What is erectile dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is when a man cannot get or keep an erection. The condition prevents the man from having sex or finishing sex. This condition used to be called impotence. ED can occur at any age, but it is more common in men older than 75 years of age.
ED doesn’t have to be a part of getting older. As a man ages, he may need more stimulation (stroking and touching) to get an erection. He might also need more time between erections. Older men should still be able to get an erection and enjoy sex.
Improve my Erectile Dysfunction is known as an inability to get an erection in the first place and even if they do, it does not stay firm enough to have proper sexual intercourse. This is often referred to as being impotent.
Experiencing occasional erectile dysfunction is common and there are many people that experience if they are stressing. Erectile dysfunction on a frequent basis can be because of the health problems and need to be treated professionally.
Symptoms of ED
The primary symptom of ED is not being able to get or keep an erection for sex.
What causes erectile dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction can be caused by:
Diabetes (high blood sugar).
Hypertension (high blood pressure).
Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
Stress, anxiety, or depression.
Alcohol and tobacco use.
Some prescription medicines. This includes antidepressants, pain medicine, and high blood pressure medicine.
Fatigue.
Brain or spinal cord injuries.
Hypogonadism (a condition that leads to low levels of the male hormone, testosterone).
Multiple sclerosis.
Parkinson’s disease.
Radiation therapy to the testicles.
Stroke.
Some types of prostate or bladder surgery.
Problems in your relationship with your sexual partner can also cause erectile dysfunction. Improving your relationship may help your sex life. If you decide to seek therapy, it will probably be most effective if your sex partner is included.
Couples can learn new ways to please one another and to show affection. This can reduce anxiety about having erections.
Certain feelings can lead to erectile dysfunction, including:
Feeling nervous about sex. This could be because of a bad experience or a previous episode of ED.
Feeling stressed, including work and family stress.
Feeling depressed.
Feeling self-conscious about your body or performance.
Thinking your partner is reacting negatively toward you.
How is Impotence diagnosed?
ED is usually easy to diagnose. If you are tempted to self-diagnose, talk to your doctor. He or she will want to make sure it isn’t related to another health condition.
Your doctor will do a physical exam and ask you questions about your symptoms. He or she may do a blood or urine test. Your doctor may consider other tests to rule out other conditions.
Can erectile dysfunction be prevented or avoided?
This depends on whether you know what it is causing your ED. There are some things you can do that may help prevent ED, including:
Avoid drinking too much alcohol, smoking, or abusing drugs.
Ask your doctor if ED is a side effect of a new or current medicine you are taking. He or she may have an alternative medicine.
Control your blood sugar and blood pressure.
Try to relax and avoid stress.
Erectile dysfunction treatment
Treatment depends on what is causing it. If it is caused by uncontrolled blood sugar and high blood pressure, take your medicine and follow your doctor’s instructions.
If your doctor rules out other causes, he or she may prescribe Sildenafil (brand name: Viagra), tadalfil (brand name Cialis), and vardenafil (brand name Levitra). These medicines are taken by mouth to help you maintain an erection.
Not everyone can use these medicines. Your doctor may talk to you about alprostadil if oral medicines aren’t an option for you. Alprostadil is a synthetic version of prostaglandin E. It can be injected into the penis or inserted as a tiny suppository into the urethra (the hole at the end of the penis). Your doctor will help you decide which treatment is best for you.
Follow your doctor’s instructions when taking ED medicine. Usually, a man takes 1 tablet 30 minutes to 1 hour before he plans to have sex. Sildenafil works for 4-8 hours; vardenafil works for up to 8 hours; and tadalafil works for up to 36 hours.
You should not take more than 1 dose in 24 hours. Tadalfil and vardenafil come in tablets of 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg and 20 mg. Sildenafil comes in tablets of 25 mg, 50 mg and 100 mg.
Even if you take the medicine, you still need physical and mental stimulation and desire to have an erection. If your first dose doesn’t help, call your doctor. Your doctor may want to change your tablet strength.
The side effects of ED medicine are mostly the same. Sildenafil and vardenafil can cause:
Headache.
Flushing (face and upper body turning red and warm).
Stomach upset.
Runny nose (sniffles).
vision changes (things look blue).
Tadalfil has the same side effects, except for the flushing and possible changes in vision. It can also cause back pain and muscle aches. For each of the medicines, headache is the most common side effect. Vision changes are the least common. Talk to your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you.
Call your doctor right away if you take one of these medications and have a prolonged erection that lasts 4 hours or longer. This condition may cause permanent impotence if not treated.
Can everyone use ED medications?
You shouldn’t use these medicines if you take nitroglycerin or any other nitrates for chest pain. If you have heart problems, tell your doctor before taking any ED medicines. These medicines can have serious side effects in people who have heart problems.
If you use sildenafil, tadalfil, or vardenafil and get chest pains, be sure to tell the paramedics, nurses or doctors at the hospital that you use it and when you used it last.
Living with erectile dysfunction
If the medicines aren’t right for you, you could try using a penile implant, vacuum pump devices, or have surgery. Your doctor may send you to a urologist to talk about these options.
How can I improve my erectile dysfunction?
There are many ways of how one can improve Erectile Dysfunction. Some of them are as under:
1. Keep a check on what you are eating
Anything that is not good for a man’s heart is also not good for his erection. It is important to keep the food that you are eating in check in order to prevent and hence improve erectile dysfunction.
Having a good flow of blood is important for getting an erection and food patterns that are a major cause of heart attack can restrict the flow of blood in the arteries. Food that is fired, fatty and processed can decrease the flow of blood which than affects the erection. People with Mediterranean diet as their routine have less cases of Erectile Dysfunction and is most likely to contain food such as nuts, whole grains, fish, red wine, fruits and vegetables.
2. Maintain a healthy weight
Being obese can cause many health problems such as diabetes, nerve damage etc. Nerve damage can affect the blood flowing to the penis which in turn causes improve my erectile dysfunction. It is important to maintain a healthy weight in order for your sex life to be non-affective
3. One should avoid high cholesterol and high blood pressure:
Having high blood pressure or high cholesterol can affect the flow of blood in to the penis which ultimately causes Erectile Dysfunction in men. It is important to consult doctor in such cases. The screening for such medical cases can be found to be free and can monitor the cause of Erectile Dysfunction. There are machines which can keep the blood pressure of the patients in check even at home. Also, medicines taken for high blood pressure can make it hard for men to get erection which in some cases is known to be the cause of Erectile Dysfunction in the first place.
4. It is important to drink Alcohol in moderation:
Drinking occasionally or moderately has never been a cause of Erectile Dysfunction. Drinking if done in check does not affect the disease at all but chronic drinking can be fatal which in turn can cause nerve damage as well as liver damage which in turn affects the artery in the penis which affects the balanced sex life which in turn leads to Erectile Dysfunction.
5. It is important to work out regularly:
Having a sedentary life style is one of the major causes of Erectile Dysfunction. Working out on a regular basis can improve the ED in the patients. Swimming, aerobics and running on a daily basis is known to prevent the cause of Erectile Dysfunction.
Any workout that puts pressure on the perineum which is an area between anus and scrotum can cause ED as it puts a lot of pressure on the nerves and blood supply that goes in the penis. Some studies show that riding a bicycle can cause ED. Spending a lot of time on the bike can cause ED and should be prevented by using padded pants. Bikes with no-nose seats are known to be protective against causing any sort of numbness in that area hence keeping them from causing sexual numbness.
6. Keep a level check on your testosterone:
It is normal to have the level of testosterone drop in men after the age of 50. A 40 year man loses testosterone yearly which a rate of about 1.3% and can be seen in symptoms such as being grumpy, having a lack of stamina, low sex drive, trouble in making decisions. All these symptoms are caused by dropping testosterone level in the body.
7. Avoid Kegel Exercise:
Any type of exercise that involves the muscle in the pelvis can be the cause of improve my erectile dysfunction. One such type is called the Kegels. Kegel exercise is practiced by some people to improve the condition but has not been found to be effective. There has been no record which shows it to prevent Erectile Dysfunction.
8. One should avoid Steroids:
Anabolic steroids are often taken by bodybuilders and athletes which can cause their testicles to shrink, thus decreasing their ability to make testosterone.
9. Stop smoking:
Smoking can have an adverse effect on the blood vessels which in turn decreases the flow of penis. Nicotine is known to contract the blood vessels throughout the flow which can automatically reduce the blood flow to the penis.
10. Keep away from any kind of risky sex:
Having sex in a certain position can cause penile injuries which is also one of the cause of erectile dysfunction. It is good to stay away from risky sex which can result in something like this. Having a penile injury requires doctor’s consultation right away and needs to be aided as soon as possible in order to prevent impotency. It is important to have your list of what not to do when it comes to having sex.
11. Stop stressing!
Stress is known to elevate the level of adrenaline in the body which is known to contract the blood vessels in the human body. This can be bad for erections as it will affect the blood flow into the penis. Easing on stress can boost the sex life of a man
Questions to ask your doctor
How long will I have to take medicine for erectile dysfunction?
What is the difference between tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil (Levitra), and sildenafil (Viagra)?
Are there any lifestyle changes I should make?
How can I talk with my partner about my problem?
Is there something I can do other than take medicine to help?
What other medicines cause this problem?