The apparatus has a control device (2) activating a shock wave source (4) and comprising a program module (18) in which a predefined sequence of individual shock waves is stored or set. The shock wave source is controlled by the control device such that the shock wave source emits the predefined sequence of individual shock waves. The predefined sequence of individual shock waves of a different intensity is stored or set in the program module, and the control device is designed for producing different intensity courses in the sequence of individual shock waves.
