Erectile Dysfunction Guide

Erectile dysfunction which is also known as male impotence is the inability to have or maintain an erection when sexually aroused. This problem can range from not being able to have an erection at all to being unhappy with the size, shape and rigidity. Erectile dysfunction can also refer to how long the erection lasts. These erectile problems can range from only having them once or twice a life time to affecting your sex life on a daily basis.

Even though erectile dysfunction is often seem as an embarrassing condition it is an extremely common one especially with older men. In fact it is so common that it has been predicted that over half of all men between the ages of 40 to 70 have suffered at some point in their lives from this condition.

Causes of Erectile Dysfunction

There are two main categories that your erectile dysfunction could be caused by and they are physical and psychological causes. The physical causes include factors such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and side effects from medical problems such as Peyronie’s disease. The psychological causes range from stress, depression to relationship problems.

Symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction

The symptoms of erectile dysfunction are often a good indicator of where your own personal problems lay. For instance if you wake up with an erection or are able to achieve an erection with one partner and not another, would suggest that the problem is more of a psychological one then a physical one. On the other hand if you are unable to have an erection at all then it is more likely that your condition is physical and you would need to seek medical treatment.

Medical Advice about Erectile Dysfunction

You should seek medical advice when the problem persists and starts to interfere with the quality of your life. Seeking medical help is also important if your condition has interfered with your sex life over a long period of time and it is has made vaginal penetration impossible and uncomfortable or it is starting to affect your chances of conceiving.

Diagnosis of Erectile Dysfunction

To be able to diagnose your erectile problems you should firstly make an appointment with your GP. At this meeting the GP will be able to assess your erectile problems with questions about your health and lifestyle; this will then help to determine what your problems are. The GP may want to have some further tests done if they believe that your erectile dysfunction is a physical problem. These tests can include procedures like an ultrasound, a nocturnal tumescence test or a cavernosometry.

Treating Erectile Dysfunction

There are many ways of treating erectile dysfunction and in the majority of cases the problem can be solved by simple measures. One of these measures is to help yourself by making changes in your lifestyle by doing things such as eating a balanced diet and maintaining a healthy weight.

It is also advised that if you cycle for more than 3 hours a week that you should cut down on this activity to see if this makes a positive improvement on your erectile problems.

If the erectile dysfunction is caused by more serious underlying medical issues such as diabetes, then those conditions will be treated first as this often helps to solve erectile problems. If these treatments do not work there are many other options for you to try. The main medical treatments that are prescribed for erectile dysfunction are PDE-5 Inhibitors which are used to temporarily increase the blood flow to your penis. These inhibitors include Viagra, Cialis and Levitra.

The other options of treating erectile dysfunction range from hormone therapy to penis pumps and in extreme cases even invasive surgery. As with every medical treatment they all have various risks and side effects and each one should be thoroughly researched and discussed with your GP before deciding which one would be the best option to be able to solve your erective problems.

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