Ed-Not A Matter Of Shame, Anymore

Among the many diseases that strike men, one is very special because it strikes not only the body but the soul. This term ‘erectile dysfunction’ is enough to strike fear into the vast majority of men (and women too if surveys are to be believed). Although there are many other much more dangerous diseases, some of them even lethal, but erectile dysfunction is a delicate matter because it affects the intimate life of a man. One thing is for sure that nine times out of ten it can cause deep long lasting psychological scars if not treated carefully and properly.

Erectile dysfunction includes multiple sexual disorders, but most often it is considered to be the persistent inability to have an erection or to maintain it for a sufficient amount of time. Erectile dysfunction is often called impotence though this is not precise, because impotence includes other symptoms, like the absence of sexual desire or ejaculation difficulties. Erectile dysfunction may include a total and permanent lack of erection, or be a temporary state only. The reasons for erectile dysfunction are many, and therefore there is no universal treatment that helps in all cases. For instance, for older men erectile dysfunction can have physical origins (diseases, injury, etc.) in addition to psychological ones. However it can be a warning sign of other illnesses that can be killers.

Impaired blood flow is the number one culprit in most erectile dysfunction cases. This means that blood is not flowing efficiently throughout the body, including the blood that flows to the penis during sexual arousal. There are various medical conditions that can lead to impaired blood flow. These include: diabetes, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, cardiac problems, and other heart or blood related medical conditions. Incidents of erectile dysfunction often increase with age. In senior adults, it is estimated that nearly 40 percent of erectile dysfunction cases are the result of hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis. Nerve disorders also cause erectile dysfunction. The nervous system plays a major role in determining how our sex lives play out. Damage to the nervous system anywhere in the body can result in erectile dysfunction. Nervous system damage can be incurred from spinal injuries, strokes, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurological disorders. When the nervous system is damaged, the brain may no longer be capable of sending out the signals and messages that convey sexual arousal. Endocrine disorders are also commonly related to erectile dysfunction. Endocrine problems may include low hormone levels, particularly low levels of testosterone. Endocrine disorders also occur in the pituitary gland. As men age, their body produces less and less testosterone. This reduction in testosterone levels can cause men to experience more frequent incidents of sexual impotence as they age.

In about 10-20% of the cases of erectile dysfunction reported to most doctors, psychological factors are the root cause. This has led to a condition that most medical practitioners now refer to as "psychological erectile dysfunction". There are whole numbers of potential causes that can prevent the triggering of the normal mental procedures required for the average man to be able to achieve an erection. These can include stress, relationship problems or other forms of psychological illnesses that can prevent the brain from imitating the signals required for an erection. Often it can be quite simply down to depression or anxiety. A recent medical survey reported that almost twice as many men who were suffering from depression and had associated anxiety issues exhibited signs of erectile dysfunction than men who weren’t depressed. It doesn’t matter if at the end of the day, the cause of an incidence of erectile dysfunction can be traced to something non psychological, the emotional turmoil that this causes is quite extensive. This in itself can lead to many potential knock on effects.

Just like causes, there are many treatment options available for this problem of men’s sexual health. Psychotherapy is a very powerful treatment because often, erectile dysfunction is not due to a medical condition, but is the result of emotional stress. In psychotherapy the role and the attitude of the partner is very important. Modern men take pills for everything, and erectile dysfunction is no exception. In addition to the famous viagra (approved by the food and drug administration in 1998), which was the first oral medication for erectile dysfunction, there are other popular drugs that act similarly to viagra (sildenafil) for instance, cialis (tadalafil) and vardenafil (levitra) also stimulate the flow of blood to the penis, thus making it easier to get an erection when there is sexual stimulation. But before resorting to erectile dysfunction drugs, consult your doctor because there are cases (for instance a recent heart attack) when you should not even think about them. In the rare cases where the reason for erectile dysfunction is testosterone deficiency, hormone replacement therapy might be enough.

So if you are frequently experiencing erectile dysfunction, and this does not change when psychological causes are removed, it is time to see a doctor who could more precisely identify the causes and prescribe treatment to make you alright again.