WHAT IS THE MAIN CAUSE OF ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

A male is said to have erectile dysfunction in case he regularly finds it a challenge getting or keeping a firm enough erection. This is for having sex or if this interferes with other sexual activity.

It is quite common for most men to experience some difficulty with their becoming hard or staying firm.

Although this is the case, erectile dysfunction or ED is considered a concern only when satisfactory sexual performance has not been possible on a number of trials and occasions for quite some time.

It is since Viagra or sildenafil has been discovered and it has affected penile erections. It is then that most people have become aware that erectile dysfunction is a treatable medical condition.

Often men who have this problem find it a challenge talking to a doctor or a medical specialist about this as they feel embarrassed. However, it is important to realize that this is a medical condition like any other and you should talk freely about it with your Doctor. ED is now well understood and many treatments are available for it today.

SOME IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

ED or erectile dysfunction can be defined as a continuous and persistent challenge in maintaining an erection sufficient enough to have intercourse.

Although most of the time the causes of ED are medical many times it can also be caused due to psychological reasons.

Partaking recreational drugs, smoking, drinking and taking prescription drugs can all become the reason for erectile dysfunction or ED.

The natural causes are usually because of an underlying medical condition that affects the blood vessels or the nerves supplying the penis.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

The main causes of erectile dysfunction are a disruption or dysfunction in blood flow and nerve supply. At times this happens because of hormones fluctuating in the body.

Mainly there are physical and psychological causes of erectile dysfunction.

PHYSICAL CAUSES OF ED

These are the physical causes of an ED:

Consuming Alcohol, Smoking and partaking recreational drugs

Hormonal dysfunction which includes thyroid malfunction and testosterone deficiency

Having high BP or blood pressure

Metabolic syndrome and obesity

Having Diabetes

Having high cholesterol levels

Narrowing of blood vessels and heart disease

Having Parkinson’s disease

Peyronie disease which is a structural and anatomical disorder of the penis

Having multiple sclerosis

Spinal cord injury or injury to the pelvic area

Taking treatment for prostate disease

Taking radiation therapy for the pelvic area

Apart from physical causes, there are also many psychological causes of erectile dysfunction. Sometimes a man who has ED would have never had a proper erection. At times there is no physical cause of the dysfunction and the cause is completely psychological.

Some Psychological causes of ED are:

Depression

Performance Anxiety

Lack of Self Esteem

Lack of confidence

Fear

Phobias

Guilt

Intimacy fear

Complexes

Social Anxiety

Improper self-image and more

It is also important to note that many times ED is a result of a combination of physical and psychological causes. And thus a proper diagnosis from a Doctor is a must to determine the causes. At times it is also helpful to consult a psychiatrist as it may be of great help.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

Many men may not have regularly achieved an erection and if this does not happen often then, of course, it is not considered a medical ailment or ED.

It is important to note that the ED does not only mean an inability to achieve an erect penis. Some other symptoms include an inability to maintain an erect penis for a sustained period of time to complete sex or intercourse or even a problem in ejaculation.

Also many times there are emotional symptoms like shame, guilt, embarrassment, anxiety and lessened interest in sexual intercourse.

When these symptoms occur regularly then that is a case of erectile dysfunction and needs medical attention and treatment.

WHAT ARE SOME EXERCISES TO TREAT ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

There are in fact some special and specific exercises that a man can do to reduce the effects of erectile dysfunction and try treating it.

By strengthening the pelvic floor muscles and pursuing Kegel exercises erectile dysfunction can be well treated without medication.

These exercises are usually associated with women who are looking to strengthen their pelvic area while they are pregnant. But they can also very effective for men who want to regain the full functioning of the penis.

First of all, you need to find the pelvic floor muscles. You can do this by stopping and taking a pause mid-stream two-three times during the next time you urinate. The muscles working here during this process are the pelvic muscles and they will be the focal point of the Kegel exercises.

An example of a Kegel exercise is holding and tightening these muscles for 5 seconds and then releasing them. You can repeat the exercise 10 to 20 times each day. This might be a challenge when you will first start doing the exercises but they will become easier the more you do it.

Improvements are noticeable after almost 6 weeks.

It is also important to make sure that you are breathing naturally throughout the exercise and you should avoid pushing down like you are forcing urination. You should instead bring the muscles together in a squeezing motion.

Also, a jog or even a brisk walk can be very helpful and it also helps in blood circulation and is very effective in treating ED in men.

TESTS FOR ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

The Doctor will ask many questions before prescribing a test as there are numerous possible causes of erectile dysfunction or ED.

These tests will include a check for low testosterone, heart problems, diabetes, and other diseases. Also, a physical examination of the genitals will be carried out by the Doctor.

The doctor will then look for symptoms that have persisted for more than 3 months and then he will give his diagnosis.

Once the medical history of the patient is established the doctor will investigate further. A simple test which is also known as ‘postage stamp test’ is very useful in determining if the cause is physical rather than psychological.

Most men have 3 to 5 erections every night. The postage stamp test checks for the presence of erections at night by observing whether postage stamps applied around the penis before sleeping have snapped off overnight or not.

Some other tests include potent tests and Snap-Gauge test which can be prescribed by the doctor to check for the cause of the dysfunction.

Although limited information is provided by these methods they can to a great extent help the doctor. This is in giving the right diagnosis and helping the patient cure the dysfunction.

WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS AVAILABLE FOR ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

DRUG TREATMENT

A group of drugs known as PDE-5 or phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors can be taken by men to cure this dysfunction.

These pills have to be taken 30 to 60 minutes before sexual intercourse. The best known of these pills is the blue-colored pill sildenafil also known as Viagra.

Some other options are:

avanafil (Stendra)

vardenafil (Levitra)

tadalafil (taken as a once-daily pill called Cialis)

The PDE-5 inhibitors are only available through prescription. The doctor will inquire about other ailments like heart conditions and about other medications been taken before prescribing these drugs.

Although PDE-5 inhibitors are helpful, they do have their side effects.

Some side effects of PDE-5 inhibitors are:

headache

flushing

hearing loss

visual abnormalities

indigestion

Also, there are some less common drugs like prostaglandin E1. This can be applied locally or can be injected into the penis or by inserting it down the opening of the urethra.

While these options are available most men prefer the pill.

VACUUM TREATMENT

For men who don’t want or cannot go for drug treatments or if they find them not working. These patients can go for Vacuum erection devices which are a mechanical way of producing an erection for men.

By using a vacuum pump sealed around it that draws up blood, the penis is made rigid. This is prevented from then leaving the penis by using an accompanying band.

Because there is a lack of spontaneity while using a vacuum device. Men find other treatments for erectile dysfunction better and more preferable.

SURGICAL TREATMENT

Also for men who don’t want to take the pill and avoid vacuum treatment, there is another option which is surgical treatment.

There are many surgical treatment options available, some of which are:

VASCULAR SURGERY

These surgical treatment threats and attempts to correct some blood vessel causes of erectile dysfunction.

PENILE IMPLANTS

For men who have had no success with drug treatment and vacuum treatment, this is the last and final resort.

Success rates are high but surgery is the last resort and should only be carried through if all other methods fail to cure erectile dysfunction.

DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS/ALTERNATIVE THERAPY

Well, there are many alternative therapies available for erectile dysfunction in the market but the fact of the matter is that they do not work.

Herbal pills should be kept at bay and there is no guarantee or record which is proof that they work.

Also, many treatments promise fantastic results but come out to be fake and even harmful at the time. Thus it makes sense to stick with the normal treatments like surgical, drug and vacuum treatments.

ONLINE PHARMACIES

You can buy treatment over the internet for erectile dysfunction but you should be cautious while doing so.

The United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a consumer safety guide about this, including a recommendation to check that the online pharmacy:

Has a licensed pharmacist to answer questions.

is located in the U.S. and licensed

It offers direct contact with a person who can discuss any problems.

Requires a prescription.

You can check whether the pharmacy is licensed using this list of Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS).

Some tips are also offered for spotting the dangers of an unsafe medical website are also offered by the FDA and you should watch out for some clues such as:

No option to connect through a phone

Personal information is not protected

Very low and cheap prices

Drugs offered without a prescription

Also, the FDA warns that these illegal sites and vendors may send you drugs of unknown quality and origin. At times they may also send wrong drugs which can cause harm to you and thus you should be cautious.

BICYCLE RIDING AND ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

Many males want to know whether bicycle riding can cause erectile dysfunction. Thus the question remains about the effects of bicycle riding on men’s health.

There are some researchers who have raised concerns that males who regularly cycle for long hours could have a higher risk of erectile dysfunction with other issues like prostate cancer and infertility.

According to a recent study, there is no evident connection between bicycle riding and erectile dysfunction. But they did find a connection between long hours of bicycle riding and prostate cancer.

PROSTATE DISEASE AND ED

Some men want to know whether the two, prostate disease and erectile dysfunction are related. The fact of the matter is that prostate disease does not cause erectile dysfunction.

But prostrate surgery to treat and remove cancer and radiation therapy to treat prostate cancer can cause erectile dysfunction.

Also, the treatment of the non-cancerous benign prostate disease can also cause erectile dysfunctions and further complications.

PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE TO AVOID ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION:

WORK ON YOUR SELF ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE

Many times erectile dysfunction happens because of low self-esteem and confidence and thus it is a good idea to consult a psychologist and take help so that you become more confident and are not afraid of sex and intimacy.

Also, you need to work on yourself and keep pep-talking yourself and motivating yourself so that you can handle this dysfunction and outgrow it.

GET CLOSE AND INTIMATE WITH YOUR PARTNER

You need to get close and intimate with your partner to combat this erectile dysfunction. This will help you bond better and have better and more satisfying sex. Both partners should get close to each other and talk about their fears and insecurities and once you discuss them then it becomes much easier to have fantastic sex and combat erectile dysfunction once and for all

STAY AWAY FROM STRESS

If you want to enjoy great sex then you need to stay away from stress as much as possible. You should also stay away from conflict and confrontations. You should be relaxed and happy and then automatically you will be sexually healthy and will be able to combat any and every dysfunction.

GO FOR THE RIGHT DIET

The right diet goes a long way in helping you be sexually healthy. You should avoid alcohol or take it in small quantities and you should also avoid and quit smoking. These diet changes will help you get healthier and you will become healthy, fit and fine and also you will have great sex.

EXERCISE REGULARLY

It is also a good idea to exercise regularly as that will up your arousal levels and keep your body fit and then you can combat this dysfunction better.

Thus by following these precautions, you will be able to tackle the erectile dysfunction problem head-on.

CONCLUSION

ED or erectile dysfunction has become quite common recently because of many factors including stress and performance anxiety.

What has to understood by all is that it is a disorder like any other disease and can be cured using the right kind of treatment and medication.

Thus all men should realize that there is no shame in admitting it and going to a specialist to cure it as it affects many and can be cured without much complication.

The right attitude and mindset go a long way in taking the help of medical specialists and not feeling ashamed of the disorder will finally help you overcome and cure it.

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