and Chinese therapies based on tapping.

(Just more light heart-ed observation)

If you operate a piece of equipment that vibrates for long periods, you can end up with Industrial White Finger, now I don’t want to go to my doctor and be diagnosed with Industrial White Penis, caused by a home made ultrasonic device.

But that said, vibrations are very pleasent, and may reward the user.

I have a girlfriend that I think has Industrial White Clitoris from the hours of wand use just, a thought.

For a start, you are mixing up mhz and khz.