Erectile dysfunction (ED), also known as impotence, is the inability to get and keep an erection firm enough for sexual activity. ED afflicts nearly one-third of men at some point in their lives. It offers no discrimination, affecting the young and elderly, diabetics, heart patients, obese individuals, and smokers.
Physical causes often include:
Psychological causes may include:
Other risk factors and lifestyle habits linked to ED:
While the causes are many, there are options available to help you rediscover intimacy.
The first step is to see your doctor to determine possible underlying causes. Simple blood work can check testosterone levels, blood sugar, cholesterol readings, and more. Your doctor may order further cardiac testing to uncover blockages affecting blood flow. For psychological ED, counseling or anti-anxiety medications may help relieve symptoms.
Lifestyle changes like (/blog/losing-weight-can-help-sexual-health), adding regular exercise, cutting back on smoking/alcohol, and reducing stress can also make a positive impact. Natural supplements may also aid blood flow.
For moderate to serious ED cases requiring medical treatment, oral PDE5 inhibitor medications like Viagra, Cialis or Levitra often successfully treat symptoms. Penile injections, urethral suppositories or vacuum erection devices may also be options if pills fail. Testosterone therapy can help men with very low testosterone levels.
The good news - various effective ED treatment options exist. Work with your healthcare provider to find the approach that gives you back a happy, healthy sex life. Relief is possible; you deserve to enjoy intimacy again.