Shockwave therapy for ED in Taichung: your first visit, step by step
You have decided on low-intensity shockwave therapy (Li-ESWT) for erectile dysfunction (ED). Now you want to know three things: what happens at the first visit, whether treatment can start that day, and how costs are worked out.
This page answers only those three. For how it works, the guidelines and the research, see the full page at the end.
Explained by Dr. Chao-An Chen, urologist, at 昭安泌尿科診所 (Morning Urology Clinic), West District, Taichung.
In short
- Who does it: a urologist in person, Dr. Chao-An Chen or Dr. Kai-Wu Yang. You can choose when you book. It is never handed to staff who are not medical professionals.
- First visit: history, a sexual function questionnaire and erection hardness grading, a physical examination, and blood tests if needed. Allow 30–60 minutes, including a first session if done that day.
- Same day? Possible, if the doctor finds no contraindication and conditions allow.
- The session: outside the body, no anaesthesia, about 15–20 minutes, in a private room on the third floor. Book shockwave times on LINE first.
- Costs: based on the number of sessions. Costs are explained at the consultation. You can also ask about costs on LINE before you come.
No clear problem, but you want “maintenance”?
You are welcome to come and first measure your own baseline. But no research has shown that shockwave therapy can prevent ED. The European Association of Urology (EAU) gives it a weak recommendation for vascular ED (ED caused by blood vessel problems). In the studies the EAU reviewed, improvement was mostly mild, the machines and courses differed a lot, and not everyone responded clearly.
You can arrange a single session or a weekly course. At follow-up the doctor compares your results with the first baseline, and then you decide whether to continue.
Six questions: is a full assessment worth it?
Answer for the last six months. This is not a diagnostic tool, and not a list of reasons for shockwave therapy.
- Erections are less firm than before, or not firm enough for sex.
- Erections start well but often go soft during sex.
- Fewer morning erections, or they are less firm than before.
- You take an oral PDE5 inhibitor (the usual tablets for erections), but it works less than hoped, or you do not want to rely on a tablet every time.
- You have diabetes, high blood pressure or high blood fats, or you smoke or drink alcohol regularly.
- You have had pelvic or prostate surgery, or an injury to the pelvis or perineum (the area between the scrotum and the anus).
- Questions 4–6 are background and history, not severity. If any applies, mention it at the consultation.
- The number of “yes” answers does not show whether shockwave therapy suits you. A “yes” to question 6 may mean a nerve-related cause, where shockwave therapy usually helps less.
- This check is for your own reference and does not replace a doctor’s diagnosis.
No “yes” but you want “maintenance”? Come and measure a baseline. Some “yes” answers? Tell the doctor how your erections have changed, your long-term conditions and your medicines. One consultation is usually enough to see the direction.
Your first visit in four steps
- Arrival. Book a time on LINE. You do not need to fast, but if blood tests may be needed, a morning visit is easier. Bring photos of all your medicines, including supplements. Some medicines can affect erections.
- History and questionnaires. How long has it been? Did it start slowly or suddenly? Do you still have morning erections? Is it different alone and with a partner? How well do your medicines work? What long-term conditions and surgery have you had? Standard questionnaires (IIEF-5 / EHS) turn “it feels worse” into numbers you can compare later. A sudden change with normal morning erections is handled very differently from a slow decline over years with diabetes, high blood pressure or high blood fats. This step is usually the most important part.
- Examination and blood tests. Tests depend on your situation and often include blood sugar, blood fats and testosterone. Low testosterone is never decided from one test: there should also be symptoms, and a second early-morning fasting total testosterone test on another day. Penile duplex Doppler ultrasound is not a routine test, and this clinic does not do it.
- The plan. Shockwave therapy (single session or weekly course); changing the dose or timing of your tablets; treating low testosterone first; controlling blood sugar, blood pressure and blood fats first; or psychological support. Often several together.
A treatment session
A probe works on the surface of the penis and perineum through a coupling gel. Nothing goes inside the body, and no anaesthesia is needed. A urologist does it in person (Dr. Chao-An Chen or Dr. Kai-Wu Yang). The manufacturer’s English operating manual also states that only trained medical professionals may operate the device.
- Most people feel only light tapping. A few find it uncomfortable; tell the doctor at any time and it is adjusted.
- About 15–20 minutes. Usually no recovery time is needed. The doctor tells you whether you can have sex the same day.
- Any effect needs time to build up, and not everyone responds clearly. The doctor explains this before the course starts.
Had a course, but less change than hoped? A reassessment checks the type of cause again and what can be changed: blood sugar and blood fats, testosterone, your full medicine list, sleep, smoking and alcohol. It does not mean going straight into a second course. Other options (adjusting tablets, penile injections, a vacuum erection device) are covered in reassessment when tablets do not work well (Chinese).
How the course is arranged and how costs work
| Type | Focused, electromagnetic shockwaves. Most clinical studies used focused shockwaves. |
| Sessions | Usually once a week, generally 6–12, adjusted to how you respond. The approved Chinese product information recommends, for vascular ED, 6 sessions in total, 2 a week, with a one-week interval. Our plan may differ, and is explained before the course. More sessions do not mean a better result. |
| Costs | Based on the number of sessions arranged. Costs are explained at the consultation. You can also ask about costs on LINE before you come. The plan, any medicines and costs are decided after the doctor sees you. |
| With PLT | Freeze-dried platelet (PLT) injections are always combined with a shockwave course here. Their evidence level differs from shockwave therapy. See PLT preparation and aftercare (Chinese). |
The device: STORZ Medical (Switzerland) DUOLITH SD1 T-TOP, Ministry of Health and Welfare licence 衛部醫器輸字第 031091 號, used in focused (F-SW) mode for ED. By the manufacturer’s specifications, it produces shockwaves electromagnetically and focuses them with a parabolic reflector. Approved indications include chronic pelvic pain syndrome / chronic non-bacterial prostatitis, vascular erectile dysfunction, and Peyronie’s disease. Indications, contraindications and side effects follow the approved Chinese product information.
When to assess first, and side effects
General precautions. If any applies, it is usually treated or clarified first, before deciding on a course:
- an open wound, broken skin or acute infection in the treatment area;
- a known clotting problem, or use of anticoagulant or antiplatelet medicines (blood thinners);
- recent surgery on the penis or perineum, with a wound not yet settled;
- a penile implant (such as a penile prosthesis), or another implanted device in the treatment area;
- a cancer in the treatment area that is untreated or still being treated;
- thrombosis (a blood clot), anywhere in the body;
- corticosteroid (cortisone) use within 6 weeks before the first session;
- age under 18.
Possible side effects in the approved product information: swelling, redness, haematoma (a collection of blood) or bruising, and pain at the treatment site; skin changes in people who used corticosteroids before. These usually settle within about 5 to 10 days.
Two situations need a separate assessment, because the treatment goal differs. With hardened plaques or a clear curve of the penis (Peyronie’s disease), the structural problem and the aim must be checked first. With ED after prostate cancer surgery, it depends on nerve sparing, time since surgery and severity.
The product information notes that its contraindications do not cover every situation. Its six contraindications and warnings are listed on the full shockwave page, under risks and limits. Tell the doctor about your medicines, long-term conditions and past surgery. Whether it suits you is decided by the doctor, following the device product information approved by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Privacy questions you may feel shy to ask
How much do I undress? Who is in the room?
Only the treatment area is uncovered; the rest is covered with a drape. The room is private with the door closed. Dr. Chao-An Chen or Dr. Kai-Wu Yang does it in person (choose when you book). You can ask questions or ask to pause at any step.
Will I meet someone I know?
The clinic has private consulting rooms and separate routes. You do not need to explain why you are here in the waiting area, and the doctor takes you straight to the third-floor treatment room. The receipt shows “low-intensity shockwave”. Medical records are protected by law; except where the law requires, the clinic tells no one about your visit. If you have concerns, such as how we contact you or follow-up times, tell us when you book.
What if I get an erection during treatment?
A partial erection is a common body reaction. It is not abnormal and does not affect treatment, and the team knows it is part of the process. If you feel uncomfortable, say so and treatment can pause. Having none is also normal; it does not show whether treatment works.
Read next
- Shockwave therapy for ED: the full page. How it works, focused versus radial shockwaves, the EAU recommendation, the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA) warning on radial pressure waves, courses, costs, side effects and limits.
- Low testosterone: self-assessment. Weaker erections often come with low testosterone, so blood tests and a metabolic check together are advised. If your tablets work unevenly, ask whether a daily low-dose PDE5 inhibitor could suit you.
Appointments and access
Consultations are conducted in Mandarin, and can also be conducted in English.
Book shockwave times on LINE first. You can also ask on LINE, in writing, about costs, times and the first visit. You do not need to explain why you are here in the waiting area.
昭安泌尿科診所 (Morning Urology Clinic)
No. 98, Boguan 2nd St., West District, Taichung City 403, Taiwan（403 臺中市西區博館二街98號）
Consulting hours: Monday to Saturday (closed Sunday). Online booking is open 24 hours.
This page was produced by 昭安泌尿科診所 (Morning Urology Clinic). Medical content last updated: October 2026 (same as the Traditional Chinese version). English version published: 5 November 2026. Medically reviewed by Dr. Chao-An Chen, urologist.
Sources: EAU Guidelines on Sexual and Reproductive Health: Management of Erectile Dysfunction, 2026 edition / Chinese product information approved by the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration.
This page provides general medical information and does not replace an individual diagnosis or treatment plan. Indications, risks and costs need a face-to-face assessment by a doctor.