| The
ability to get and keep an erection is more than a sexual
issue. It is part of your overall health. It can affect
how you feel about yourself.
More than 30 million men in the U.S.—and 152 million men
worldwide—have some kind of recurring erection difficulty.
Over half of all men over 40 are thought to have such changes.
But even some younger men say they have trouble getting
or keeping an erection.
If you experience a consistent inability to achieve a quality
erection, you're not alone.
What
Is Erectile Dysfunction?
Erectile
dysfunction (ED) is the term doctors use to describe difficulty
getting and/or maintaining an erection that is sufficient
for sexual intercourse.
Signs
and symptoms
Many,
if not most, men notice a change in their erections once
in
a while. They may have one or more of these problems:
Trouble
getting erections.
Trouble keeping erections.
Erections not firm enough for having sex.
Erections hard enough for sex, but weaker than they used
to be.
Less confidence about getting and/or keeping an erection.
Usually,
it's nothing to worry about. These difficulties may be caused
by feeling tired, stressed or having had a bit too much
alcohol to drink.
But
if it keeps happening, even if it doesn't happen every time
you want to have sex, you should talk to your doctor. Erection
difficulties could be a sign of another health problem.
Different
degrees
There
are different degrees of erection difficulties. Not every
man has the same symptoms. But you don't have to settle
for a sex life that's less than satisfying—for you or your
partner. No matter the degree of your symptoms, there's
something you can do about it.
You
can talk to your doctor, your best source for health information.
What
Affects Erectile Function?
Some
men assume the quality of their erections will naturally
decline with age. For some men, that may be true. But age
alone does NOT cause erection difficulties.
Instead,
the cause may be something that interferes with blood flow,
such as other health conditions, medicines and/or your lifestyle.
Health
conditions
Health
conditions that interfere with blood flow are a common cause
of erection difficulties. These conditions include diabetes,
heart disease, and high blood pressure. They restrict blood
flow by damaging blood vessels, nerves, or tissues involved
in getting and keeping an erection.
Diabetes
Diabetes
can affect the blood vessels and nerves involved in erections.
Many men with diabetes have erection difficulties. They
also tend to get these problems at a younger age than other
men.
High
blood pressure
High
blood pressure can cause blood vessels to stiffen or narrow.
This can restrict the flow of blood to the penis. Medicines
used to treat high blood pressure can also contribute to
erection difficulties.
Heart
disease and high cholesterol
Heart
disease and high cholesterol can affect blood flow to the
penis. Men treated for heart disease are four times as likely
as others to get severe erection difficulties.
Depression
Depression,
along with stress, anxiety, and fear of failure, can contribute
to erection difficulties. At the same time, men who have
changes in erection quality because of a physical cause
may feel depressed, stressed, or anxious.
Prostate
cancer treatment
Prostate
cancer treatment, including radiation and surgery, can injure
nerves and arteries near the penis.
Other
conditions that may cause erection difficulties or make
them worse include:
Get
more at www.1on1health.com
Visit www.1on1health.com to learn more about a number of
the conditions that can contribute to erection difficulties,
including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and depression.
Medication
Side Effects
Sometimes, the medicines prescribed to treat a health condition,
rather than the condition itself, can cause erection difficulties.
About 25% of men with erection difficulties can trace them
to medicines they take for other health problems. These
may include medicines used to treat:
-
High
blood pressure
-
Depression
-
Heart
disease
-
Anxiety
Be sure to follow your doctor's advice and take your medicines
as directed.
Talk
with your doctor about medications that can affect your
sex life. He or she may be able to prescribe a different
drug that may reduce or stop the problem.
Pharmacists
are also good sources of information. They can tell you
how medicines work together, and which drugs may affect
the quality of your erections.
Lifestyle
Some
lifestyle factors can cause or worsen erection difficulties.
They include:
Smoking
Smoking
damages blood vessels. It can cause the kind of blood-flow
problems that can keep you from getting and keeping an erection.
If you smoke you should talk to your healthcare provider
about ways to quit.
Too
much alcohol
Drinking
too much, whether at one sitting or over time, can affect
the quality of your erections.
Illegal
drugs
Drugs
like marijuana and cocaine take a toll on your ability to
get and keep erections. So can the anabolic steroids used
by some athletes.
Eating
habits
A
high-fat diet can lead to clogged arteries and poor blood
flow—a major cause of erection difficulties. High cholesterol
levels can increase your risk for erection difficulties.
But not all cholesterol is bad. Increasing your levels of
"good" (HDL) cholesterol and decreasing "bad" (LDL) cholesterol
can reduce your chances of having erection difficulties.
Here are some ways to do that:
Your healthcare provider is your best source of information
about your health. See your doctor if you have any questions
about health, symptoms, or medicines for you or your partner.
Making
the Diagnosis
If
you have erection difficulties, you're not alone. And doctors
are professionals who treat all kinds of health problems
every day. They also follow strict privacy rules.
Your
family doctor or internist may be able to pinpoint and treat
the cause. Or you may need to see a specialist. The important
thing is to find a doctor who makes you feel comfortable.
Several
types of doctors treat men who are concerned with changes
in erection quality. Here are some who can help:
-
Primary
care physicians. For many men this will be the first
professional they see. If the doctor feels you need
more specialized treatment, he or she may send you to
a specialist.
-
Urologists
treat diseases of the urinary tract and urogeni-tal
system. Your primary care doctor can recommend one.
You can also ask a hospital or health center in your
area. Some urologists require referrals.
- Other
specialists who treat sexual health issues include cardiologists
(heart specialists), endocrinologists (hormone and diabetes
specialists), and psychiatrists.
Types
of tests
Doctors
have several ways to find the cause of erection difficulties.
Your doctor may use simple interviews and questionnaires.
Or he or she may prefer more informal chats about lifestyle,
stress, and relationship problems.
Your doctor may then do a physical exam. Depending on those
results, your doctor may order tests, including:
-
Blood
tests to diagnose conditions like diabetes, anemia,
cholesterol, or liver and kidney problems.
-
Ultrasound,
which uses sound waves to produce images of blood flow
in the penis and the blood vessels that supply it.
-
Nerve
tests check the health of nerves that send stimulation
signals to the penis.
-
Injections
into the blood vessels of drugs that cause them to enlarge.
This allows blood to enter the penis more easily.
-
Measurements
of how fluid moves in the penis and blood vessels. This
is done with dyes that can be traced on x-rays.
Doctors
have several ways to find the cause of erection problems.
IMPROVING
Erectile Function
Having
trouble getting and keeping an erection can be very frustrating.
And no matter what your age or how mild or severe your symptoms
are, there is something you can do about it. You can talk
to your doctor.
Medications
Having
erection difficulties doesn't mean you have to give up on
your sex life. Several prescription medications are available
to treat erection difficulties. See your doctor to find
out if one might be right for you.
Oral
medications
Oral
medicines include pills that can help you get an erection.
Oral medicines do not cause an erection directly. Instead,
they work by allowing blood to flow more easily into the
penis once you are sexually stimulated.
After
you are finished having sex, the erection should go away.
Oral
medicines are discreet, easy to use, and convenient.
But they are not for everyone.
If
you have tried these in the past without success, talk to
your healthcare provider about new medicines available.
Your doctor can let you know if you're a good candidate
for one of these medicines.
Medicines
may be used by men who have erection difficulties once in
a while, and also by those who have them more often. Common
side effects can include:
-
Headache
-
Flushing
-
Stuffy nose
Side effects may vary with different medicines. Talk to
your healthcare provider about finding one that you tolerate
well.
Injections
With
injection therapy, you inject medicine into the side of
your penis to help you get an erection. These medicines
relax your blood vessels and allow blood to flow into the
penis. They cause an erection in 5 to 10 minutes. The erection
may last 30 to 90 minutes. You will need to get extensive
instruction from your doctor before starting this treatment.
Possible
side effects include:
Precautions: Seek care at once if you use
any medicine to treat erection problems and you have an
erection that lasts more than four hours. Call your doctor
if erection difficulties occur when there is:
-
Any
type of injury to the back, legs, buttocks, groin, penis,
or testicles.
-
A
loss of pubic or armpit hair, and growth of the breasts.
Other
Therapies & Devices
Oral
medicines are not the only way to treat erection difficulties.
Other methods include:
-
Hormone
therapy: Low testosterone levels can cause
erection difficulties. Hormone therapy raises testosterone
back to its normal level. It may be given through the
skin by a patch, by injection, or by mouth.
The most common method is by a patch. Side effects for
the patch can include skin rashes. Also, hormone therapy
may raise the risk of prostate cancer.
-
Vacuum
devices: A vacuum device includes a tube that
you place over the penis. You pump air out of the tube
to create an erection by suction. A ring you put around
the base of the penis helps keep the erection. The vacuum
draws blood into the penis and the ring "traps"
the blood inside.
These
devices are generally safe and effective. But
they should not be used for more than 30 minutes at
a time.
When you take off the ring, the erection goes down.
Disadvantages
may include a lack of spontaneity and coldness of the
penis. Some men also report difficulty and discomfort
with ejaculation. Side effects may include numbness
of the penis and/or bruising on the skin of the penis.
-
Surgery:
Penile implants are silicone cylinders that
are implanted by a surgeon. The cylinders, which are
either semi-rigid or inflatable, produce an erection.
The implants can be a good choice for some men with
erection difficulties. Many men report satisfaction
with this type of treatment. So do many of their partners.
As with any surgery, there may be discomfort as you
recover. There is a slight risk of infection.
This method can't be reversed.
-
Psychotherapy:
This involves talking to a psychiatrist, psychologist,
sex therapist, or other counselor about concerns—sexual
or otherwise—that can affect your ability to get
or keep an erection.
Lifestyle
Changes
No
matter what treatment your doctor prescribes for you, a
healthy lifestyle will help reduce your risk of erection
difficulties.
Quit
smoking
Experts
think smoking plays a role in the loss of erection function.
Quitting can help some men maintain their erectile function.
Control
diabetes
Diabetes
can affect arteries or nerve endings in the penis. Men with
diabetes are two to five times more likely to have changes
in erection quality. By age 70, more than 50% of men with
diabetes have some erection difficulties. Taking steps to
control your blood sugar can help prevent these problems.
Reduce
cholesterol
You
need healthy circulation for an erection. If your cholesterol
is high, your doctor may want you to reduce it through diet,
exercise, and, perhaps, medicine.
Avoid
substance abuse
Abuse
of alcohol or tobacco can contribute a lot to erection difficulties.
So does using marijuana, cocaine, and other illegal drugs.
Lose
weight
Overweight
men are more likely to have erection difficulties. Losing
weight can protect your health and your ability to get and
keep erections.
Exercise
A
recent, large-scale study showed that regular exercise can
reduce your risk of developing erection difficulties.
Reduce
stress and anxiety
Stress
and anxiety often trigger changes in erection function.
No
matter what treatment your doctor prescribes for you, a
healthy lifestyle will help reduce your risk of erection
difficulties. |
