Definition of ED

If you have erectile dysfunction (ED), your penis does not get or stay hard enough for sex. Your sex drive may be normal. But you may not be able to start or finish intercourse.

Prevalence

Erectile dysfunction is also called "impotence." It is very common. About one in ten men have ED.

Any male can have erectile dysfunction. In fact, most men will experience temporary impotence at some point in their lives. Stress, anxiety, or too much alcohol often causes temporary ED.

You are more likely to have ED if you are over 40. The older you are, the greater the chance of erectile dysfunction. However, it is NOT inevitable.

Disease or injury that slows or prevents blood flow to your penis may lead to erectile dysfunction.

For example:

• Pelvic trauma, which results from accidental injury or prostate treatment.

• Pelvic surgery for conditions of the prostate, bladder, colon, or rectal area.

• Diabetes can damage the nerves or blood vessels that control blood flow to your penis. If you are diabetic, you are up to five times more likely to have erectile dysfunction.

• Vascular problems, including heart disease and hardening of the arteries, can slow or prevent blood flow into the penis. Sometimes veins in the penis may leak, preventing it from staying hard.

• Neurological disorders include spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis (MS). These, too, can cause erectile dysfunction.

• Medications include prescriptions for high blood pressure, depression and other conditions. Some may cause impotence by interfering with nerve impulses or blood flow to your penis. A change in dose may reduce the risk. NEVER change your medication without your doctor's permission.

• Alcoholism disrupts hormone levels. It can also cause permanent nerve damage and impotence.

• Hormone imbalance caused by certain diseases, such as kidney failure and liver disease, can lead to impotence.

Click here for more information about the physical causes of impotence.

Psychological Causes

When there is no physical problem causing impotence, doctors call it psychological impotence. Depression, job stress, and a troubled marriage can cause impotence. So can financial worries. Even something as simple as an everyday concern can trigger ED.

Quality of Life Issues

ED can damage your quality of life. Impotence can bring worry, anxiety, depression, and loss of self-esteem. It often leads to tension and conflict with your marriage or sexual partner. Men often think they have to live with impotence. This is not true, because there are many good treatments. Most likely one of them will work for you.

Treatment Overview

You may not be able to avoid ED, but you can get successful treatment at any age.

Each treatment has advantages and disadvantages. The best treatment for you depends on many things, including your physical health and the level of sexual spontaneity that you and your partner want. With the exception of penile implants, all treatments unfortunately interfere with spontaneity to some degree.

• Oral medications such as Viagra improve blood flow to the penis. For most men, Viagra is a logical first step to treat erectile dysfunction.

  Viagra should be taken 30 to 60 minutes before sex. Viagra increases blood flow to the penis to allow an erection. However, you must also be sexually stimulated to attain an erection using Viagra.

  Viagra is not ideal for all men. Viagra fails 30% to 40% of the men who try it. If Viagra has failed for you, or if your doctor has not prescribed Viagra because you are using a conflicting medication, you should seek one or more of the other ED treatments described here.

• Penile implants. Also called "internal pumps," implants can be very effective if other treatments such as Viagra have not worked. The implant is completely concealed within your body. Before sex you easily control the device to cause an erection. This promotes spontaneity.

  Penile implants have been modified and enhanced over the past 25 years. Nearly 300,000 men with ED have an implant. Studies show very high satisfaction among these men and their partners.

• Urethral suppositories. Prior to sex, you insert medication into your urethra. The medication produces an erection.

• Injection therapy. You inject a drug directly into your penis prior to intercourse to produce an erection.

• Vacuum erection devices. The device creates a vacuum around your penis. The vacuum draws blood into your penis to produce an erection. You keep the erection with an elastic band around the base of your penis.

• Vascular surgery. For a few men, vascular surgery may improve blood flow to the penis. Surgery may also repair leaking veins that prevent keeping an erection.

• Counseling and sex therapy. Counseling or therapy can often solve a psychological problem causing impotence.

Click here for more information about treatments for ED.

Treatment Works!

Persistent impotence will not go away by itself. But you do not have to live with it. You can get treatment that works.

If you think you have erectile dysfunction, see a urologist as soon as possible. Find one who specializes in treating impotence.