Erectile Dysfunction 101
Many men who deal with erectile dysfunction are often ashamed to admit their condition and avoid seeking help.
However, the sooner you deal with your condition, the lower the risk of any side effects or potential permanent damage.
Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions about Erectile Dysfunction, how to deal with it in your everyday life, and when to seek help.
What is Erectile Dysfunction?
Erectile Dysfunction or Impotence is a man’s inability to maintain an erection that is hard enough for sexual intercourse.
Erectile Dysfunction is an ongoing condition that persists. So, if you have trouble getting it up once in a while, that does not necessarily mean that you have Erectile Dysfunction.
However, if it’s a persistent condition, you should talk to a professional about it. Erectile Dysfunction can be caused by an underlying health condition that requires treatment.
If Erectile Dysfunction is caused by another condition, fixing it is usually enough for fixing the penis problems as well.
Having Erectile Dysfunction can cause a lot of stress and lower your self-esteem. Such mental issues can result in difficulty maintaining relationships as well as creating new ones.
That’s why, if you are concerned about your erections and their quality – consult a physician.
Erectile Dysfunction Causes
Erection as well as arousal is a complex process. It involves the brain, nerves, emotions, hormones, blood vessels, and muscles. That’s why, if a man has an underlying condition in any of these sections, it could cause Erectile Dysfunction.
However, since erection strongly depends on emotions, difficulty getting the penis up can be a result of stress, or any mental health condition. Also, even if it’s not the primary issue, stressing about it may worsen the condition.
In many cases, it turns out that a combination of both: psychological and physical issues are behind the Impotence. Since men are super sensitive to penis problems, especially not getting it up, several accidents can result in the problem being over escalated in the brain.
That results in even more troubles in bed, which later tend to lower the self-esteem, and this way the whole process turns into a vicious circle.
Physical Erectile Dysfunction causes
There are many physical conditions that can be the cause of Erectile Dysfunction. However, there tend to be the most popular ones:
- Heart disease
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Clogged blood vessels
- High blood pressure
- Obesity
- Metabolic syndrome
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Low testosterone
- Certain prescription medications
- Tobacco
- Peyronie’s disease
- Alcoholism
- Sleep disorders
Mental Erectile Dysfunction causes
Our brains are super powerful. In fact, that’s where all the orgasms happen. You should keep in mind that your mental health is super important for healthy erections. Here are the most common mental Erectile Dysfunction causes:
- Anxiety, Depression, or other mental health issues
- Stress
- Relationship problems, including stress and poor communication
As you can see from the list, these conditions depend strongly on our daily environment and the emotions that we experience on a daily basis.
If you’ve recently experienced strong and prolonged stress, or have problems with your significant other – it could be the reason behind your problems.
Erectile Dysfunction syptoms
Erectile Dysfunction symptoms include:
- Difficulty to get en erection
- Difficulty to maintain an erection
- Low libido and low sexual desire
Keep in mind that Erectile Dysfunction symptoms are persistent. So, if you happen to have a flat for a couple of times that does not necessarily mean that you have Erectile Dysfunction.
Before you start panicking think whether you’ve been under a lot of stress, working late hours, etc. However, if you are worried, always consult a physician to get properly diagnosed.
Erectile Dysfunction Treatment
Even though Erectile Dysfunction is very frustrating for men, it can be cured. However, first, you need to find the underlying condition that causes it.
When your physician diagnoses the underlying cause, a treatment will be provided for you. Based on the reasons behind your condition and your preferences, here’s what Erectile Dysfunction treatment options you can expect.
Keep in mind that a different underlying condition requires a different treatment.
Erectile Dysfunction pills
- Sildenafil (Viagra)
- Avanafil (Stendra)
- Vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn)
- Tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis)
All these medications are designed to enhance nitric oxide effects. Nitric Oxide is a natural chemical produced by your body. It relaxes muscles in the penis. Relaxed penile muscles help increase the blood flow to the penis. It also works to help you get an erection as a response to arousal.
That’s why getting aroused is the key element for these drugs to work. Sexual stimulation causes the release of nitric oxide which is essential for the drugs to work. These medications are not designed to work as aphrodisiacs. So, getting excited is the part that you have to work on your own.
Before you start using any of these drugs, make sure to talk to a professional. Each drug can have its side-effects and not all of them may be compatible with your condition. So, don’t risk your health and talk to a professional.
Penis Pumps
While using medications is a good choice for many, it does not necessarily mean that it is good for your case. Medications may not be recommended for you, or some men simply prefer treatment without drugs.
In this case, the most popular and recommended choice is a penis pump. A penis pump is a special vacuum tube that draws extra blood to your penis. The pumps can be manual and automated.
Once the pump is placed on the penis, you start to suck out the air out of it and create a vacuum around your penis. The vacuum draws blood to the penis and this way gives you an erection.
Once the penis is erect – the pump has done its job and you can safely remove it. Based on your case, your doctor may prescribe you a specific model.
Currently, the best experience I had with a penis pump is Penomet.
Surgery and Implants
If penis pumps and oral drugs are not enough for your case, there’s a surgery that could help you.
During this surgery, special devices get implanted into both sides of the penis. The special devices are either inflatable or bendable.
The inflatable option lets you have control over when and for how long you have an erection and the bendable one makes your penis firm yet still bendable.
In general, doctors won’t recommend you the implant before you try the other methods first. Overall, implants have a great satisfaction rate among men for which the other treatments didn’t work.
Despite the satisfaction rate, you should keep in mind that every surgery comes with a potential risk for complications including various infections.
That’s why surgical intervention is usually the last option recommended for and chosen by patients.
Erectile Dysfunction and Age
In general, there is no strong correlation between Erectile Dysfunction and age. However, if you have additional conditions that can be the reason for developing Erectile Dysfunction, age could actually increase the risks.
How to Cure Erectile Dysfunction at Home?
In general, the safest Erectile Dysfunction treatment for home use is a penis pump. However, it is always advised to discuss your situation with a professional before you take action.
Don’t take any drugs that weren’t prescribed to you. Especially if you have any known health conditions. Keep in mind that every drug has potential side effects.
Erectile Dysfunction Pump
One of the safest and most popular ways to deal with Erectile Dysfunction is using a penis pump.
Quality penis pumps are perfectly safe to use, however, you need to do your homework to find the one that is worth the money.
Penis pumps can be manual and automatic. Both are perfect for the job, however, come with different price tags.
From what I experienced, Bathamte and Penomet are the most trusted choices in today’s market.
Food for Erectile Dysfunction
A healthy diet is healthy for your penis as well. I wish I could tell you that eating salad leaves will cure your Erectile Dysfunction, however, I can’t.
Yet, there are still things that you can do to improve your condition. However, it’s a long-term commitment.
Regular exercising, maintaining a healthy diet, and eating nutritious food could improve your and your penis health.
So, skipping a beer and eating a casserole instead of a pizza will help you feel and look better as well as improve your penis health.
How can I Improve Erectile Dysfunction Symptoms?
Even though it sounds impossible, the best way to improve your Erectile Dysfunction symptoms is to stop worrying about them.
There is a great chance that your brains are killing the erections without you even knowing that. So, watch porn, relax, have fun, and see how your penis reacts to that. It’s literally the best starting point. Also, time, give your penis time to relax and come back to life.
This happened to me several times as well. I was under a lot of stress and sex was the last thing my penis and body wanted. However, the long-needed vacation resolved it within 10-15 days.
