Erectile Dysfunction (ED): Causes and Treatment

What is Erectile Dysfunction?

Simply put, Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is the inability to “get it up” when it’s time for sexual action. A person with ED may experience a persistent difficulty achieving and maintaining an erection sufficient to have sex. This, can happen to men at any age and is never considered a normal finding.

Symptoms of ED include:

• being able to get an erection sometimes, but not every time you want to have sex
• ability to get an erection, but not having it last long enough to complete intercourse.
• inability to get an erection at any time
• an inability to ejaculate

Sometimes, men may not always successfully achieve an erection. However, if this rarely happens, it is not considered a medical problem. It is only considered a problem when this occurs regularly.

Causes of ED

The risk for Erectile Dysfunction can increase with age but age does not cause Erectile Dysfunction. Rather, it’s caused by underlying problems which includes medical conditions such as: diabetes, obesity, thyroid problems, kidney issues, sleep disorders, blood vessel damage, nerve damage, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, low testosterone, pelvic or spinal cord trauma or surgery, tobacco use, alcoholism and certain prescription medications, including antidepressants and diuretics. 

Aside from physical causes, various psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, stress and relationship problems can cause Erectile Dysfunction in middle-aged and older adult men.

How to work through ED

If you are experiencing erectile dysfunction, the first thing to do is to contact your physician who will review your health status, medications, substance use and lifestyle choices before beginning therapy. This will require patience from your partner and you. Sharing your medical history with your doctor can help them determine the cause of the condition. Furthermore, it’s also important to let your doctor know if you’re taking any medication. Tell the doctor the name of the medication, how much you take and when you began taking it. Also, notify your doctor if you first experienced ED after taking a certain medication.

Treatment of ED

One of the ways to treat erectile dysfunction without medication is by strengthening the pelvic floor with Kegel exercises. These exercises are usually associated with women looking to strengthen their pelvic area during pregnancy, but they can be quite effective for men looking to regain full function of their penis too. Frequent aerobic exercise, such a jog or even a brisk walk will help with better blood circulation and can improve ED in men who have circulation issues.

In addition, there are oral medications available to help treat ED. They are designed to help men achieve or maintain an erection. However, men with serious medical conditions such as heart disease can’t take these medications.

Also, lifestyle modifications should also be made such as quitting smoking, alcohol reduction and a regular healthy diet.

What do I do if I am experiencing these symptoms?

Do not be shy to seek the necessary help if you are experiencing symptoms of ED. At the end of the day, it is not about any other person other than you and your partner.

What do I do if I find out my partner has Erectile dysfunction?

• Try and learn as much as you can about ED as this will help you to be better prepared to help your partner.
• Let your partner know how much you value him and that this condition doesn’t change how you feel about him.
• Be sure to express how you feel to your partner. However, this should be done in a positive way.
• Make necessary adjustments to your sex life by looking for ways to please each other sexually without a pressure for performance. Find other ways to please and satisfy each other so that he doesn’t feel pressured to perform. You can also Keep up the other intimate parts of your relationship. Feeling close to each other can include more than sex. You may also want to talk to a counselor, if either of you feel that the changes related to ED is affecting your relationship.
• Be supportive of your partner in his recovery by going with him to his doctor whenever you can.
• Keep tabs on the progress of his treatment.

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