It is believed that a man is suffering from erectile dysfunction, if he regularly fights to get or maintain a hard erection which allows him to have sex, or if it affects with some other activity that is related to sex.
A lot of men sometimes had problems with their penis becoming hard or staying firm. But erectile dysfunction (ED) is considered a concern only if it is impossible or difficult to achieve satisfactory sexual performance.
Since it has been discovered that the drug sildenafil, or Viagra, can affect erection of the penis, a lot of men have become notified that erectile dysfunction is a medical problem that can be treated. Men who have sexual problems may be resisting a conversation with a doctor, as this may be an embarrassing question. However, erectile dysfunction is now well known and various treatments are available.
What are the causes of ED?
Male sexual excitement is a complex process involving some organs and systems of the body such as the brain, hormones, emotions, nerves, muscles, and blood vessels. An erection dysfunction can be a consequence of a problem with one of these. Similarly, problems of stress and mental health can cause or exacerbate erectile dysfunction.
Sometimes a combination of physical and mental problems are causes of erectile dysfunction. For example, a less physical condition that slows down your sexual response can cause anxiety about maintaining an erection. The resulting anxiety can cause or exacerbate erectile dysfunction.
Physical causes of erectile dysfunction
In some cases, there are some physical factors that have been found to be responsible for erectile dysfunction; some of them are listed below:
- Heart disease
- Clogged blood vessels (atherosclerosis)
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obesity
Psychological causes of erectile dysfunction
Numerous things can interfere with sexual feelings and cause or worsen erectile dysfunction. This includes:
- Depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions
- Stress – stress from work or financial condition like mortgage repayment and so on.
- Problems associated with the relationship as a result of stress, poor communication or other concerns
- Mood – bad mood or something in your head that you need to solve it
- Too tired for sex, it happens! Busy schedule with work, family or even children
What are the symptoms of ED?
Men do not always seem to have an erection, and if this rarely happens, this is not considered to be a medical problem.
However, ED is not only about the complete inability to get an erect penis. Symptoms may include the difficulty of maintaining an erection long enough to complete intercourse or finding it difficult to ejaculate. This is more often now with the youngster, not only work or running errand. Youngster tends to stay at home watching Netflix, playing PS4 video games or just playing hand phone, they are living in a virtual world rather than the real world.
There are often emotional symptoms, such as embarrassment, shame, anxiety and decreased interest in sex. It is believed that a man suffers from erectile dysfunction when these symptoms surface on a regular occasion.
How to prevent erectile dysfunction?
Selecting a healthy lifestyle is one of the best ways to prevent erectile dysfunction and manage all current health problems. For example:
- Work in tandem with your doctor to treat diabetes, heart disease or other chronic health conditions.
- Consult your doctor about regular examinations and tests.
- Stop smoking, limiting or avoiding alcohol and not using illegal drugs.
- Regular exercise.
- Take steps to reduce stress.
- Find help with problems such as anxiety, depression or other mental health problems.
Treatment of erectile dysfunction
Treatment of erectile dysfunction varies as it depends on what could be responsible for the manifestation of the condition. After examination of your medical problems and medicines that is responsible for ED has been completed by your doctor, he can recommend a drug to help with it. Some drugs for ED which can be taken by mouth include Sildenafil (brand name: Viagra), tadalfil (brand name: Cialis), and vardenafil (brand name: Levitra).
These drugs are not meant for everyone. Contact your doctor so that both of you can discuss on alprostadil in the event that oral medications are not an option for you. Alprostadil is a synthetic version of prostaglandin E. It can be injected into the penis or inserted as a small suppository in the urethra (a hole at the end of the penis). Your doctor will help you choose the treatment that suits you.
Read More: Preventing Erectile Dysfunction