Erectile Dysfunction (Impotence)The outlook for men with erectile dysfunction (ED) has improved enormously in the first eight years of this century – so much so that almost all patients nowadays can be assured of a return to successful intercourse. Many of these males feel that the new treatments for erection difficulty (formerly known as ‘impotence’ or ‘impotency’) have transformed their lives. What is erectile dysfunction?
Why does ED occur? ED is very common, and it occurs for a variety of reasons and at different ages. Teenagers and young men Middle age Post-middle age It is now clear that in a very high proportion of cases, the problem is due to deterioration in the blood vessels that carry blood into the penis. Research which was carried out in 2007 suggests that in addition there may often be deterioration in the arteries of the brain or the heart. In October 2008, leading sex expert Dr Geoffrey Hackett said in the British Medical Journal, ‘Erectile dysfunction is the manifestation of vascular disease in smaller arteries, and can give a two to three year early warning of heart attack.’ Therefore older men with ED should take care to protect themselves against strokes and heart attacks – for example by keeping their blood pressure and cholesterol down. You may be surprised to see that I have not listed ‘lack of hormones’ as a common cause of ED. In fact, lack of male hormone is pretty rare. However, it can occur particularly after severe injuries to the testicles, or to the base of the brain. If you are tempted to go to one of the many private clinics that make a habit of diagnosing ‘male hormone deficiency', and then charging huge sums of money for testosterone treatment, I suggest you think twice! What is an erection? An erection occurs when blood is pumped into the penis and stays there, making it hard. It generally happens because a guy is thinking about sex, or because his penis is being stimulated - or both. The result is that signals go down the nerves that lead from his spinal cord to his genitals. They tell the blood vessels which supply the penis to open up. Blood flows in and the organ ‘blows up’ like a balloon. A valve mechanism near the base of the penis keeps the blood from flowing out again – a least, until sex is over. As you can see, getting an erection is a complex process. It’s awfully easy for various factors to interfere with it - for instance, worry, tiredness, too much alcohol or in later life, narrowing of the blood vessels. Nicotine is now known to narrow those vital blood vessels – which is why ED is much commoner in smokers. But often, there is nothing physically wrong with men who develop ED. Are many cases due to psychological causes? Yes, particularly in the young. In general, erectile dysfunction is quite likely to be psychological rather than physical if the man:
Common psychological causes of erection difficulties include:
In a lot of cases, ED turns out to be due to a mixture of psychological and physical causes. What physical causes are there? Common physical causes include:
Less common physical causes include:
What should I do if I'm having potency problems? Foods for Strong Erection Next as a general rule, cut out refined and processed foods as much as possible and eat as "naturally from the earth" as you can; these foods will simply have more nutritional value. You are what you eat and simple diet changes can make to get harder erections and increased libido naturally and safely. Here we will look at the best foods for harder erections… Now let’s look at the foods you should include in your diet:
Now Do This! For More Sexual Power Get some or all of the above in your diet and then take some time tested Chinese herbs to increase libido once daily and you can build on the above and gain more sexual power. Ginseng, Cnidium and Horny Goat Weed are some you can take which are proven to enhance libido and health and there are many more. The best herbal sex pills contain 10 or more in super strength formulas and if you take them with your foods for harder erections, you will not only get more from sex but more from life. Medical Treatments Also, don’t hide it from your partner. A lot of guys behave like this, and very often the result is that the other person decides that she is being scorned, or that ‘he doesn’t love me any more'. Your first move should be to consult your GP. If for any reason you don’t want to do that, then contact another medical/relationships agency, such as the ones listed at the end of this article. Please don’t do daft things like:
What will happen when I see a doctor or therapist? The doctor should also do a test for diabetes and possibly other lab tests as well. After that, he may well be able to give you some indication of the likely cause of your ED. If he can’t, then ask if can refer you to someone who can give you further help. Once the cause(s) of your erectile dysfunction has been identified, you can get treatment. What treatments are now available?
Personally, I feel that in some cases of psychologically-induced ED, it’s worth trying erection-aiding drugs to help ‘kick-start’ the man back into action and boost his confidence. Not all doctors agree with me. The treatments for ED that have a physical origin are listed below. Erection-aiding drugs Also, the choice of available drugs means that if one particular drug doesn’t suit you, it’s well worth trying one of the others. There are now only three orally-administered drugs available in the UK. They all have side effects, only a few of which we can list here. For more information, read the package insert leaflet, and if in doubt ask your doctor. It is not safe for some people to use these drugs, and some medications interact dangerously with them. Therefore, before going on any of these pills you should always see a doctor, talk things over with him, and have a physical check-up. Do not buy erection drugs by mail-order, or from chaps you meet in pubs! They may not be the right thing. The oral drugs currently available are: Viagra (sildenafil) Viagra still remains the world’s most popular ED drug. At the Vienna International Sexology conference of December 2006 which we attended, it was claimed that its continuing popularity is due to the ‘hardness‘ of the erections it produces. However, we are not convinced that it gives greater hardness than the other two drugs. The most common side effects are headache, visual disturbances, blocked nose, flushed face, indigestion, palpitations – and dizziness after getting out of bed too quickly! Blue vision occurs at higher doses. Viagra is very dangerous with certain heart drugs. It interacts with many medications. Do not drink grapefruit juice on the day of use, because that pushes up the blood level of the drug. In April 2005, a report from the University of Minnesota suggested that a small group of men have suffered blindness as a result of Viagra use. It was claimed that the drug may rarely cause a serious eye condition called ‘non-arteritic ischaemic optic atrophy.’ In 2008, it is apparent that a very small number of British men have suffered similar eye problems. If you are taking Viagra, you should ask your doctor to keep you informed of any further research on this development. Cialis (tadalafil) Side effects are similar to those of Viagra, but it can also cause back pain and muscle pain. Interactions with other drugs and with grapefruit juice are similar to those of Viagra, but also clashes with the antibiotic clarithromycin and the sedative phenobarbital. Cialis is very similar in structure to Viagra and there have been several reports of blindness occurring while on it. Levitra (vardenafil) Please note the alleged relationship between these three drugs and blindness is the subject of litigation. A 'cause and effect' has still not been proved. The above three drugs are supposed to be ‘prescription-only’ in the UK and most other countries. However, Boots the chemists has opened several centres where men can obtain Viagra (for a fee) after careful counselling from a pharmacist. There is back-up from a group of private doctors. If this scheme turns out to be a success, then Viagra and similar drugs may become more widely available over the counter. Another approach has been taken by Lloyds Chemists in 2008. They will sell Viagra online to men who have first had a consultation with their ‘online doctor’. However, in October 2008, Which? magazine claimed that this system had allowed an unsuitable ‘dummy patient’ to be offered Viagra. Uprima What other drug treatments for ED are there?
These methods have become less popular since the increasing availability of oral drugs, but they suit a minority of men. You have to be quite brave to give yourself a jab in the penis. For details of side effects, consult your GP. What mechanical aids are there for ED?
In December 2006, at the Vienna conference, it was reported that vibrators are surprisingly effective in helping men with spinal injuries to achieve an orgasm – and thus to have children.
What about surgery? The types of surgery which are available for ED are as follows: Summing up Erectile dysfunction is usually treatable these days. However, it’s important to first establish what the cause is. Very often, there are several causes, including both physical and psychological factors. Commonsense measures will often help – for instance, cutting down on stress, alcohol or smoking, getting more sleep, or stopping any medications which interfere with erection. Your GP should assist you in these areas. If he can’t, then talk to one of the organisations listed below. Further help The following can be helpful in various ways to ED sufferers and their partners:
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