Erectile Dysfunction / Impotence

Erectile dysfunction is also known as impotence. It is defined as the persistent inability in men to attain a hard and stiff erection. There may be some who can manage a descent erection but cannot maintain it long enough to perform a satisfying sexual intercourse.

Occasional inability to achieve erection may cause unwarranted stress and result in performance worry, which affects future performance and creates a cycle of impotence. Occasional impotence is common; this is usually situational and is not considered dysfunctional.

Causes

Erectile dysfunctions can be attributed to either psychological or physical conditions or both.The causes may include drugs, alcohol, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, HIV, other diseases, cycling and spinal cord lesions. Performance anxiety is often associated with Erectile Dysfunctions. Sometimes the problem may have psychological underpinnings such as stress, depression or sexual boredom.

Treatment

It is important to inform the partners about the risks involved in some treatment approaches. Consequently, treatment depends on the cause of the dysfunction and include:

• Intracavernosal injection
• intraurethral pellets
• oral medications
• hormonal augmentation
• surgical interventions
• psychologicaltherapy

Erectile dysfunctions are sometimes tackled through the use of vacuum that involve placing the penis is a plastic tube with suction, thus drawing venous blood into the penis to create an erection. Once the penis is erect, a rubber constriction ring is placed at the base of the penis to prevent the erection from being lost, thus allowing sexual intercourse.