Erectile Dysfunction. What Is It and What Causes It?

Erectile Dysfunction – What Is It?

What is erectile dysfunction? It is a medical condition diagnosed in men, which is characterized by the inability to get and/or keep an erection firm. Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects about 70% of men at some stage in their lives. The older the men get, the higher are their chances to develop erection problems. Causes, treatment, complications vary and depend on the male age, lifestyle preferences, comorbidities, and some other factors.

What Is the Main Cause of Erectile Dysfunction?

Thinking about the question of what is the main cause of erectile dysfunction, there is no single answer. That’s because this condition may be provoked by different health issues. Overall, the causes of erectile dysfunction can be divided into two groups: physical and emotional/psychological.

Physical triggers of impotence are to blame for about 80% of all diagnosed cases. This is the key reason why ED is more common among older men. The medical conditions that may influence the male sexual ability include:

• Ischemic heart disease, including silent ischemia;
• High blood pressure;
• Diabetes;
• Obesity;
• Penile malformations (inborn or acquired);
• Atherosclerosis;
• High cholesterol levels;
• Nerve damage due to trauma or surgery;
• Chemotherapy treatment;
• Penile muscle injury;
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia.

All these health problems may develop or exacerbate because of the unhealthy way of life a lot of men follow. Smoking, alcohol consumption, and a sedentary lifestyle only add to the problem of erectile dysfunction.

About 20% of men diagnosed with impotence develop it as a result of their poor psycho-emotional condition. Sexual inability related to psychological health issues usually affects individuals under 30. So if your troubles with potency start long before you turn 40, the listed below reasons may be to blame:

• Stress;
• Depression;
• Anxiety;
• Sexual performance anxiety;
• Misunderstanding in your interpersonal relations with a partner;
• The feeling of guilt;
• Episodes of sexual abuse in childhood;
• Negative sexual experience in the past;
• Low self-esteem, and others.

Symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction

Many men confuse their episodic failures in bed with erectile dysfunction. However, in the bulk of cases, such experience is not a reason to worry about. Erectile dysfunction is a persistent condition. Therefore, only if your difficulties with potency get more frequent or happen regularly, it’s time to think about a visit to your healthcare provider. The three main symptoms of erectile dysfunction are:

• Trouble getting an erection;
• Difficulty keeping the penis hard throughout intercourse;
• Low sex drive.

What Is the Average Age for Erectile Dysfunction?

Sexual dysfunction seems like something inevitable, yet this is actually not true. In different countries, the percentage of those who face this health issue is not the same. In the United States, about 40% of 40-year-old men have some difficulties with getting and sustaining an erection. 5% of them are completely impotent. For every ten years of life, the percentage of those developing troubles with potency grows by 10%. This means that by the age of 70, almost every three out of four men will have erectile dysfunction.

Erectile Dysfunction Treatment

The approaches to the therapy of erectile dysfunction are numerous. The methods men choose to improve their potency depend on the severity of their condition, the presence of any comorbidities, as well as personal preferences. Some men thinking of how to cure erectile dysfunction at home, prefer natural remedies for ED, whereas others stop their choice on prescription medicines that promise fast results. Which method of treatment is best then? It’s all individual and thus needs to be learned about better.

Natural Remedies

Nature gives us many options when it comes to the choice of remedies to treat erectile dysfunction. The efficacy of some of them is still questioned by scientists, yet the reviews of men claim them to be rather efficacious. The herbs applied in men with ED are Panax Ginseng, Rhodiola Rosacea, and Yohimbe. Some of them are rather controversial, yet this doesn’t stop men from trying out their natural power. As for the natural supplements that can help improve the potency, they are those every person needs to be healthy: iron, selenium, L-arginine, zinc, DHEA, and others.

Over-The-Counter Drugs

Although natural remedies for ED are generally safe, they are often ignored by men because of the time they need to come into effect and their lack of efficacy in rare cases. If you don’t want to wait long and still don’t agree to take prescription meds, the best solution for you is the intake of over-the-counter drugs for erectile dysfunction.

Among the best on the market are Max Performer, Male Extra, and VigRX Plus. These medications contain a combination of herbal and berry extracts together with vitamins, supplements to enhance the male sexual power fast and effectively.

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Talk Therapy

Counseling is one of the most effective ways of managing erectile dysfunction related to the psychological health condition of a man. Talking their problem through, men can improve their mental state that will definitely reflect positively on their ability to get and keep an erection firm. Mental health specialists apply several types of talk therapy when working with patients suffering from impotence – cognitive-behavioral therapy and sex therapy.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on eliminating the pressure a man feels before intercourse. This method is effectively applied in individuals suffering from anxiety, sexual performance anxiety, low self-esteem, and other health issues that reduce their confidence in their abilities in bed.

Sex therapy is targeted at changing male sexual behavior. This is a long process involving the active participation of a sex therapist who will show sex positions and techniques to improve your sex life quality. This is most effective for men dealing with regular stress and those having issues in relations with a sex partner. By the way, this type of therapy is more effective if a man goes through it with his spouse/girlfriend.

Devices

It’s not only medicines that can be useful in the therapy of male sexual inability. Some sex devices may also do good to your potency. They may not only help the process on the physical side but also diversify your intimate life and thus soften the impact of emotional health problems on your ability to erect the penis. So if your sexual partner is not against experimenting in bed, you may try using:

• Erectile or cock rings. The ring is placed on the base of the penile shaft or, sometimes, on the scrotum. It prevents the outflow of blood from the penis, thus making the organ harder and promoting a durable erection. Some penile rings are equipped with a vibrator, which provides additional stimulation of the organ during intercourse. This kind of sex device shouldn’t be used for longer than 30 minutes.
• Vacuum erectors or penile pumps look like a cylinder opened on one end with a pump attached to it. The principle of work of this device is based on the creation of a vacuum in the cylinder by sucking out the air with the help of a pump. The difference in pressure makes the blood fill the penis, providing a man with a firm erection.
• Penile sleeves are devices used for external support of the penis. They are slipped over the flaccid or semi-erect organ to help it become firm enough for vaginal penetration. Some of them may be applied in men with complete ED. They look like a hollow tube (usually silicone), which has a relief similar to the male sex organ on the outside and ribs or dots on the inside for better stimulation. The device has openings on both sides so that a man could feel the stimulation of the glans during sexual intercourse.

Erectile Dysfunction Specialist

On noticing the signs of erectile dysfunction, men should seek help from doctors. But what doctor exactly you need? What is an erectile dysfunction specialist? Usually, ED may be diagnosed by a physician. Yet if your problem needs a more thorough examination, you should visit a urologist. This doctor specializes in the genitourinary system function and can determine the exact cause of your disease.

What Is the Latest Treatment for Erectile Dysfunction?

The first-line therapy for a weak or unstable erection is considered the use of PDE5 inhibitors. These prescription medicines stimulate the relaxation of the smooth muscle tissue in the penis and the dilation of the blood vessels for enhancing the inflow of blood to the organ. The preparations showing the highest rates of efficacy include generic Viagra, generic Cialis, and generic Levitra. They all come in tablet form. In case you have difficulties swallowing a pill, Kamagra Oral Jelly can become a perfect alternative. The rate of efficacy of these medications ranges from 75% to 85%.

Our selection of ED pills