Erectile Dysfunction: Causes & Treatment

One of the most common sex problems that men seek the causes and treatment for is erectile dysfunction. The condition is so widespread that it affects as many as 30 million people. The medical term refers to an individual’s inability to either get or maintain an erection during sex.

It is important to understand that sometimes having trouble getting an erection is not a cause for concern. However, regularly struggling to get or maintain an erect penis could cause concern and need immediate help from a professional.

Erectile Dysfunction Causes Treatment
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Some of the reasons why someone can have erectile dysfunction include the following:

A possible warning sign of a more serious health condition such as high blood sugar or high blood pressure
Stress or confusion
Blood flow into the penis is affected in some way

Understanding How an Erection Happens

The causes of erectile dysfunction can broadly fall into two categories: physical or emotional/mental. While the mental aspect of erectile dysfunction requires intervention from a therapist, the physical aspect of erectile dysfunction will require you to go to a urologist. And unless you understand how an erection happens, you will not be able to understand your treatment.

When your brain sees something sexually arousing, it releases certain chemicals that can increase the blood flow to the penis. As blood starts to flow into the penis, it will go into two erection chambers (corpus cavernosum) that consist of spongy muscle tissue. Of course, these chambers are not hollow but full of spongy tissue that can trap the blood rushing into the penis.

The spongy tissue can absorb the blood coming to it, creating an erection. Similarly, after a man orgasms, a different signal is sent through the same set of nerves which allows the spongy tissue to release the blood, allowing the penis to return to a relaxed state.

Causes of Erectile Dysfunction

As we mentioned earlier, the causes of ED can often boil down to physical and mental conditions. Sometimes, an individual could struggle with both factors, which is why certain causes can differ. These include:

Lack of exercise
Obesity
Alcoholism or drug addiction
Smoking
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
High blood sugar

Other than these more general reasons for an individual’s erectile dysfunction, others can be physically exclusive.

Certain Drugs to Treat Different Conditions

People often take drugs for other health conditions can also contribute to ED. One of the most popular ones is antidepressants, which can significantly affect an individual’s ability to get an erection.

Vessel Damage due to Diabetes

People who struggle with Diabetes will often suffer from small vessel damage due to the condition.

The penis is Unable to Trap blood.

Another popular cause of ED in men is that the spongy tissue in the penis cannot trap the blood. Or there is insufficient blood flow to the penis to trap blood effectively.

Treatments for Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction has multiple treatment options, which are non invasive and effective, especially depending on the type of ED you have.

Penile implants
Vacuum erection device
Urethral medication
Penile injections
Testosterone Therapy
OTC drugs or medication (phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors)

These treatments will often differ depending on the cause of erectile dysfunction. Therefore, you should visit your urologist before deciding on a treatment plan.

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