Erectile dysfunction is a common condition. While occasional difficulty achieving an erection is normal, if it starts to happen more frequently or disrupts your sex life, talk to your doctor. Erectile dysfunction isn't a life-threatening disorder, but it can be a sign of a more serious medical condition. The fact is that erectile dysfunction affects men of all ages.
However, as you age, the risk may increase. This is not only because erections take longer to develop, but also because other contributing factors may come into play. Physical problems such as heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and smoking can cause erectile dysfunction. On the other hand, depression, anxiety, stress, relationship problems, and other mental health problems can also interfere with sexual feelings.
And this can cause or worsen your erection problems. Often, it's a little bit of both. That's why it's important to understand a person's physical and psychological state in order to know the underlying cause of erectile dysfunction. If it happens only once in a while, it's not likely to be serious.
All men have erectile problems at some point in their lives. Men who have penile erections that last longer than two to four hours should go to the emergency room. Priapism is a prolonged erection that lasts longer than four hours. If priapism is not undone, permanent damage to the penis and intractable erectile dysfunction will result.
Erectile dysfunction generally develops over time, often due to circulatory or nervous system problems. However, it can happen unexpectedly and suddenly. The treatment aims to correct or improve erectile function, help circulatory health and improve men's quality of life. Sudden erectile dysfunction usually suggests that a psychological problem or medication is causing the problem.
Treatments for erectile dysfunction include medications that are given orally (usually tablets), counseling, vacuum pump devices for the penis, injections directly into the penis, and prosthetic penile implants. The best way to prevent erectile dysfunction is to choose a healthy lifestyle and manage any existing health conditions. Erectile dysfunction is not a disease, but rather a symptom of some other problem, physical, psychological, or a mix of both. Once you find out if your erectile dysfunction has a physical or psychological cause, you can get the right treatment.
Erectile dysfunction is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection long enough to have satisfactory sexual intercourse. Counseling can also benefit men who have lost sexual confidence, even though their erectile dysfunction is due to physical factors. Counseling and psychotherapy can help if one of the underlying causes of erectile dysfunction is psychological. Usually, the hardest part of diagnosing erectile dysfunction is overcoming the embarrassment that comes with talking about erectile dysfunction.
Erectile dysfunction can be an uncomfortable topic to discuss with your doctor, your partner, and your friends. The final outcome of treatment will depend on the cause and severity of the erectile dysfunction, as well as any underlying health conditions that may be present. If you think you have sudden erectile dysfunction, start by talking to your provider to develop a treatment plan that's right for you. Physical erectile dysfunction occurs over a period of months or years and is often a gradual loss of function.
Blood tests can also help determine if hormonal problems, such as low testosterone levels, are causing erectile dysfunction. .
