ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

What is Erectile Dysfunction (ED)

Erectile dysfunction causes problems for men around the world regardless of how they spell it. ED has been with the mankind for ages. ED is a repetitive inability to achieve or maintain an erection strong enough for sexual intercourse. In the past, ED was referred to as impotence, however the word impotence can be related to other sexual problems as well such as ejaculation problems, problems with orgasm or insufficient sexual desire as opposed to ED. People commonly use the abbreviation ED to make the term erectile dysfunction shorter.


ED statistics

There are more than 15 million men in the US who suffer from ED. In 1999 there were 22.3 doctor office visits made for ED for every 1000 men in the United States compared to only 7.7 visits in 1985 according to the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. This was a significant increase and the figure is still growing mainly due to the fact that talking about ED is more acceptable nowadays and also thanks to new treatment methods that have appeared recently. Another survey found that more than 600 000 men in the US aged 40 to 70 encounter ED of any degree each year and approximately 30 million American men experience erectile dysfunction in certain periods of their lives. As a matter of fact, impotence doesn’t necessarily have to be related to age.
This was proven by a different survey where 61% of men over 60 were still sexually active.

Causes of Erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction is caused either by psychological (10% of all causes) or physical (90% of all causes) reasons, however most of the time it is a combination of both. 

The factors involved in ED include:

Physical or organic reasons

• Diseases especially those which cause metabolic disturbance like diabetes, vascular diseases (high cholesterol, high blood pressure, hardening of arteries) or prostate cancer.



• Injuries – spine injuries or pelvic fractures.



• Side effects of drugs.



• Fatigue and stress.



• Alcoholism, drug abuse, heavy smoking.



• Hormonal fluctuations and abnormalities.



• Surgeries – especially colon and rectal surgery.



• Sendetary lifestyle.



• Inappropriate nutrition.



• Permanent use of bike seats.



• Radiation treatments.



• Lack of regular erections – if there are no spontaneous erections during sleep or before waking up a firm tissue is built due to increased production of collagen which may interfere with blood flow thus causing ED.

Psychological reasons

• Depressions.



• Previous traumatic sexual experience or abuse.



• Relationship problems.



• Performance anxiety – anxiety over not performing well before sexual intercourse.



• Socioeconomic issues – losing a job or low salary can cause stress leading to ED.

The most typical reasons for ED are lifestyle, nutrition, heart problems and hormonal fluctuations.


Treatment options

If you suffer from ED you can be treated at any age. Nowadays, there are several methods for treating erectile dysfunction. Which method you choose depends on the cause of your impotence. So first of all you have to define the reason and then pick the most comfortable and least-risky technique for treating it.

Before you start with a treatment you should assess if you already suffer from any other illnesses and take medications. Regardless of the treatment method the most important step for you is to adopt a healthier lifestyle to start.


Here are the most common Erectile dysfunction
treatment methods:

Medical traetment – oral ED drugs such as CIALIS belong to the most popular methods for treating erectile dysfunction in men. You should always contact a doctor before taking any medications. These medications work on the basis of a PDE5 inhibitor. Cialis causes smooth muscle relaxation and increased blood flow into the penis. Sexual stimulation is needed in order to trigger the erection.

Psychoterapies – men suffering from ED should consult their disorder with a trained counselor or a psychologist who use special methods to remove your stress and help you focus on your sexuality.

Vacuum devices – this procedure utilizes a special gadget which drives blood into the penis and a constriction ring which is applied at the base of the penis to maintain the erection.

Medications injected or implants inserted into the penis – these are invasive methods used when all other techniques did not perform well.


Prevent erectile dysfunction

You can prevent ED by changing your lifestyle a bit. This is the easiest way that will cost you nothing but strong will although it takes longer until the results occur. Abide by the rules below and you will have the chance to build a healthier life overall not just to prevent ED.

Just follow these simple steps:

• Do regular exercise – the Harvard Health Professionals Follow-up Study found that men who do some exercise 3 to 5 hours a week face 30% less risk of having ED. Regular exercising keeps your heart fit and also maintains the normal blood circulation (especially walking, running, biking).



• Quit smoking – smoking causes narrowing of blood vessels, blockages occur that affect the required blood flow in the penis thus making the erection more difficult.



• Reduce the excessive consumption of alcohol – avoid drinking more than two alcoholic drinks a day if you are a man or more than one alcoholic drink per day if you are a woman. Alcohol has a significant impact on your nervous system and it also damages your blood vessels thus affecting the sexual function. The same goes for drug abuse.



• Get appropriate nutrition – try to avoid foods that contain saturated fats (cholesterol) and sodium. The best option would be a diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, fiber and whole grains. You should concentrate on a diet that is friendly to you heart as ED is often related to circulation problems.



• Maintain sexual activity –actually it is a matter of frequent erections that stimulate flow of blood in the penis.



• Control your stress and fatigue – although this is not an easy task you schould try to manage your stress which belongs to one of the most important psychological causes of ED.



• Get sufficient sleep – without sleeping long enough your body will be under stress and anxiety for the rest of the day and if this persists a longer period, the stress will definitely have an effect on the proper function of the penis. 8 hours of sleep a day should be fine with adults.



• Start doing Kegel exercises – this is a simple exercise usually performed by pregnant women. To perform such exercise you’ll have to tighten and release the pelvic muscles which are responsible for the control of urination.



• Take care of your anxiety and depression – to get rid of depression or anxiety it is best to seek a doctor’s help.



• Regularly check your blood sugar – optimal blood sugar levels may prevent the complication of blood vessels and nerves that usually cause erectile dysfunction. Ask your doctor for advice.