A device, in particular a therapy device, for the application of acoustic shock waves aimed at a region to be treated in a human or animal body and comprising a housing with a coupling surface for coupling the shock waves into the body to be treated, a shock wave generating device and a means suitable for focusing the shock waves, in which the shock wave generating device and the means suitable for focusing the shock waves are enclosed in a housing and designed such that they can be moved relative to the coupling surface.