Contents
- 1 What is Erectile Dysfunction?
- 2 How Does an Erection Work?
- 3 What are the Causes of Erectile Dysfunction?
- 4 What are the Symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction?
- 5 How is Erectile Dysfunction Treated?
- 6 What are the Risk Factors of Erectile Dysfunction?
- 7 How can Erectile Dysfunction be Prevented?
- 8 Bottom Line
What is Erectile Dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction, or ED is a common sex problem affecting many men worldwide. When you have erectile dysfunction, you find it difficult to attain or maintain an erection to have sex. Erectile dysfunction can affect your self-confidence, cause stress, and lead to relationship problems.
Although it is normal to experience ED during times of stress and hardship but it becomes a problem when it happens often. However, frequent erectile dysfunction can be a sign of underlying health conditions that require medical attention.
If you have erectile dysfunction, talk to your doctor without seeing it as an embarrassing issue. The condition is now well understood and there are effective treatments for it.
How Does an Erection Work?
An erection occurs as a result of more blood flow into the penis. Increased blood flow to the penis occurs when you are sexually aroused or when there is direct contact with the penis. As a result of sexual arousal, muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and hormones all work together to make your penis grow rigid.
After some time, the accumulated blood in the penis flows out through penile veins, and muscles contract. This is when an erectile end.
When you are relaxed or not sexually aroused, the penis remains limp and soft. The size of the penis varies with warmth or cold depending on the balance of blood coming and leaving the penis.
What are the Causes of Erectile Dysfunction?
There are many causes of erectile dysfunction, and they can be both physical and psychological causes. The physical causes of erectile dysfunction include:
- Diabetes
- Metabolic syndrome and Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Atherosclerosis (clogged blood vessels)
- High cholesterol
- Certain medications
- Alcoholism, smoking, and substance use
- Hormonal disorder, including testosterone deficiency
- Kidney disease
- Structural disorders of the penis
The psychological factors that cause ED include:
- Anxiety
- Depression and mental conditions
- Stress
- Relationship problems
All these factors can easily lead to erectile dysfunction. You must talk with your doctor so that they can treat underlying conditions causing ED.
What are the Symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction?
Sometimes it is normal to not achieve an erection, especially when you are going through emotional stress or anxiety. However, when you are unable to achieve an erection even when you are okay, this can be a sign of erectile dysfunction. Other main symptoms of erectile dysfunction include:
- Finding it difficult to maintain an erection during sex
- Reduced interest in sex
- Trouble getting an erection
People with ED experience other sexual disorders, such as premature ejaculation, delayed ejaculation and finding it hard to achieve orgasm even after stimulation. If you have any of these symptoms and they have lasted for more than 3 months, talk to a doctor. Your medical history and tests will the doctor know if the symptoms are caused by an underlying health condition or psychological cause.
How is Erectile Dysfunction Treated?
The treatment for erectile dysfunction depends on the main underlying cause. There are many treatment options, including therapy or medications.
1. Medications
If you have ED, your doctor may prescribe medications that will work best for you. There are drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) known as PDE type-5 inhibitors. These drugs increase blood flow to the penis. Some of these drugs include:
- Sildenafil (Viagra)
- Tadalafil
- Vardenadil (Staxyn, Levitra)
- Avanafil
For you to attain the best results, take these medications an hour or two hours before having sex, as they require the normal nerve function of the penis. Before you take the medications, talk to your doctor so that they can check for underlying health conditions.
However, note that these medications have side effects, but they are mild and last for a short time. The common side effects of PDE type-5 inhibitors include:
- Hearing loss
- Visual abnormalities
- Headache
- Flushing
- Indigestion
- Stuffy nose
- Muscle aches
If the side effects stay for long, you should talk to your doctor.
2. Therapy
Because psychological factors may cause erectile dysfunction, talk therapy can be of great help. Your therapist can discuss with you some of the things you can do to reduce depression, stress, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Furthermore, you and your therapist can discuss about the conflicts affecting your social well-being or your feelings around sex.
In case erectile dysfunction is affecting your relationship, talk to a relationship advisor. Relationship counseling will help you and the partner reconnect emotionally.
What are the Risk Factors of Erectile Dysfunction?
As men grow older, they take longer to develop erections or maintain an erection for long. More stimulation is required to get and keep an erection. Many risk factors increase your chances of having erectile dysfunction.
The risk factors that can contribute to erectile dysfunction include:
- Being overweight and obese
- Medical conditions, especially heart problems and diabetes
- Medical treatments, such as radiation treatment for cancer or prostate surgery
- Depression, stress, and anxiety
- Long-term drug and alcohol use
- Injuries to arteries or nerves that control erections.
How can Erectile Dysfunction be Prevented?
Many methods can be used to prevent erectile dysfunction. The best way to prevent erectile dysfunction is by adopting healthy lifestyle habits and treating underlying health conditions.
Good lifestyle choices will not only prevent ED but will also improve your overall health. Below are some methods that can be used to prevent erectile dysfunction:
- Ensure you get regular or enough exercise
- Ensure you have a healthy weight
- Find ways that can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression
- Use alcohol in moderation
- Quit smoking
- Eat a healthy diet
- Manage underlying conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions
- Don’t take drugs that are not prescribed by your doctor.
Bottom Line
Overall, erectile dysfunction or ED is a health condition that makes it hard to develop or maintain erections. This is a common condition and it affects around 20 million Americans. It is caused by many factors and most of them can be controlled.