Erectile dysfunction (erectile impotence) is a disease of male potency, or a dysfunction of the penis during sex (sex). In this case, there is an often permanent potency disorder in which the man is unable to achieve an erection through sexual stimuli. This form of potency problems mostly have psychological causes. But organic reasons can also be responsible.
What is erectile dysfunction (erectile impotence)?
In medical terminology, erectile dysfunction or erectile impotence describes the health condition of a man known as impotence. It is manifested by the inability of the affected patient to maintain an erection that lasts long enough for sexual intercourse. In severe cases of erectile dysfunction, there may be no erection at all.
Causes
A penile prosthesis is an erectile tissue implant inserted by surgery to treat erectile dysfunction. Click to enlarge. Erectile dysfunction can be based on various causes. One of them is psychological reasons. Men who are nervous before sexual intercourse, who are experiencing their first time or who are exposed to many stressful situations in their daily lives may take the everyday stress home with them and their potency may be affected. This form of erectile dysfunction is temporary and disappears once the stress is managed. More often, erectile dysfunction is due to organic disorders. An erection occurs because a man’s body produces the neurotransmitter cGMP when he is aroused. This causes the blood vessels of the corpus cavernosum to dilate, allowing more blood to flow in: This causes the member (penis) to erect and become stiff. The messenger cGMP acts until it is cleaved by the enzyme PDE-5. This ensures that the influence of the cGMP fades and the member becomes flaccid. The enzyme is released by the body again after a while, since a permanent erection would be harmful to the erectile tissue. In erectile dysfunction, however, PDE-5 is released too early, so that the erection of the member subsides too quickly or does not occur at all.
Symptoms, complaints, and signs
Erectile dysfunction is characterized by the failure to achieve an erection sufficient for the sexual act. It may be an erection that is only too short, too weak, or nonexistent, which in all cases severely limits or makes sex life impossible. On the other hand, occasional erectile dysfunction that occurs due to the daily routine, lifestyle, or medication taken is not considered erectile dysfunction. The decisive factor for the existence of the clinical picture is rather that a complete erection can no longer be achieved or can only be achieved to a very limited extent. Furthermore, the associated symptoms differ depending on what the impotence is based on. Psychological causes come into consideration, which then also express themselves in accompanying psychological symptoms. Often depressive moods and body perception problems play a role here. Organic causes are also conceivable. When erectile dysfunction occurs, it is therefore also relevant to clarify vascular health, since erection problems can also be associated with other vascular problems. In most cases, those affected also suffer psychologically from their perceived imperfection. The younger the affected person, the more likely an underlying disease is to be suspected, which can lead to further symptoms. Signs of erectile impotence are not always clearly identifiable, since temporary phases of lack of erectile function can be quite normal depending on the person. Only from a longer period – which is not clearly defined – the potency disorder has a disease value.
Course
If psychological reasons can be identified as a trigger, erectile dysfunction begins with severe stress in the daily life of the affected patient. In this way, short-term erectile dysfunction may develop. One usually notices the first signs of erectile impotence a few days or weeks after the stress factor has entered the patient’s life. In organically caused erectile dysfunction, there is often no clear progression of the disease. Affected men usually notice as early as puberty that they are unable to maintain an erection long enough.Most men cannot pinpoint an onset date because erectile impotence has always been there.
Complications
In the course of erectile dysfunction, a number of problems can occur. These are mainly complications of a psychological nature. Especially in cases of erectile dysfunction due to psychological problems or diseases, there are often further complications. Indeed, the consequences of erectile dysfunction can exacerbate psychological problems or create an additional psychological burden. For example, stress-related erectile dysfunction, due to pressure to perform during sex, can lead to more stress and exacerbate the problem. If depression is the underlying cause, this pressure can be added as an additional problem. This often results in a stressful interaction that is very difficult to stop. However, psychological problems can also occur in the form of an additional psychological burden to a physically caused erectile dysfunction and impair the healing process. Erectile dysfunction caused by medication is a special situation. In this situation, drug therapy for one problem often induces another. Patients who lose the ability to have a satisfying sex life due to medication often develop strong traits of depression, which in the worst cases can even become pathological.
When should you see a doctor?
If erection problems occur now and then, it is not necessarily necessary to consult a doctor. Only when difficulties occur regularly or no erection occurs at all, a medical clarification is necessary. In general, the two-thirds rule applies: If no erection of the penis is possible in two out of three cases, impotence may be present. In this case, the patient should promptly consult his or her family doctor or a specialist who can determine the cause and suggest a suitable therapy. In addition, medical advice is needed if erectile dysfunction is associated with pain or symptoms of another disease. If the lack of erectile function is due to sexual desire, this should be clarified after three to four months at the latest. In addition to the family doctor, a urologist can also be consulted. If stress or a psychological condition is the trigger, therapeutic help is best sought. In some cases, couples therapy also helps to determine and/or work through the causes of erectile dysfunction.
Treatment and therapy
The easiest and quickest way to treat erectile dysfunction is to get a prescription for a potency-enhancing drug. Well-known means are, for example, Viagra, Levitra or Cialis – they are known mainly from spam emails, but are developed by well-known pharmaceutical companies and can be prescribed by a doctor. With the appropriate doctor’s prescription, affected men can buy Viagra, online or offline. They are based on the fundamental cause of erectile dysfunction: the too early release of the enzyme PDE-5. Such drugs are also called PDE-5 inhibitors, because they eliminate erectile dysfunction by inhibiting the enzyme. As a result, a long-lasting erection can be achieved. In the case of psychological causes, it is recommended to find methods to cope with stress. This can often be done by the man alone – in many cases it helps to wait for the stressful situation to end. In more severe cases, however, it is recommended to seek the help of a psychologist. This person will not directly treat erectile impotence itself, but rather try to eliminate the underlying problem in the long term through various therapeutic methods.
Outlook and prognosis
Erectile dysfunction can occur all of a sudden, in phases, or as a permanent condition. Most men will experience temporary impotence at some point in their lives and simply have to wait for it to pass on its own. Reasons range from stress and mental strain to the use of medications, but most often they are in the psychological realm. The erectile dysfunction improves as soon as these reasons are eliminated. If, on the other hand, there are physical causes, which may even be responsible for the fact that the impotence has existed since early teenage years, then it does not improve all by itself and needs medical help.At best, treatment with a drug such as Viagra, an alternative or a cheaper generic already helps, but it must be taken before every sexual intercourse. There are also surgical procedures that can be useful, depending on the individual case, to permanently solve the problem of erectile dysfunction. If, on the other hand, the cause lies in increasing age, it is a normal symptom of old age and can best be solved by the targeted administration of medication if sexual intercourse still or again plays a role in the patient’s life. Patients should be prepared not to achieve the desired result immediately with the first medication, because sexual enhancers can have side effects and are available by prescription for a reason. However, once the active ingredient and dose have been found, then nothing stands in the way of a fulfilling sex life.
Prevention
To prevent erectile dysfunction or impotence in time, men should stop smoking, eat a healthy diet and exercise a lot. Excessive consumption of alcohol should also be avoided. Furthermore, stress and social problems should be eliminated. Well-known relaxation techniques, such as yoga, autogenic training and progressive muscle relaxation, are also suitable for this purpose.
This is what you can do yourself
Under certain circumstances, erectile dysfunction can also be combated by self-treatment, but this depends on the triggering causes. If impotence is caused by psychological problems, talking to your partner can often provide relief. By reducing the psychological pressure, it is possible to break the cycle of fear of sexual failure and disappointment. A sensible self-help measure to improve erectile dysfunction is to give up tobacco products such as cigarettes. For example, tobacco use increases the risk of clogged arteries. The same risk is posed by regular consumption of alcoholic beverages. In contrast, special nutrients contained in dark chocolate and blackberries, among others, can have a positive effect on the blood vessels. Reducing excess weight is often helpful. For example, overweight men produce less testosterone. However, the male sex hormone is extremely important for stable erections. Even a weight loss of ten percent results in improved erectile function. Men who suffer from erectile dysfunction sometimes also resort to mechanical aids. These include the vacuum pump, for example. Here, the user inserts his penis into a transparent plastic cylinder and generates negative pressure by hand. This in turn causes blood to flow into the erectile tissue. A penis ring can be used to prevent the blood from flowing out of the corpora cavernosa.
