Erectile Dysfunction
What is Erectile Dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction, sometimes called “impotence,” is the repeated inability to achieve or maintain a firm enough erection satisfactory for sexual intercourse. The word “impotence” may also be used to describe other problems that interfere with sexual intercourse, such as lack of sexual desire and problems with ejaculation or orgasm. Using the term erectile dysfunction makes it clear that those other problems are not involved. Erectile dysfunction, or ED, can be the total inability to achieve an erection, an inconsistent ability to do so, or a tendency to sustain only brief erections. These variations make defining ED and estimating its incidence difficult. Estimates range from 15 million to over 40 million, depending on the definition and the source used.
Again, depending on the source of information, ED usually has a physical cause, such as disease, injury, or side effects of drugs. Any disorder that causes injury to the nerves or impairs blood flow to and in the penis has potential to cause ED. Incidence increases with age usually because the body is deteriorating over time and the man is more susceptible to other medical conditions or physical conditions that contribute to or cause ED. But it is not an inevitable part of aging. Men are capable of having satisfactory erections well up into their nineties.
ED is treatable at any age, and awareness of this fact has been growing. More men have been seeking help and returning to normal sexual activity because of community awareness and publicized advancements and availability of improved, successful treatments for ED.
What Causes Erectile Dysfunction?
Since an erection requires a precise sequence of events, ED can occur when any of the events are disrupted. The sequence includes nerve impulses in the brain, spinal column, and area around the penis, and response in muscles, fibrous tissues, veins, and arteries in and near the corpora cavernosa.
Damage to nerves, arteries, smooth muscles, and fibrous tissues, often as a result of disease, is the most common cause of ED. Diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease, chronic alcoholism, multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis, vascular disease, hypertension, elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, and neurological disease account for approximately 80 percent of ED cases. Between 35 and 50 percent of men with diabetes will experience ED.
Surgery (especially radical prostate and bladder surgery for cancer) can injure nerves and arteries near the penis, causing ED. Injury to penis, spinal cord, prostate, bladder, and pelvis can lead to ED by harming nerves, smooth muscles, arteries, and fibrous tissues of the corpora cavernosa.
In addition, many common medicines such as blood pressure drugs, antihistamines, antidepressants, tranquilizers, appetite suppressants, and cimetidine (an ulcer drug) can produce ED as a side effect.
Many experts believe that psychological factors such as stress, anxiety, guilt, depression, low self-esteem, and fear of sexual failure cause 10 to 15 percent of ED cases. Men with a physical cause for ED frequently experience the same sort of psychological reactions but are usually secondary to the ED itself.
Other possible causes are smoking, which affects blood flow in veins and arteries, and hormonal abnormalities, such as not enough testosterone. Illegal drugs such as cocaine, crack, marijuana, methamphetamines, LSD, and others can suggest a chemical cause of ED.
Admitting Erectile Dysfunction to Yourself
A lot of men suffer with erectile dysfunction or ED, but never admit it to themselves. Sadly, this denial prevents them from enjoying sexual activity on a regular basis again. A man who behaves this way has a lot of company. Sources indicate that over 40 million American men suffer with ED, but fewer than 10 percent have ever been properly diagnosed and treated.
Ignoring the problem was normal behavior years ago, but today sexual wellness is often viewed as an indicator of total health. As more men are living longer, they have an interest in treating ED. The pride factor does not inhibit treatment as it once did. Today, there are many effective treatments to choose from, both surgical and non-surgical. The first step is admitting the problem.
If your erections do not become firm enough to allow vaginal penetration, you have ED. If your erections have the necessary rigidity, but are firm only briefly, you have an ED problem. If your erection loses its strength upon penetration, you probably have an ED problem. If any of these scenarios fit you, it may be time to admit it and take the first step forward to proper diagnosis and treatment that can change your life.
