What is Erectile dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction (impotence) is the inability to get and keep an erection firm enough for sex.
Having erection trouble from time to time is not necessarily a cause for concern. If erectile dysfunction is an ongoing issue, however, it can cause stress, affect your self-confidence and contribute to relationship problems. Problems getting or keeping an erection also can be a sign of an underlying health condition that needs treatment and a risk factor for heart disease down the road.
Symptoms
Erectile dysfunction symptoms might include persistent:
Trouble getting an erection
Trouble keeping an erection
Reduced sexual desire
Causes
Male sexual arousal is a complex process that involves the brain, hormones, emotions, nerves, muscles and blood vessels. Erectile dysfunction can result from a problem with any of these.
Likewise, stress and mental health concerns can cause or worsen erectile dysfunction.
Sometimes a combination of physical and psychological issues causes erectile dysfunction. For instance, a minor physical condition that slows your sexual response might cause anxiety about maintaining an erection. The resulting anxiety can lead to or worsen erectile dysfunction.
Physical causes of erectile dysfunction
In most cases, erectile dysfunction is caused by something physical. Common causes include:
Heart disease
Clogged blood vessels (atherosclerosis)
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Obesity
Metabolic syndrome- a condition involving increased blood pressure, high insulin levels, body fat around the waist and high cholesterol
Parkinsons disease
Multiple sclerosis
Peyronies disease-development of scar tissue inside the penis
Certain prescription medications
Tobacco use
Alcoholism and other forms of substance abuse
Sleep disorders
Treatments for prostate cancer or enlarged prostate
Surgeries or injuries that affect the pelvic area or spinal cord
Psychological causes of erectile dysfunction
The brain plays a key role in triggering the series of physical events that cause an erection, starting with feelings of sexual excitement. A number of things can interfere with sexual feelings and cause or worsen erectile dysfunction. These include:
Depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions
Stress
Relationship problems due to stress, poor communication or other concerns
Western Medicine Treatment
The first thing your doctor will do is to make sure you are getting the right treatment for any health conditions that could be causing or worsening your erectile dysfunction.
Depending on the cause and severity of your erectile dysfunction and any underlying health conditions, you might have various treatment options. Your doctor can explain the risks and benefits of each treatment and will consider your preferences. Your partners preferences also might play a role in your treatment choices.
Oral medications
Oral medications are a successful erectile dysfunction treatment for many men. They include:
Sildenafil (Viagra)
Tadalafil (Cialis)
Vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn)
Avanafil (Stendra)
All four medications
Enhance the effects of nitric oxide-a natural chemical your body produces that relaxes muscles in the penis. This increases blood flow and allows you to get an erection in response to sexual stimulation.
Taking one of these tablets will not automatically produce an erection. Sexual stimulation is needed first to cause the release of nitric oxide from your penile nerves. These medications amplify that signal, allowing men to function normally. Oral erectile dysfunction medications are not aphrodisiacs, will not cause excitement and are not needed in men who get normal erections.
The medications vary in dosage, how long they work and side effects. Possible side effects include flushing, nasal congestion, headache, visual changes, backache and stomach upset.
Your doctor will consider your particular situation to determine which medication might work best. These medications might not fix your erectile dysfunction immediately. You might need to work with your doctor to find the right medication and dosage for you.
Before taking any medication for erectile dysfunction, including over-the-counter supplements and herbal remedies, get your doctors OK. Medications for erectile dysfunction might not work or might be dangerous if you:
Take nitrate drugs-commonly prescribed for chest pain (angina)-such as nitroglycerin (Minitran, Nitro-Dur, Nitrostat, others), isosorbide mononitrate (Monoket) and isosorbide dinitrate (Dilatrate-SR, Isordil)
Have very low blood pressure (hypotension) or uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension)
Have severe liver disease
Have kidney disease that requires dialysis
Other medications
Other medications for erectile dysfunction include:
Alprostadil self-injection. With this method, you use a fine needle to inject alprostadil (Caverject Impulse, Edex) into the base or side of your penis. In some cases, medications generally used for other conditions are used for penile injections on their own or in combination. Examples include papaverine, alprostadil and phentolamine.
Each injections generally produces an erection that lasts about an hour. Because the needle used is very fine, pain from the injection site is usually minor.
Side effects can include bleeding from the injection, prolonged erection (priapism) and formation of fibrous tissue at the injection site.
Alprostadil urethral suppository. Alprostadil intraurethral (Muse) therapy involves placing a tiny alprostadil suppository inside your penis in the penile urethra. You use a special applicator to insert the suppository into your penile urethra.
The erection usually starts within 10 minutes and lasts between 30 and 60 minutes. Side effects can include pain, minor bleeding in the urethra and formation of fibrous tissue inside your penis.
Testosterone replacement. Some men have erectile dysfunction that might be complicated by low levels of the hormone testosterone. In this case, testosterone replacement therapy might be recommended as the first step.
Penis pumps, surgery and implants
If medications are not effective or appropriate in your case, your doctor might recommend a different treatment. Other treatments include:
Penis pumps. A penis pump (vacuum erection device) is a hollow tube with a hand-powered or battery-powered pump. The tube is placed over your penis, and then the pump is used to suck out the air inside the tube. This creates a vacuum that pulls blood into your penis.
Once you get an erection, you slip a tension ring around the base of your penis to hold in the blood and keep it firm. You then remove the vacuum device.
The erection typically lasts long enough for a couple to have sex. You remove the tension ring after intercourse. Bruising of the penis is a possible side effect, and ejaculation will be restricted by the band. Your penis might feel cold to the touch.
If a penis pump is a good treatment choice for you, your doctor might recommend or prescribe a specific model. That way, you can be sure it suits your needs and that it's made by a reputable manufacturer. Penis pumps available in magazines and sex ads might not be safe or effective.
Penile implants. This treatment involves surgically placing devices into both sides of the penis. These implants consist of either inflatable or semirigid rods. Inflatable devices allow you to control when and how long you have an erection. The semirigid rods keep your penis firm but bendable.
Penile implants are usually not recommended until other methods have been tried first. Implants have a high degree of satisfaction among men who have tried and failed more conservative therapies. As with any surgery, there is a risk of complications, such as infection.
Blood vessel surgery. Rarely, leaking or obstructed blood vessels can cause erectile dysfunction. In this case, surgical repair, such as vascular stenting or a bypass procedure, might be needed.
Psychological counseling
If your erectile dysfunction is caused by stress, anxiety or depression-or the condition is creating stress and relationship tension-your doctor might suggest that you, or you and your partner, visit a psychologist or counselor.