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Ed-Not A Matter Of Shame, Anymore
Among the many diseases that strike men, one is very special because it strikes
not only the body but the soul. This term ‘erectile
dysfunction’ is enough to strike fear into the
vast majority of men (and women too if surveys are to
be believed). Although there are many other much more
dangerous diseases, some of them even lethal, but erectile
dysfunction is a delicate matter because it affects
the intimate life of a man. One thing is for sure that
nine times out of ten it can cause deep long lasting
psychological scars if not treated carefully and properly.
Erectile dysfunction includes multiple sexual disorders,
but most often it is considered to be the persistent
inability to have an erection or to maintain it for
a sufficient amount of time. Erectile dysfunction is
often called impotence though this is not precise, because
impotence includes other symptoms, like the absence
of sexual desire or ejaculation difficulties. Erectile
dysfunction may include a total and permanent lack of
erection, or be a temporary state only. The reasons
for erectile dysfunction are many, and therefore there
is no universal treatment that helps in all cases. For
instance, for older men erectile dysfunction can have
physical origins (diseases, injury, etc.) in addition
to psychological ones. However it can be a warning sign
of other illnesses that can be killers.
Impaired blood flow is the number one culprit in most
erectile dysfunction cases. This means that blood is
not flowing efficiently throughout the body, including
the blood that flows to the penis during sexual arousal.
There are various medical conditions that can lead to
impaired blood flow. These include: diabetes, high blood
pressure, hardening of the arteries, cardiac problems,
and other heart or blood related medical conditions.
Incidents of erectile dysfunction often increase with
age. In senior adults, it is estimated that nearly 40
percent of erectile dysfunction cases are the result
of hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis. Nerve
disorders also cause erectile dysfunction. The nervous
system plays a major role in determining how our sex
lives play out. Damage to the nervous system anywhere
in the body can result in erectile dysfunction. Nervous
system damage can be incurred from spinal injuries,
strokes, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurological
disorders. When the nervous system is damaged, the brain
may no longer be capable of sending out the signals
and messages that convey sexual arousal. Endocrine disorders
are also commonly related to erectile dysfunction. Endocrine
problems may include low hormone levels, particularly
low levels of testosterone. Endocrine disorders also
occur in the pituitary gland. As men age, their body
produces less and less testosterone. This reduction
in testosterone levels can cause men to experience more
frequent incidents of sexual impotence as they age.
In about 10-20% of the cases of erectile dysfunction
reported to most doctors, psychological factors are
the root cause. This has led to a condition that most
medical practitioners now refer to as “psychological
erectile dysfunction”. There are whole numbers
of potential causes that can prevent the triggering
of the normal mental procedures required for the average
man to be able to achieve an erection. These can include
stress, relationship problems or other forms of psychological
illnesses that can prevent the brain from imitating
the signals required for an erection. Often it can be
quite simply down to depression or anxiety. A recent
medical survey reported that almost twice as many men
who were suffering from depression and had associated
anxiety issues exhibited signs of erectile dysfunction
than men who weren’t depressed. It doesn’t
matter if at the end of the day, the cause of an incidence
of erectile dysfunction can be traced to something non
psychological, the emotional turmoil that this causes
is quite extensive. This in itself can lead to many
potential knock on effects.
Just like causes, there are many treatment options
available for this problem of men’s sexual health.
Psychotherapy is a very powerful treatment because often,
erectile dysfunction is not due to a medical condition,
but is the result of emotional stress. In psychotherapy
the role and the attitude of the partner is very important.
Modern men take pills for everything, and erectile dysfunction
is no exception. In addition to the famous viagra (approved
by the food and drug administration in 1998), which
was the first oral medication for erectile
dysfunction, there are other popular drugs that
act similarly to viagra (sildenafil) for instance, cialis
(tadalafil) and vardenafil (levitra) also stimulate
the flow of blood to the penis, thus making it easier
to get an erection when there is sexual stimulation.
But before resorting to erectile dysfunction drugs,
consult your doctor because there are cases (for instance
a recent heart attack) when you should not even think
about them. In the rare cases where the reason for erectile
dysfunction is testosterone deficiency, hormone replacement
therapy might be enough.
So if you are frequently experiencing erectile dysfunction,
and this does not change when psychological causes are
removed, it is time to see a doctor who could more precisely
identify the causes and prescribe treatment to make
you alright again.
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