Erections might seem like a simple process. You wake up in the morning with some “wood.” Or, you might be stimulated by a photograph, video, or by physical contact with a sexual partner.
It’s easy to take for granted –– until you lose the ability to produce or keep an erection. Then, you’ve got a full-blown case of erectile dysfunction (ED) on your hands.
Any disruption in the complex interplay of bodily systems that leads to erections causes ED.
ED can either be a temporary or long-term condition for men. But what causes temporary ED?
Some develop temporary ED due to lifestyle or situational factors. Let’s discuss them further.
Situational ED: The Lowdown
Situational ED is a form of temporary erectile dysfunction that happens in particular circumstances or situations, such as engaging in a specific sex act.
For instance, some men may find it easy to produce a firm, long-lasting erection when they engage in solo play, but find themselves completely unable to do so when it comes to penetrative sex with a partner.
Such cases of situational ED, therefore, may be associated with anxiety or stress concerning sexual performance.
Situational ED can also be linked to excessive alcohol or recreational drug use, or the use of certain medicines, which may all trigger a bout of temporary ED.
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Temporary ED: What You Need to Know
Meanwhile, other ED cases can be classified as temporary without being particularly situational.
For instance, lifestyle habits that are detrimental to erectile function –– such as workplace stress, a sedentary lifestyle, or smoking and drinking –– can all cause or exacerbate ED.
Fortunately, temporary ED arising from such factors is often perfectly treatable by simply making changes and undoing some habits.
Read on to learn about how cases involving temporary ED are treated in the following section.
Temporary ED: How Is It Treated?
If there’s a silver lining in the ED cloud, it is this: erectile dysfunction can be treated, if not completely reversed, with treatment approaches involving medicine, lifestyle changes, or a combination of various methods.
If you find yourself running into temporary ED issues, you’ll want to talk to a healthcare professional to determine how to treat your ED and get your sexual health firing on all cylinders again.
Here are some tried and tested treatment options for temporary ED.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) medications: PDE5 inhibitors
Medications known as PDE5 inhibitors have been used to successfully treat ED. This category of FDA-approved drugs works by pumping up the blood circulation to your penis, facilitating the process of erection when you’re in the mood and sexually aroused. It includes:
- Sildenafil (Viagra®). Sildenafil, marketed as Viagra®, is an ED medication that can work against ED symptoms for 4-6 hours every dosage.
- Tadalafil (Cialis®). Tadalafil, marketed as Cialis®, is known as the “weekend” pill because of its longer-lasting window of effect, which can last up to 36 hours.
- Vardenafil (Levitra®). Vardenafil, marketed as Levitra®, is similar to sildenafil in that it works for about 4-6 hours after every dose, but with one key difference: it doesn’t cause the rare side effect of changes to the perception of colors as taking sildenafil might.
- Avanafil (Stendra®). Avanafil is a second-generation ED medication developed to produce fewer side effects than its other counterparts.
All ED medications require a prescription from a licensed healthcare professional following a consultation and the requisite tests, if necessary.
And, supposing your ED stems from psychological factors, PDE5 inhibitor ED medications can help boost your self-esteem and confidence while having sex, and increase your sexual performance while doing so. Your doctor might prescribe you an ED medication if you have stress or anxiety-induced ED, among other psychological factors.
Other Therapeutic Approaches to ED
Individuals with psychologically-induced ED arising from depression, anxiety, or guilt and shame about having sex can benefit immensely from therapy such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT involves determining and changing the behaviors that contribute to or worsen temporary ED.
On the other hand, if your ED stems from relationship issues, you might want to pursue sex, relationship, or marriage therapy and counseling for you and your partner to get over the humps in your relationships and foster a stronger emotional connection with one another.
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Lifestyle Changes You Can Employ to Avoid ED
Oftentimes, all it takes to reduce your ED symptoms and boost your sex life is by changing several lifestyle choices such as:
- Quitting smoking entirely. Smoking is the single most detrimental thing you can do for your ED. Smoking hardens and damages blood vessels, therefore preventing optimal blood flow from reaching your penis. Moreover, recent research indicates that nicotine can blunt your responses to sexual stimulation.
- Reduce or quit alcohol consumption. Ever wonder why you had problems “getting it up” after a long night of drinking? That’s called alcohol-induced erectile dysfunction, or a situational form of ED more affectionately known as “whiskey dick.” Chronic, long-term drinking has also been linked to individuals developing some degree of sexual dysfunction.
- Keep a reasonably healthy body weight. Being overweight or obese ranks as one of the most significant ED risk factors in men. Obese men are thrice as likely to run into ED compared to their fitter counterparts. Consuming a Mediterranean diet may not only help you drop the excess weight but also help boost your erectile and sexual function altogether.
- Get regular physical activity. Aerobic exercise helps boost your fitness and may also contribute to treating ED arising from poor cardiovascular health – one of the most common causes of ED. Moreover, regular exercise does wonders for your mental and emotional health, making it an excellent way to treat psychologically-induced temporary ED.
- Refrain from using recreational drugs. Plenty of regulated substances are linked to sexual dysfunction, regardless of their legal status. For instance, despite being legal in certain parts of the world and in many states, recreational marijuana use has been linked to a higher likelihood of developing ED.
- Cut down on the stress. Chronic, sustained stress can be seriously harmful to your mental and physical health – including your sex life. That includes the ability to produce and keep an erection long and firm enough for vigorous, enjoyable sex.
The final word on temporary ED
Erectile dysfunction can be a hassle to deal with, even if the case is a temporary one. Fortunately, temporary ED can be treated, managed, and very well be reversed regardless of whether it is situational or otherwise. If you suspect you might be manifesting ED symptoms, consult a healthcare professional so they can help diagnose, determine the root cause, and put you on a suitable treatment. You got this!
