Erectile dysfunction is the repeated inability to get or keep an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse.
Due to the sensitive nature of the condition, it is difficult to estimate how many men it affects.
However, it is believed about 5% of 40-year-old men and up to 25% of 65-year-old men may have the condition.
How does an erection occur?
The penis contains two chambers full of spongy tissue called the corpora cavernosa.
When a man becomes sexually aroused impulses from the brain and local nerves cause muscles in the corpora cavernosa to relax, allowing blood to flow in and fill the spaces within the tissue.
This creates pressure in the corpora cavernosa, making the penis expand.
A membrane called the tunica albuginea helps trap the blood in the corpora cavernosa, thereby sustaining erection.
The erection is lost when the muscles contract to stop blood flowing into the penis, and open outflow channels.
What causes erectile dysfunction?
A successful, sustained erection requires a sequence of events to occur in a precise fashion.
Anything which disrupts this sequence can lead to problems either getting, or keeping an erection.
The most common cause of erectile dysfunction is damage to the tissues, either the nerves, arteries, muscles or fibrous tissue.
This is often linked either to disease. Conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, chronic alcoholism, multiple sclerosis and cardiovascular disease account for around 70% of cases of erectile dsyfunction.
In some cases the condition is caused by damage to the nerves and arteries near the penis which can occur during surgery, particularly for prostate and bladder cancer.
Physical injury to the penis, spinal cord, prostate, bladder or pelvis can also be a factor.
Erectile dsyfunction is also a side effect of some common medications, including blood pressure drugs, antihistamiines, bestyiorg cheap levitra site
and cialis drug impotence.
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factors such as stress, anxiety, guilt, depression, low self-esteem, and fear of sexual failure cause up to 20% of cases.
Smoking, which affects blood flow, has also been linked to the condition.
Can it be treated?
Yes. There is a range of ways to treat erectile dysfunction.
Doctors will consider psychotherapy for patients who are likely to benefit, but alternatives include drugs, vacuum devices, and surgery.
Drug Therapy:
One drug in particular, Viagra (Sildenafil Citrate), has become an international phenomenon since its launch in the late 1990s.
The drug, also known as Sildenafil, does not directly give a man an erection. It works by boosting the natural mechanism that leads to an erection.
When a man is sexually aroused, certain tissues in his penis relax. This allows large amounts of blood to flow into the muscle, thus producing an erection. Viagra helps by elevating the levels of the chemical that causes the tissues to relax.
These effects were discovered accidentally. The drug was originally developed to improve blood supply to the heart in angina sufferers.
In a small number of cases, people who have taken Viagra have complained of headaches, flushing and stomach-ache.
It can also cause some visual problems, including an increased sensitivity to light, blurred vision or an inability to tell the difference between blue and green. Men who are already taking medicines that contain nitrates, such as nitro-glycerine, are strongly advised not to use Viagra because the combination can lower blood pressure too much.
Another drug, Levitra (Vardenafil), works first time for nearly nine out of 10 men (87%) who are experiencing erection difficulties.
Penile injections:
The injection of drugs directly into the tissues of the penis to trigger an erection was more common before the advent of new drugs such as Viagra.
The drugs relax muscles and increase blood flow to create an erection.
Vacuum Devices:
These work by creating a partial vacuum around the penis, which draws blood into the organ.
The devices have three components: a plastic cylinder, into which the penis is placed; a pump, which draws air out of the cylinder; and an elastic band, which is placed around the base of the penis to maintain the erection after the cylinder is removed and during intercourse.
Surgery:
There are different types of surgery:
Implanted devices, known as prostheses, can restore erection in many men.
These can come in different forms. For instance, paired rods can be inserted into the corpora cavernosa to enable the user to manually adjust the position of the penis.
Impotence herb, inflatable cylinders can be inserted inside the penis and expanded using pressurized fluid.
In some cases doctors may attempt to repair blockages in damaged arteries. However, this usually only works if the blockages are not widespread.
It is also possible to tie off veins to reduce the leakage of blood that can reduce the rigidity of an erection. However, experts have raised questions about the long-term erectile dysfunction herbal supplements
of this procedure, and it is rarely done.
This page contains basic information. If you are concerned about your health, you should consult a doctor.