Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile Dysfunction – General Information

Erectile Dysfunction is a disorder characterized by the inability of men to sustain a steady erection for a certain period of time, necessary in order to be able to have sex. It usually appears in the case of old men, but it can appear at any age. If the problem appears just from time to time, the sufferer should not worry, but if the problem appears during all of the sexual contacts, he should visit a doctor. This problem can lead to frustration, stress and it can cause a lot of problems between the partners in a relationship. Some time ago, Erectile Dysfunction was considered a taboo subject and its appearance was thought to be either a psychological problem or a normal result of growing older. However, nowadays this problem is considered to be a physical one and doctors are trying to find a proper treatment. Although it can be quite embarrassing for men to talk about their sexual problems, consulting a doctor can prove quite effective and a proper treatment can completely restore the sexual functions. In some cases, this problem can be the result of a severe disorder, such as a heart disease, so you must take it seriously and seek for medical care. In most of the cases, Erectile Dysfunction can result because of the damage of one of the parts which are involved in the process of sexual arousal: the blood vessels, the muscles, the hormones, the brain and the nerves. Apart from these physic problems, some men can also experience psychological issues.   

Erectile Dysfunction – Symptoms

The most common sign which appears in the case of Erectile Dysfunction is the fact that the sufferer can not maintain an erection long enough for a normal sexual contact; if this happens in the case of more than half of the sexual contacts, then the patient should definitely seek for medical care and treatment. Some occasional cases are, however, normal and the patient should not worry. There are a large number of risk factors which increase the possibility of suffering from Erectile Dysfunction: the age, the existence of a chronic disease, the administration of certain drugs, surgeries, stress, smoking and obesity. In what concerns the age, it is common knowledge the fact that older people are more likely to suffer from this disease. This does not necessarily happen because of the physic issues, but because of the underlying health problems. Suffering from a chronic disease (diseases of the liver, heart, lungs, veins, nerves or kidneys) can also increase the risk of suffering from this disorder. A low level of testosterone can also lead to similar results. The excessive administration of antihistamines, antidepressants, sleeping pills or tranquilizers can interfere with the normal flow of the blood to the penis and they can constitute a problem. Difficult surgeries or injuries, such as those performed in order to treat the prostate or rectal cancer or bladder can damage the nerves which are responsible of a normal erection. Alcohol or drug abuse decrease the sexual performance. Smoking restricts the normal quantity of blood which reaches the penis.

Erectile Dysfunction – Treatment

If you experience Erectile Dysfunction for a period of time longer than 4 months, you should visit a doctor in order to obtain a sure diagnosis and to follow a treatment. The doctor will determine the exact cause which led to the appearance of the disease. You should not try to cure yourself or to combine several drugs for a treatment. In order to obtain a sure and precise diagnosis, your doctor will probably inform about the symptoms, the medications you have been taken recently and about other physical problems. In addition to this information, the doctor will probably want to collect a blood sample in order to determine the level of hormones in your body.  Other tests you could be recommended to take are: an ultrasound test to check the blood circulation to the penis, a neurological evaluation in order to analyze the reaction of the nerves in the genital area, a cavernosometry and a cavernosography to observe any abnormalities in what concerns the flow and the pressure of the blood to the penis and a tumescence test in order to determine if the patient experiences normal erections during sleep or masturbation. 

There are a lot of possibilities to treat Erectile Dysfunction; you can choose from drug administration to complex surgeries combined with psychological counseling. However, the treatment is usually chosen considering the severity and the cause of the appearance of the disease. Another important factor which should be taken into consideration is the cost of the treatment. In what concerns the drugs available for treating Erectile Dysfunction, these include: tadalafil, viagra and vardenafil. All these drugs are known to relax the muscles located in the penis; this will increase the blood quantity which reaches the penis and will lead to a normal erection. However, these drugs no dot stimulate an erection immediately and they can cause some side-effects. In addition, every patient can react differently to these drugs. You should avid the administration of these drugs if you are also taking medicines for angina or anticoagulants. Those who suffer from heart diseases, those who experienced a stroke recently, those who have an extremely low or extremely high blood pressure and those who suffer from diabetes should also ignore these drugs. 

Another way of treating Erectile Dysfunction is the administration of testosterone. The patient can also choose a surgery: he can select between a penis pump, a vascular surgery or a penis implant. In what concerns the penis pump, this is a tube which is put over the surface of the penis; it also has a battery-powered or hand-powered pump which draws the blood into the penis. A vascular surgery is chosen only in the case of those patients who present abnormalities in what concerns the blood flow to the penis because of an injury in the pelvic area or in the penis. In the case of those who suffer from Erectile Dysfunction, another important problem which has to be resolved is the way they feel about their disorder. In order to prevent the depression or the anxiety, the sufferers should seek for psychological counseling.