Everyone deserves an enjoyable, satisfying, and vigorous sexual life. That much is true. Men would want to have an enjoyable time with their partners as this gives them intimacy and pleasure. For a pleasurable sex life, men need to maintain erections.
However, some men have erectile dysfunction – a condition where men have difficulty having and maintaining an erection for a satisfying sexual life. An erection involves a complex process. It starts as signals from your brain for your nerves to function and for your hormones to be alerted.
Then, a cascade of events happens that make your vessels and muscles on the penis have an erection.
But one wrong move from any part of this cascade will lead to erectile dysfunction. There are also lots of risk factors to look out for. Fortunately, modern medicine can treat erectile dysfunction. We will discuss all of these in the following parts of this article.
DEFINITION OF ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION
ED also manifests as the inability to maintain firmness. It does not last as long as you wanted it to be. ED is a prevalent sexual dysfunction in men. Numbers will tell you that more than 30 million men have erection problems in America.
How can you know if you have ED? It would help if you looked out for some signs and symptoms of ED. Common manifestations of ED are persistent difficulty in having and keeping an erection. Moreover, you can also feel a lack of sexual desire.
Is it bad to have ED? Well, commonly, you will experience some complications. This includes stress, anxiety, and maybe low self-esteem. Moreover, since you suffer from ED, your sexual life will be heavily burdened. You may not be as satisfied as you usually would. Lastly, you will also have difficulty getting your partner pregnant.
ED has implications not only to your sexual life but also to your health in general. Medical professionals classify ED in men as an engine light which can point to underlying medical problems. Erectile dysfunction can be a manifestation of heart problems or diabetes.
When you have erection problems, and it starts to feel concerning for you, it might be best to consult a medical professional since you need to be aware of this because of an undetected medical problem you need to treat. But, if underlying medical issues are ruled out, you still have some options for treating your ED, which we will discuss in a while.
THE CAUSES OF ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION
As men become aroused, a cascade of events happens in their bodies which leads to an erection. It involves brain signals, hormones, muscles, blood vessels, and emotions. If one of these malfunctions, then the erection will halt. Let us discuss the various causes of ED in men to understand ways to treat them later on.
– Physical Causes of ED
Your body mainly dictates if you can have a good erection. If your blood circulation is impaired, then your erection won’t be as expected. This happens because your erection occurs when blood is rushed to your penile tissues and stays there.
Some health conditions prevent a good erection. Heart disease and hypertension are mainly the suspects. Also, diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol can lead to ED if you do not treat these medical conditions in the long run.
– Medications as Causes of ED
Surprisingly, some drugs can cause ED! These drugs interfere with your blood flow, orgasm, or seminal emission. Moreover, some medications can even decrease your libido.
These drugs include anti-hypertensive drugs, diuretics, antihistamines, or even ibuprofen. If you observe that you had ED when you took these drugs for long-term use, please consider a medical consult. Doctors can prescribe another medicine for your condition, which will not contribute to your ED.
– Lifestyle Causes
Some of your daily lifestyle habits can accumulate as a risk factor for ED. The first is if you lack physical activities. Sedentary lifestyle practices are significant risk factors for ED. You get 40-60% higher odds of having ED if you live a sedentary life.
Other than exercise, you need a healthy diet. Choose a diet good for your heart. If you always eat fatty, fried, and processed food, you get to increase your ED risk since your cholesterol levels will be very high. This causes damage to your arteries which can affect the good blood flow needed for an erection.
In addition to these, be conscious of your excessive alcohol intake or even drug use. Recreational drugs will degrade your nervous system – an essential system for your erections.
TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION
Of course, the treatment option would depend on your condition. If low testosterone levels cause your ED, you might need testosterone replacement therapy or TRT.
For some men, other ED treatments include food supplements infused with DHEA, ginseng, L-carnitine. Some use devices like a penis pump or a cock ring to help them get an erection. Of course, an invasive method is also available. Penis implants can be surgically placed on you. This treatment is an expensive option but is very effective.
If you are a healthy male, how can you know if you need a medical consult for your possible ED? It’s an excellent tip to seek consultation if you have premature or delayed ejaculation. Moreover, if you currently have heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes, it is also best to ask if you are at risk of ED. Prevention would be better than cure on ED.
In addition to any treatment option that you and your doctor choose, don’t forget to live a healthy lifestyle. Exercise daily and eat healthy foods.
