Men’s sexual health: consultations and specialised services

The WHO considers sexual health essential for good self-esteem and a fulfilling life. “People reach the age of 50 very well, at which point a new life often begins. Relationships break up and new ones begin. People want healthy sex lives”, explains Dr. Cinthya Molina, head of the new Sexual Health unit at SHA Wellness Clinic.

Erectile dysfunction is one of the problems that most affects men’s sexual function, self-esteem, life satisfaction, and the quality of their intimate relationships.

The recently inaugurated SHA Wellness Clinic’s Sexual Health unit has a portfolio of services with cutting-edge technologies, backed by high quality scientific evidence that are applied in a personalised way, based on the needs of each person.

First, patients are assessed by experts who will offer psychological support and guidance, and determine which specialists and treatments will be the most appropriate.

Shockwave therapy is a highly useful, effective, and versatile tool available at the new Sexual Health unit.

The therapy is recommended for men who suffer from some degree of erectile dysfunction. Shockwaves have been used in urological practice for several years to treat urinary calculi (kidney stones). This same physical principle, but with low-energy, high-frequency waves, has proven effective in improving erectile dysfunction.

As Dr. Anna Baeza, coordinator of medical services and natural therapies at SHA Wellness Clinic, explains, the technique consists of a percussive hammer that delivers small blows to the penis area for 15 minutes. “These are low-intensity radio waves that extend about 40 millimetres deep and represent a controlled attack on the blood vessels to stimulate their regeneration and create new ones.

“Erection occurs because there is a concentration of blood during arousal that fills the corpora cavernosa of the penis. This therapy enhances that action”, explains Dr Baeza.

Shockwaves allow the formation of new blood vessels in the erectile tissue and relax the vascular endothelium. This improves blood circulation, which may have deteriorated due to pathologies, such as diabetes or the side effects of medication.

This therapy is the first to tackle erectile dysfunction, which in most cases is caused by a lack of blood supply to the penis. Candidates for this treatment are men who suffer from erectile dysfunction of vascular origin. That is, when the arteries of the penis are damaged due to vascular risk factors, such as smoking, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and stress.

Three to five sessions per week are recommended. Once completed, the effect of the therapy is long-lasting and the degree of satisfaction is very high. Between 70% and 80% of patients show a positive response rate. Six months after treatment, most have significantly improved their erections, and maintain the improvement in the medium term.
The treatment is painless. It produces a tingling sensation while the shockwaves are applied, but there is no pain and no reaction is generated in the area.

Another treatment available at SHA Wellness Clinic for men’s sexual health is High Intensity Inductive Therapy, which is very useful for urinary incontinence, a common problem in men over the age of 40.
“From this age onwards, the prostate thickens and develops a benign hypertrophy that can lead to urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. With this therapy, the pelvic floor is strengthened and urinary incontinence is substantially improved. In addition, due to its toning and regenerating effect on the blood vessels, it can also improve the quality of erections,” explains Dr Baeza.

At SHA Wellness Clinic, High Intensity Inductive Therapy is applied by physiotherapists who specialise in the pelvic floor. Before starting the therapy, patients undergo a medical assessment to determine the condition of their pelvic floor and personalised therapies are recommended.

The many benefits of HIIT include strengthening the pelvic floor, and improving urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. “Several sessions are needed to achieve optimal results, but many patients notice an improvement after a single session”, says Baeza. This treatment is not recommended for cancer patients or those with hip prostheses.

Lastly, the EMSELLA chair, also available at SHA Wellness Clinic, is a very effective and minimally invasive therapy to treat erection problems and urinary incontinence.

“The chair adapts to different areas of the body. It is a comfortable treatment, easy and painless,” says Dr. Baeza. The chair generates involuntary contractions that the patient will feel along with a slight tingling sensation. It is not unusual for patients to take advantage of the therapy time to read or rest. Each session lasts between 20 and 30 minutes and, according to need, three or four sessions may be recommended. At the end of each session, patients can resume their normal activities.

EMSELLA is not recommended for people with metal prostheses or those suffering from cancer.

When EMSELLA is combined with high-intensity inductive therapy, the strengthening of the pelvic floor area in men is optimised and the benefits are multiplied.

SHA Wellness Clinic prioritises male sexual health in its effort to provide a high degree of sexual wellbeing that improves quality of life, and makes people well-rounded and happy.