Erectile Dysfunction - The Ultimate Guide
Erectile dysfunction has become a problem for several men, and people unaffected by it want to know if they can experience it as well. Therefore, we have put everything we know about erectile dysfunction in our guide.
Erection is a complex process engaging your brain, blood vessels, and penis. It's facilitated by hormones that notify your muscles to open and allow more blood to your penis chambers.
In ordinary situations, you can go about your daily routine without being
bothered by a stiff penis.
In such circumstances, the blood supply to your groin is limited to a small
proportion needed to keep the veins healthy.
You don't even recognize that you are carrying with you a penis. But this
feeling changes when you think or read about erotic materials.
Here, the brain sends a signal to release some hormones.
This hormone travels to your groin, then instructs the valves regulating the penis chambers.
Here the corpora cavernosa widens to allow more blood. These two chambers extend from the penis gland to the pelvis.
As blood supply increases, the chambers fill until they press against the
control switch. This process adds more blood to fills these voids while also
preventing it from escaping.
As a result, blood is retained in the penis, which remains erect and upright.
At the same time, very little blood leaves the region, establishing a firm
erection.
As long as the arousal trigger remains, the penis stays erect. But when the
cause of the erection disappears, the penis allows blood to escape from the
trap.
This causes it to return to a flaccid state.
Erectile Dysfunction or Impotence is a dreaded situation for any man. ED refers to difficulty getting an erection. In some cases, you may become erect, but it's short-lived.
This means that the arousal is too weak to perform sex. Likewise, ED can also
occur when your desire for sex is significantly low.
Here, your penis doesn't feel any excitement even when you or your partner
stimulates it.
So why is this the situation? Well, many factors result in an erection. And
if any one of these becomes a missing link, then the whole process aborts.
Penis typically stays in a flaccid state. And before it becomes firm, several
things happen. The process involves the brain, blood, veins, hormones, emotions,
and neurons.
All these features communicate with each other in a series of sequences.
After each has fulfilled its respective function, your penis stands erect.
The brain senses a visual trigger to arousal. It then instructs glands to
release hormones that flow through neurons to the reproductive system.
Once here, it instructs veins to dilate and attract more blood to the
chambers. But any mental or physical deficiency could cause a lapse in this
relay.
Your penis then fails to firm up. This situation may get persistent and ends
up as erectile dysfunction.
Erectile Dysfunction is a reasonably common occurrence. A large proportion of
men agree that they suffer from an inability to maintain a firm erection at any
time of their life.
But how prevalent is this situation? Well, we may not know exactly how common
ED is. Studies show wide variations.
Yet many men don't talk freely about this bedroom predicament.
A 2018 assessment mentions that about a third of men suffer from ED.
Another study undertaken a year later states that ED symptoms are evident in
between 3% to 76.5% of men all over the world.
A more scientific study done in 1994 also provide other representations. The
Massachusetts Male Aging Study concluded that 52% of men suffer some form of ED.
While the average occurrence of 5%, this proportion increases to 15% for men
between forty and seventy years.
Erectile Dysfunction signs become pronounced as men age. But this doesn't
mean that younger men are in any way more protected from this condition.
A study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine confirms this situation.
It estimates that about a quarter of all men below forty years suffer from ED.
So you need to understand that ED affects men in all age groups and caliber.
All men of whatever age and class can experience the harmful effects of
erectile dysfunction. But men above forty years are more exposed.
Older men exhibit more substantial ED signs. But this won't mean that the
condition is age-related. Instead, physical and mental factors are at play.
Physical triggers to ED include cardiovascular complications and dietary
factors. Hence drinking alcohol, smoking, drug abuse, and obesity all contribute
one way or another to the proliferation of ED.
Some medications also cause ED. Similar to surgeries and treatments. At the
same time, diseases that affect the prostate, penis, and testosterone levels
also contribute.
Damages and injuries to the nervous system may also hinder erection. But
mental factors also accelerate ED. So if you suffer from depression, anxiety,
and stress, you may harbor ED signs.
Hostile marital relationships may make it hard for you to gain a firm
erection. Thus it also impacts the mental ED triggers.
When you think about your girlfriend, you can have an erection. It's so easy
and natural, you may think so. Right? Wrong.
Behind this instant arousal is a complicated web of mental, physical, visual,
and cardiovascular actions.
After watching an erotic movie, your brain signals several organs to produce
chemicals and enzymes.
These compounds trigger pulses that communicate with your penis. Penile
vessels then relax and attract blood.
Underneath the flaccid penis, two empty chambers prepare to receive blood.
And as more blood trickles in, they become engorges, and the penis starts
raising.
As the penis raise, the valve narrows up, thus preventing much blood from
escaping the chambers. This results in a full erection.
At the same time, the scrotum opening widens while that of the bladder
closes. Hence you stop urinating while you start desiring sex. Seminal fluids
chimes trigger this feeling.
You remain erect as long as this stimulation is in your mind or on your body. Hence you can sustain an erection mentally or physically.
But some men are unable to retain erection long enough to complete sex. This
means coordination between their brains, veins, and penis is not in synch.
Most often than not, ED indicates more severe health issues. Why is this the
case?
Erection only occurs after several body organs communicate with one another.
And if this sharing of information is absent, then there are health issues.
Either your thyroid is not working well. Still, your neurotransmitters are
too slow or disjointed. Besides, your prostate and testosterone could also
malfunction.
But it could be your penis. All these could either be due to congenital
conditions, medications or injuries.
Further, recent surgical events or accidents could also manifest as erectile
dysfunction.
Though the most common association is with the heart. Anything affecting the
penis is also affecting the heart and vice versa.
Hence you need to seek medical advice to establish the real reason behind
this problem.
No erection
The first sign is not erecting, of course. When you try so hard to get and
retain an erection, then you are not alone.
But when this failure occurs half the time you need to rise to the occasion,
you have a problem.
You could be facing this situation most of the time. Also, you could
experience it only on odd occasions.
Meaning that it's secondary and triggered by mental issues.
You can't remain firm
For some men, getting an erection comes fast. And you can partake in foreplay
and arouse your partner to the point of penetration.
But here is when you feel the heat. The penis may refuse to stay firm, thus
preventing you from penetrating and engaging in sex.
Hence you are unable to sustain a firm enough erection to tide you to orgasm.
This is another sign of erectile dysfunction.
You become erect in such a situation, but you don't remain firm throughout
the time you need it. Instead, your erection is short-lived and can't support
your sex function.
Painful erection
Another indicator of erectile dysfunction is a prolonged and painful
erection. This occurs when your penis can't revert to a flaccid state even after
completing a sex act.
Sometimes, this erection happens when you don't want to have sex. Yet your
penis remains erect for hours.
This condition is called Priapism. It occurs when too much blood flows to the
penis chambers but refuses to drain away.
It may cause tissue rapture, which is painful. But this damage could also
result in your inability to garner erection in the future.
There are many factors associated with erectile dysfunction. If you fit into the following classes, then you are likely to experience ED.
Age
Men of all ages are susceptible to the damaging effects of erectile dysfunction. But if you are over forty years, the odds increase significantly.
Diabetes
Males with insulin resistance can experience impaired circulatory functions. Further, the nerve damage associated with diabetes elevates the severity of erectile dysfunctions.
Obesity
Men who suffer from weight management issues are at risk of developing erectile dysfunction. Many studies show a direct connection between incidences of ED and a Body Mass Index of over 25.
Anxiety
Living in a stressful environment results in anxiety and depression. The
relationship between and interaction between these two conditions is still not
clear.
But stress and ED are perfect companions, with either being the cause or
effect of the other.
Hormonal imbalance
Incidences of low testosterone tend to correlate with signs of erectile dysfunctions. The volume of male hormone stifles reproductive health functions. This results in ED conditions in men.
Other factors
Sedentary lifestyle and lack of activity leads to the slackening of the
pelvis muscles. Besides, these situations also interfere with the blood supply
to the groins.
These factors offer an ideal environment for ED to flourish.
High cholesterol
Cholesterol is a waxy and fatty substance that is produced as a result of diet. Eating certain types of food results in the production of LDL (bad) fat. These deposits spread throughout the blood vessels.
Since they are heavy and granular, they make the blood more viscous. Besides causing a slowdown in movement, high cholesterol's side effect is deposited along the bloodstream's curvy bends.
What then is the relationship between high cholesterol and erectile
dysfunction? Much plaque deposits around penile arteries cause a slowdown in
blood flow when you encounter sexual stimulation.
Further, it becomes hard to fill in the penile chambers since the veins are
narrower. Thus, high cholesterol contributes to severe cases of erectile
dysfunction.
Sleep disorder
Adequate rest and erection are mutually related. And that is why you find
yourself with an erection every time you wake up from sleep.
But how does sleeping impact erectile dysfunction? Well, many things happen
while you sleep. Damaged veins get repaired while new ones are also made.
Sex hormones and other cells also develop. It's during deep sleep that your
system also makes the male hormones.
When you have less rest, your sperm production slows down. And the effects of
free radicals also ravage their production process.
The result is a poorly performing sexual system. This manifests as erectile
dysfunction.
Every man faces erection challenges every so often. But this doesn't qualify
as erectile dysfunction. In fact, most men don't even become erect in about one
in every ten attempts.
So when should you seek help in treating erectile dysfunction? Well, book an
appointment with your physician when you notice the following symptoms:
Curved erection
The penis comes in all shapes. But some curves may prevent you from engaging in sex or cause intense pain in the process. In some cases, a curved erection happens due to tissue scars.
When these injuries heal, they lead to deformed penises, which are skewed when erect. The condition is called Peyronie's Syndrome.
Peyronie's could hence result in difficulty penetrating and a painful erection. This situation may trigger erectile dysfunction.
No erection
When you can't register an erection, you should seek medical intervention.
You may fail to erect most of the time. And this could lead to anguish for you
and your partner.
On other occasions, you may have erections. But they could be too weak or
stay only briefly. This could also prevent you from continuing foreplay to
penetration.
Both or any of the situations above are indicators of erectile dysfunction. Hence you must seek medical help for them.
Unwanted erection
Sometimes, you may note an erection that remains for long. This even though
you don't have any sexual stimulation.
This erection may be painful and intense and is yet another sign of erectile
dysfunction. Consult your doctor to treat this condition.
Most sex therapists recommend that you seek treatment for erectile dysfunction. The more you delay taking action, the worse it becomes. So what do you do?
Talk to your partner
The first step is to discuss with your spouse how impotence could ruin your
relationship. After all, you must agree on the mode of treatment beforehand.
Communication is a perfect way to keep the flame burning. And when you are
continually talking, you tend to wade through difficult times without much
drama.
Yet discussions provide variety while fostering trust. Assessing a situation
from every angle makes two heads better than one.
This way, you are likely to get practical solutions. After all, both of you
suffer as a result of this situation.
Enhance your lifestyle
Poor lifestyle leads to many factors that result in ED. Either you are inactive, or you don't undertake any exercises. These lead to a phase when your erection functions fail most of the time.
Being active is vital for your sexual health. Not only do flexing helps to
improve coordination, but it also provides the necessary stamina.
Also, exercises boost blood supply and nutrients to your penis.
Many studies confirm that exercises do wade off ED signs. A 2018 review
mentions that just 160 minutes of moderate exercises in a week works.
Staying active for six months eliminates symptoms of erectile dysfunctions.
Quit drugs and smoking
Recreational drugs can influence your mental and nerve functions. The first
motor to go off rail is usually the sex reflexes.
Hence desist from taking drugs such as heroin, marijuana, and hemp. Besides,
smoking also impairs your ability to respond to sexual stimulation, resulting in
similar effects.
If you can avoid drugs and curtail alcohol drinking, then you could bring back your sex faculties.
Take medicines
No erectile dysfunction cures without treatment. And medication is one of the
best ways to rekindle your sex appetite.
So which tablets resolve ED? Well, all pills that draw blood to the penis
work fine.
Hence Cialis, Viagra, and Levitra are useful here. They help to restore your sexual desire as well as promoting a firm erection.
Use penis pump
Another way to treat ED is through the use of pumps. This gadget works by
increasing pressure around the groins.
Hence, it retains blood in the penis, eliminated ED signs. But the process is
long and slow.
Yet you need to overcome the pain and pressure associated with wearing it. It
takes up to six months to restore this situation.
Consider surgery
Going under a knife is the only permanent method to increase your penis size.
But does it overcome ED? Well, operations are expensive.
Yet, sometimes, healing is slow and carries risks. But a silicone implant
with a pump can work to boost your erection.
Penile operations work in some cases. Where erection is difficult due to Peyronie's
Syndrome, a process can straighten the penis to make sex more comfortable.
Further, it can heal the tissue scars that block blood from flowing to the
penis. Incising on the penis works. But this should be considered as a last
resort.
Erectile Dysfunction occurs when you fail to remain erect for long to
complete a sex act. It's the blood flow to the penis that ensures it's rigid
enough for sex.
But there are medications available to resolves this situation.
These pills feature different ingredients. The way these tablets work depends
on their composition and how they are processed.
Many issues can result in your penis's failure to erect. These could be due
to insufficient blood supply.
Yet, mental, medical, and physical factors also prevent you from becoming
aroused. Even though all these situations cause erectile dysfunction, their
respective triggers vary.
Doctors understand these situations. Thus, they prescribe the best medicine
that cures to root cause of your erectile dysfunction. But how do these pills
work?
Some tablets help to dilate the vessels leading to the penis to widen more.
This relaxation ensures that more blood flow to the penis.
Likewise, other medicines focus on the valves that regulate the blood flow to
the penis. Thus they help to retain adequate blood in the penis for long.
This scenario results in a prolonged erection. On the other hand, some
erectile dysfunction capsules support the mind to relax. This way, they treat
the mental triggers to ED.
Erectile Dysfunction pills are the most popular treatment for this problem.
There is, therefore, no doubt about the usefulness of ED pills.
So what do you stand to gain using these tablets?
Enhance firmness
The first benefit of using ED pills is a quick erection. They help to boost blood flow to the penis by increasing the levels of nitric oxide.
Nitric oxide supports the veins to relax. Thus they allow for more blood
supply to all organs, including the penis.
As your penis veins dilate more, adequate blood flow more freely, resulting
in a quick erection.
Prolong erection
Further, as your penis chambers fill up with blood, these pills regulate the
outflow of blood. As such, they enable your penis to stay firm.
A rigid penis stays strong for long. Thus it supports the firmness you
require to complete a sex act.
Increase stamina
Sometimes, you fail to retain erection due to a poor circulatory system. This
means that you don't have the energy to support fulfilling sex.
But why is this the cause? Well, your veins may be clogged by plaques. These
deposits prevent your penis from receiving the necessary food and nutrients your
cells need to grow.
And since they starve, they become weak and die, resulting in erectile
dysfunction. ED pills can correct this situation.
By forcing more supplies to these cells, you generate the adequate energy you
require to enjoy long and rewarding sex.
Regulate blood flow to the penis
Tablets can also help to resolve cases of prolonged erection. When your penis
remains erect for long, it becomes sore and painful.
The unfortunate fact is that this type of erection is unwanted, Meaning that
you didn't even have a sexual desire to begin.
If this is your ED problem, then medicines could help. There are ED pills that reduce blood supply to the penis. Thus, help regulate your erection better.
Rewarding Sex
Sex is like exercise. The more you make love, the better it becomes. And the
more you need it once again. With the help of ED, you expect this to happen.
You look forward to having sex with your loved one. And since each episode is
so sweet, you don't regret it at all. This results in you having more and better
sex.
Bedroom confidence
The supply of nitric oxide allows more blood to flow to the penis. This
results in a more prolonged and stronger erection.
And as many men equate a firm penis with enhanced masculinity, this mindset
ends up boosting their self-esteem.
Increases stimulation
Another result you stand to gain from using ED pills is a better sex experience. While tense people want to complete sex quickly so that they don't appear to fail, they end up failing in that attempt.
But when you have the confidence to teases and play with your partner, you
enhance your sexual prowess.
Further, you also take your time to engage in prolonged foreplay. These
increase the stimulation you need to remain more aroused and excited.
Better bonding
Sex is vital for any relationship. When you perform better sex due to ED
pills, you build a better relationship.
Making love enhances the production of feel-good hormones and increases trust
and companionship. By extension, therefore, ED help to rekindle your overall
marital bond.
Erectile dysfunction pills work by releasing nitric oxide in the blood stream. This compound dilates the nerves, resulting in higher blood supply.
These tablets also relax tensed mind. As such, they help to calm performance anxietiesthat also trigger ED. But you may still wonder if all ED pills work as expected?
The answer to this question is somewhat. ED drugs work where the cause of ED
are known.
These could be due to clogging of the veins as well as secondary fear. Let’s
see how these pills work to understand their potentials.
Erection occurs when one compound present in the blood triggers muscle relaxation. This enzyme is technically called cyclic guanosine monophosphate or cGMP
in short.
But this element requires mental or physical stimulation to instigate
arousal. So you could also rely on a movie or your significant other to trigger
this sensation.
But once the erection trigger ends, your brain signals the penis goes back to a flaccid state. Yet, for this to happen, another compound work on the cGMP.
The substance that interacts with cGMP to revise your arousal is called phosphodiesterase type 5.
This enzyme, commonly called PDE5, breaks down cGMP to help the penis to retract to the normal state.
ED pills' contents mimic your brain chemistry. This means that once it senses that a section of your mind is excited, it shuts down the production of PDES5.
In the process, allowing cGMP
to remain in the system.
It's this PDE5 that the ED pills manipulate to regulate erection. Once it
gets a signal from your brain and heart, the ED pills prevent your brain from
releasing the PDE5.
But there are instances where these medications can�t provide the anticipated
solution.
If your thyroid gland isn�t producing enough neurotransmitters to ignite your
pituitary into action, then ED pills would help.
Besides, if you are facing acrimonious relationship with your spouse, ED
can�t help to resolve it.
Similarly, when you have a surgery that severed the nerves that connect to
the many organs involved in erection, you stand to lose out.
For erection to occur it needs the cooperation of different senses. Thus, you put your brain, heart, lungs, veins, and penis into action to energize the circuit.
Most of the time, erectile dysfunction drugs are safe.
But your body could face complications if you already have some underlying
conditions. These include the following:
Nitrates
When you take nitrates, you may overdose yourself when you take ED. These
tablets contain nitric oxides.
Hence they may already provide an excessive volume of this chemical to your
system.
In this case, you should avoid any drug that contains either mononitrates or nitroglycerine. Otherwise, it could result in a medical emergency.
Liver treatment
Sometimes, you have already enrolled for liver treatment. This means that
this organ isn't functioning well already.
In case you are suffering from liver ailments, then desist from using ED
pills.
Unstable blood pressure
You already know that erectile dysfunction has a link with cardiovascular health. So when you are experiencing irregular pressure, you shouldn't enroll in ED tablets.
Unstable pressure could either be hypotension or hypertension. The first relates to low pressure, while the second is high blood pressure. Either way, they compromise your heart health.
Calcium phosphate
Calcium is not only ideal for your bones. It's perfect for your sex. This is
why ED pills have this compound.
Calcium improves your coherence and consistency. Thus it maintains the sex
drive at a level necessary to reach orgasm.
Croscarmellose sodium
The absence of sodium is known to dampen sexual desire. And so, a little tinge of this compound works to excite your system into a sexual frenzy.
Magnesium stearate
This element is a magnesium substrate. It's vital for treating ED since it
prevents testosterone from binding with protein. Hence it supports a high level
of free testosterone.
These are the kind of sex hormones that kick starts sexual desire. And when
they are plentiful in organs, they help to treat ED.
Titanium dioxide
This compound has been used for centuries as a key ingredient in herbal sex
treatment. Titanium improved perseverance and endurance.
Thus, this compound provides the energy and stamina you need to retain a firm
erection. It also helps you to enjoy a prolonged sex duration. The absence of
these features caused ED.
Lactose Triacetin
Lactose is naturally available in milk. But for ED, this element provides nutrients you require to boost your sexual arousal. They are laced with triacetin to eliminate lactose intolerance.
Other compounds
These include microcrystalline cellulose and anhydrous dibasic. They are binders that hold the essential compounds in the ED pills together.
Even though you expect more beneficial effects from using ED pills, you still have to contend with some mild side effects. They include the following:
Drowsiness
Many ED pills work by release high levels of nitric oxide in the veins. This
excessive dilation of the vessels may cause dizziness.
You become dizzy since a lot of blood flow to your brain than is necessary.
But this feeling subdues as the effects of the pills subside.
Fatigue
Apart from the brain daze, you may feel disoriented and tired.
This is the same effect only that it affects the nervous system that has much
blood flowing fast. Blurry vision and headaches could accompany this fatigue.
Stomach upset
Your stomach may also exhibit the harmful effects of ED pills. You may have a
stomach welling as your digestive system speeds up.
Further, this could be a result of too much blood to your liver and kidney.
Yes. You can take some actions that ensure you don't have to face the harmful effects of erectile dysfunction.
Take care of your heart
The first step to prevent ED is to take care of your heart. After all, your
penis and heart are mutually related.
Your heart is the pump that ensures sufficient blood supply to all organs.
Hence your loin depends on your heart to ensure robust sexuality. And any
action you take to boost your heart health counts.
So start leading an active life. Set the time for cardio exercises and eat
only whole and healthy diets.
This way, you get the right nutrients and enough blood you need to maintain a
firm erection.
Use supplements
Some herbal supplements are effective against erectile dysfunction.
Many studies confirm that supplements containing L-arginine and Yohimbe can help when taken in the right proportion.
Other herbs with DHEA, Maca, and Gensing also work well to prevent ED from taking root.
Penis pump
A penis contraption pump is an effective way to prevent ED.
Although it demands long and consistent usage, models made out of clinically
proven material can increase blood flow and ensure a prolonged erection.
Testosterone Boost
When low sex hormone is to blame for erectile dysfunction, then you can boost
the levels.
Testosterone placement therapy can enhance the levels of testosterone. As
such, you retain a firm and reliable erection.
Older men
The most severe form of erectile dysfunction affects men with more than forty
years. And as you continue aging, it becomes worse.
Age is a factor that contributes to ED, even though young men are not spared
either. But you can spare yourself and your loved one this agony when you enroll
for the ED pills.
Men with weak and unreliable erection
When you register a weak erection most of the time you want to have sex, then
this situation calls for treatment.
ED is a problem if you can't gain and sustain robust arousal continually. You
should also take ED pills when your penis can't stay firmly erect to complete
sex.
Post-Surgery
Some surgical processes affect the glands that trigger an erection. Any
problems that force you to go under the knife are severe.
Unfortunately, operations also bring dire consequences. One of these is ED.
Hence you can speak to your doctor about using ED drugs to erase these effects.
Accidents/Injuries
Likewise, you may suffer falls and accidents in your life. But the healing could be improper. In such scenarios, injuries could adversely affect your nervous system.
This could result in ED. If you suspect that your ED symptoms are due to nerve damage from past accidents, you can talk to your doctor about how ED pills could correct these effects.
What causes my ED?
This is a crucial question you need to ask your medical practitioner. And it
seeks to address the reasons behind your ED predicament.
Your doctor is aware of your ailment's specific triggers, and so he is better
placed to list all of them.
Can medication make ED worse?
You need to ask this question if you are already taking medicines to treat current sicknesses. But still, you may enquire about it to avoid potential side effects of other tablets in the future.
Also, some medicines don't interact well. And when you get answers to which drugs could make your situation worsen, you are taking precautions to improve your sex health.
Is lifestyle a factor?
Some sex therapists refer to ED as a lifestyle disease. They are correct
since some of the root causes of ED stem from unhealthy practices.
Therefore, it's vital to you discuss with your doctor your current meals,
working environment, and marital relationship. These could contribute
significantly to your worsening ED situation.
What lifestyle changes are needed?
Once you describe your lifestyle, your therapist may list each into two broad
classes. These lists highlight the beneficial ones and those that cause ED.
From here, they can advise you on how you can make changes to your routine to
improve your sex health.
More Erectile Dysfunction Related
Articles
Tips From Viewers
Ask Us A Question
Categories