What is Erectile Dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction (ED) afflicts hundreds of millions of men worldwide. It is also called impotence but is used less often. The condition is defined as having difficulty getting or keeping an erection firm enough to have sex, even if you are sexually stimulated.
There are several factors why erectile dysfunction happens. The most common are:
- The blood flow in the penis is limited or the nerves are damaged
- Stress in any form
- It’s a warning sign of another life-threatening condition like diabetes, high blood pressure, or atherosclerosis.
Determining the causes of your condition will help you know how to treat it. And it’s also good for your well-being in the long run. After all, what’s good for your health is also good for your sex health.
How Erections Work
When you are aroused, your nerves release chemicals that increase your blood flow into your penis. The blood goes through two erection chambers in your penis — the corpora cavernosa, the soft tissue running along the right and left side of your penis.
When you are sexually aroused, your brain sends a chemical message to the brain to initiate the erection. A chemical called cyclic GMP (cGMP) relaxes the muscles in the corpora cavernosa relax so blood can flow into the tissue. As blood flows into the penis, it expands and becomes firmer.
There’s also a membrane called the tunica albuginea. It wraps around the corpora cavernosa. It stops the blood from flowing out of the penis, sustaining the erection during sex.
The whole process works in reverse after the orgasm and ejaculation. The muscles inside the penis contract, stop the blood flow into the tissue and promote blood flow into the circulatory system.
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Symptoms
The most telling sign of erectile dysfunction is the difficulty of getting and maintaining an erection during sex. Below are other symptoms:
Difficulty in Getting an Erection
If you have erectile dysfunction, you’ll have difficulty getting an erection even if you are sexually aroused. Others might experience difficulty in getting a firm erection to have sex.
Difficulty in Maintaining an Erection
In some cases of erectile dysfunction, a man has difficulty staying hard while having sex. Even if you experience an erection, your penis starts to go softer while having sex. Because of that, there’s no ejaculation and orgasm.
Loss of Interest in Sex
Because you have trouble getting or maintaining an erection during sexual intercourse, it begins to affect you psychologically. You lose your confidence, and you develop depression and anxiety thinking you might not be able to perform sexually. Worse, you’ll lose interest in sex.
Pain During Erections
This pain comes from a condition called Peyronie’s disease where scarring in the penile tissue occurs. As a result, the penis curves and causes pain during erection.
Causes
Erectile dysfunction has physical and psychological triggers. It could be something that affects your health or your self-confidence.
Physical
- Diabetes – damages the nerves in the penis, and causes small vessel disease
- Hypertension – damages and reduces blood flow
- Cardiovascular disease – heart diseases have a great impact on proper blood flow
- Atherosclerosis – plaque buildup clogs the arteries affecting blood flow
- Chronic kidney disease – increases the risk of erectile dysfunction
- Sleep disorders – insomnia, apnea, and other sleep disorders are linked to erectile dysfunction
- Hormonal imbalance – hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and low testosterone levels are associated with erectile dysfunction.
- Surgeries or injuries that affect the spinal cord or pelvis
- Some prescription medication
- Tobacco use
- Obesity
Psychological
- Relationship problems – if you’re going through difficulties in your relationship, the strain brought about by the tension can affect your sexual function. If not managed well, it can contribute to erectile dysfunction.
- Stress – whether the cause of stress is work, relationship problems, financial problems, and more, stress can greatly affect you in many ways.
- Depression – manifests itself through the lack of libido and difficulty in getting sexually aroused. It can even lead to erectile dysfunction.
- Addiction to pornography – research shows that too much consumption of pornographic materials can cause erectile dysfunction.
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Risk Factors of Erectile Dysfunction
- Age – research shows that men have a 40 percent more risk of having erectile dysfunction when they reach their 40s. As they grow older, the risk becomes higher.
- Alcohol – does not refer to having occasional drinks. Consuming too much alcohol on a regular basis can affect your sexual functioning.
- Tobacco – nicotine and other chemicals that are present in tobacco can cause cardiovascular problems. Consequently, these heart problems affect the blood flow.
- Drugs – it doesn’t matter whether you are taking legal or illegal drugs because their chemical composition affects your penile health.
- Obesity – research shows that weight and erectile dysfunction are closely linked together.
- Sedentary lifestyle – a lack of physical activity exposes you to several health risks, including erectile dysfunction
Treating Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction treatment starts with taking care of your health and improving your lifestyle.
That means giving up smoking and drinking if you’re doing them. It could also mean exercising, giving up certain foods, and losing weight.
Aside from that, your doctor might suggest treatments, depending on the seriousness of your condition. Some of them include:
- Phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor drugs and pills, such as Viagra, Levitra, etc.
- Testosterone therapy – is done when you have a low testosterone level
- Intraurethral medication – this is done when oral drugs are not enough. The treatment comes in two forms — the urethra therapy and the intracavernosal injection
- Penile injection – uses a fine needle to inject the drug, Alprostadil, into the side of the penis.
- Penile implants – also called penile prostheses, are placed inside the body and stiffen the penis during sexual intercourse. Penile implants come in two forms — semi-rigid or bendable and inflatable implants.
- Vacuum erection devices – it’s a device slipped over the penis. It has a pump at one end of the tube that causes a low-pressure vacuum to stimulate the penis.
- Bypass surgery – is not recommended for older men but for recommended for younger men who have experienced severe pelvic trauma.
