Erectile dysfunction
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Erectile dysfunction (ED) is when you’re unable to get and keep an erection that’s strong enough for sex. Most men experience it, and often it’s just a one-time thing. But when it keeps happening, it’s something you may need treatment for.
And that’s where we come in. Talk to us to get expert advice. We’ll show you what treatments are safe, so you can pick the option that suits you best.
Sometimes known as impotence, erectile dysfunction is when a man has persistent problems getting and sustaining an erection. Sometimes, this may be:
How long it needs to be happening for it to be medically defined as ED is a subject pretty open to discussion. There’s actually a scale called The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) which gives men an ED ‘score’, based on their erection habits over the previous month.
Normally, a doctor will be able to tell if you need treatment by asking you a few questions about your symptoms and general health.
About 50% of men over 40 (so it’s quite common). But you can get erectile dysfunction at any age.
You’ve probably seen the TV commercials for ED medication. Older men strolling with their partners across a sunset beach. These ads target men in this age group, and it figures. Because as men get older, they’re more likely to develop health problems like high blood pressure or poor circulation. And these conditions can make it harder to get an erection.
But ED affects young men too. As well as the physical side of it, there’s the psychological side. In a new relationship, you may feel pressure to satisfy your partner for example, and this can lead to ED. Or you may be stressed at work, which may also trigger it.
So in fact, the answer to the question ‘Who gets ED?’ is anyone (and in some way or another, at some time, probably everyone).
It depends who you ask. Some health bodies have suggested that about 50% of men over 40 will develop erectile dysfunction. And a study of the condition in men under 40 estimates that a quarter in this group will get it at some point.
Unfortunately, the nature of ED means that many men won’t seek help for it. So it could well be more common than we think. But experts reckon that most men will get some form of ED at least once, even if it’s only short-term.
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy
Lots of things can lead to ED. It can be down to physical problems (being overweight or having high blood pressure), psychological problems (anxiety or depression) or a combination of the two. Even tiredness can trigger ED.
ED can also be triggered by an underlying health condition, like diabetes, or it can be an early sign of heart disease. So if you keep getting erection problems, you should see a doctor, as these conditions need to be treated too.
In the body, ED is caused by loss of circulation to the penis, where the arteries at the base of the penis contract and don’t let blood through. An enzyme called PDE5 plays a part in this, and makes the arteries tighter.
Treatment for ED works by countering the effects of PDE5, so blood can flow into the penis, and help it to become erect when you’re aroused.
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy
No. Sometimes making lifestyle adjustments can make it go away. If you drink a lot of alcohol, smoke cigarettes, or take recreational drugs, curbing these habits can help with erections.
Being overweight can be a factor in ED too, so eating a healthy diet and exercising more is a good solution as well.
You might get erectile dysfunction if you’re anxious about sex. And talking to someone about it, whether it’s your partner, a friend or a therapist, can make all the difference. If you find that having conversations about it doesn’t help though, medication may be recommended.
It’s down to personal choice on your part really, and your health background.
Viagra is a household name and has been around the longest, and some would argue it’s the most successful treatment for ED.
The generic, Sildenafil, is less expensive, but has the same active ingredient in it, and functions in the same way in the body. Manforce, Suhagra are other ED treatments containing the same ingredient — Sildenafil.
The benefit of Tfil (Tadalafil) is that you only have to take one and it stays active for up to 36 hours (other ED drugs average about 4 or 5 hours).
There’s also a smaller dose version of this designed to be taken every day. With the everyday version, you’re ‘ready to go’ all the time, and you don’t have to wait around for the drug to take effect (it takes half an hour to an hour for most others). Tadalafil (Tfil), is cheaper and works in exactly the same way.
As well as being a licensed treatment for ED, Tadalafil is an approved option for BPH (or benign prostatic hyperplasia) which is when you have an enlarged prostate. So if you experience BPH and ED, Tadalafil can treat both conditions.
Varimax (Vardenafil) is another ED treatment that starts to work within 30 minutes after you take it. It’s a good option for men who want a quick-acting drug, but don’t want to take something every day.
If you can’t take ED tablets because of their side effects or due to an existing health condition, or if you’d just prefer not to use them, there are prescription sprays available too like Vigore.
You apply this spray to the opening of your urethra (the opening at the tip of your penis) and the active ingredient in it, sildenafil, relaxes the blood vessels in your penis. Once the blood vessels are more dilated, more blood can flow into your penis, and this allows you to get an erection.
So using ED sprays is a bit different to taking ED tablets. They work faster than ED tablets (effective within 5-10 minutes of use, rather than between quarter of an hour and an hour). From a spontaneity point of view then, it’s a pretty strong option.
By improving circulation of blood to the penis, doctors can help treat impotence in men.
When you are aroused, your brain sends signals to the blood vessels near the penis. These then widen and allow blood to flow in making it firm and erect. Other vessels then tighten to keep the blood there.
Erectile dysfunction happens when blood vessels at the base of the penis don’t widen and blood is not able to get in. An enzyme called PDE5 causes this which makes vessels too restrictive.
Impotence medicines block the effects of PDE5 on the blood vessels near the penis. The vessels then open up and allow blood to flow in. This helps men get a hard and erect penis which lasts long during sex.
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy
Have something specific you want to know about Erectile dysfunction? Search our info below, or ask our experts a question if you can’t find what you’re looking for.
Erectile dysfunction. [online] www.nhsinform.scot.
One Patient Out of Four with Newly Diagnosed Erectile Dysfunction Is a Young Man—Worrisome Picture from the Everyday Clinical Practice. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 10(7), pp.1833–1841.
Ayurvedic medicine that is said to help manage sexual dysfunction in men.
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