Erectile dysfunction is a condition wherein a male has the inability to maintain a genital erection long enough to have sex. This condition can become as men grow older. But erectile dysfunction can also affect men at any age. Some may experience difficulties maintaining an erection from time to time which is quite normal. This condition concerns the problem of not maintaining an erection on a persistent basis. It can eventually become a cause of concern and will affect one’s self-esteem as well as intimate relationships.

Main Symptoms

The main symptom of erectile dysfunction is the difficulty of having an erection and maintaining it long enough to engage in sex. It may be normal for some males to experience maintaining erections at some occasions. But this condition is characterized by a persistent failure to have an erection. Aside from its effects on one’s self-esteem and on relationships, erectile dysfunction may also be a sign of an underlying health condition that might require immediate treatment.

Main Causes

The male genital contains two cylindrical and sponge-like structures called corpus cavernosum that run along the length of the penis. During sexual arousal, the nerve impulses in the brain transmit signals that cause the blood flow into the two cylindrical structures in the penis to increase. The increase in the blood flow causes the sponge-like structure to expand, producing an erection.

As sexual arousal in males is considered a complex process, there can be several factors involved in erectile dysfunction. Sexual arousal can be brought about by a mixture of brain processes, hormones, emotions, nerve impulses as well as muscle function and blood flow. Any disturbance in this delicate balance may be a possible cause for a male’s failure to maintain an erection.

In the past, doctors have believed erectile dysfunction to be mainly psychological in nature. But currently experts now fully know that the underlying causes for the condition may be physical in nature. It can be a result of an underlying health problem or even the side effects of medication. Health conditions that may lead to erectile dysfunction include heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and certain metabolic disorders. Other possible causes may include smoking, drug abuse, certain side effects of prescription medication, and certain injuries that affect the spinal cord or the pelvic area.

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What is erectile dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction is a condition wherein men have the inability to develop or maintain an erection of their sexual organ. It is usually an age related condition that is more common to older men although some conditions may also bring about erectile dysfunction in younger men. Such a condition may have a psychological effect in men that will lead to feelings of inadequacy, shame and even loss.

What causes erectile dysfunction?

The cause of erectile dysfunction may either be physiological or psychological in nature. Physiologically, some men may not have a normal working mechanism to induce an erection. This mechanism is based on the ability of blood to flow and gets retained in the penis. This inability can be caused in turn by a number of conditions.

Diabetes may be a cause of erectile dysfunction in men. This disease is said to comprise about 40 percent of impotence cases. This is due to the fact that diabetes s a disease that can lead to nerve damage and blocked arteries. When these involve the blood vessels and nerves in the penis, erectile dysfunction is the usual result.

High blood pressure may also contribute to erectile dysfunction in men. In fact, erectile dysfunction is a common issue for men suffering from high blood pressure. Studies have shown that about 40 percent of men suffering from erectile dysfunction also suffer from hypertension. Some drugs used to treat hypertension may also be guilty of causing erectile dysfunction in men.

Men suffering from Parkinson’s disease may also be at risk of erectile dysfunction. One third of men with Parkinson’s also have erectile dysfunction. This might be due to the impairment of the nervous system that may cause the condition in men with Parkinson’s disease.

Another related disorder that may cause erectile dysfunction in men is multiple sclerosis. As this disorder may also affect the proper operation of the central nervous system, it may also be a factor in causing erectile dysfunction in some men with multiple sclerosis.

Aside from other physiological causes of erectile dysfunction, a number of men may suffer from impotence due to psychological reasons. Some men may fail to develop and maintain erection and achieve penetration during sex due to their own thoughts and feelings that might impede their erection. This type of erectile dysfunction can usually be treated better than those that are caused by physiological reasons.

How is erectile dysfunction treated?

Treatment for erectile dysfunction usually would depend on the cause. There are currently a variety of different drugs that are being used to treat erectile dysfunction. There are also certain types of therapy that can help treat erectile dysfunction that have been known to be psychological in nature.

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