Home Men's Health What Causes Erectile Dysfunction and How is it Treated?

What Causes Erectile Dysfunction and How is it Treated?

by Glenn Fitzpatrick
erectile dysfunction

Sometimes the process of getting an erection can seem incredibly simple. It is an incredibly complicated process that requires many biological processes to time and fire correctly.

If one single process doesn’t work perfectly, or if one hormone isn’t released, the whole process is thrown off-kilter, resulting in what can be characterized as erectile dysfunction, or ED.

Erectile dysfunction is incredibly common amongst men – more common than you think. However, it is 100% treatable through a range of different medications and changes in one’s lifestyle.

How is erectile dysfunction determined?

ED can be characterized by an erection not lasting as long as the man would have wished. It can also include erections that aren’t as strong as desired.

It is incredibly common amongst men with estimates ranging between 3 and 75% of men being affected by ED at some stage of their life. The penis organ serves as the standard-bearer of health.

It can often show signs of something being more wrong in the body earlier than any body part. It can show signs of cholesterol and more serious heart conditions. The relationship between the heart and penis are very tightly linked.

If you notice something amiss with your penis, it is important to contact a health professional right away. This can often be a warning sign of more serious medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or obesity.

Several physical determinants can cause ED. ED is very closely linked to any condition which negatively impacts blood flow and circulation. Physical determinants that negatively impact erections include high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes.

Many widely-available medicines and pills may negatively impact a man’s erection and create unwanted side effects. They can decrease the male libido or even cause the absence of semen upon orgasms.

Medications that could negatively impact an erection’s strength and time include antidepressants, antifungals, and some antihistamines.

If you have started to notice any side effects that affect the quality, frequency, and firmness of your erections, you should immediately seek professional medical advice and report this to your healthcare practitioner.

Being open about your struggles with erectile dysfunction is important as the health care professional will be able to recommend a course of treatment.

There is a wide range of psychological causes that correlate with ED. Men who are experiencing ED are often experiencing some form of mental turbulence, be it anxiety, stress, or possibly even depression.

Sleep disorders are often common in men linked with ED. Other psychological issues that can affect sexual performance include having difficulties in your relationship or having anxiety about performing in the bedroom especially if you haven’t for a while.

Sedentary lifestyles: one of the primary causes of erectile dysfunction

sedentary lifestyleOne of the biggest causes of ED is having an unhealthy lifestyle. Nowadays a lot of young people find themselves living a sedentary lifestyle. Instead of living healthy, active lifestyles, they tend to sit for hours on end entranced on video games or busy with their office jobs.

A sedentary lifestyle is defined as where a person does less than 150 minutes of exercise every week. You may find yourself falling into this category if you haven’t been doing your exercises or engaging in physical activity.

If you fall into the category of people under this category, the odds of you experiencing erectile dysfunction will substantially increase by up to 40 to 60%.

You are what you eat

That’s why a healthy diet is vital. Low fiber foods that have lots of saturated food can cause high levels of cholesterol in the blood.

This over an extended period of time can lead to a narrowing of the blood vessels. This narrowing of blood vessels also occurs in the penis which can contribute to ED.

Eating a healthy diet such as the Mediterranean diet which has lots of protein and whole grains as well as a whole host of vegetables according to some study can be a preventative step towards not getting ED.

Cut down or entirely avoid consuming alcohol or narcotics

The consumption of alcohol or drugs can have a strong impact on your ability to get an erection. It is all too common to have consumed too much alcohol and not get an erection.

Heavy drinking over an extended period can reduce testosterone levels, which is vital in maintaining an erection. Other drugs that are implicated in the ED process include Nicotine, Opiates, and Cocaine. These drugs can have a significant negative impact on blood vessels.

It is important to openly talk to your healthcare provider if you are consuming drugs or alcohol as limiting this may help determine the cause your ED. this way, he or she can determine the best course of treatment for your particular case.

There are numerous treatments available for men suffering from ED. These can include prescription medicines such as sildenafil. It must be noted, however, that there is a range of factors that can cause ED.

In some men, it can be caused by low levels of testosterone. In this case, a man can, through monthly injections, obtain testosterone replacement therapy. There are also reports of natural remedies that have shown to be helpful such as ginseng or carnitine.

Many men have also reported beneficial experiences with taking a testosterone booster supplement such as Male UltraCore, and implementing a regimen of healthy lifestyle choices.

It depends on what treatment option you are most comfortable with, and what your healthcare provider determines. The bottom line is that erectile dysfunction is pervasive among men, and it is a highly treatable condition.

It can be as simple as making some slight adjustments to your life choices and taking the supplement that is right for you.

The devastating impact of stress on your erections

depressed manErectile Dysfunction or ED can be characterized by an ability to get or to maintain an adequate erection. It can have a big impact on how content you and your partner are with your sex life.

ED can be built up to be a big deal but there is a range of treatments available and it is incredibly common. By some figures, it is estimated that somewhere in the region of 30 million men in America have had to experience it.

There is a whole range of physical factors that can determine if you will experience ED or not but one important factor to remember is the importance of your psychological factors. The most important psychological factor is stress.

The stress triggers are endless and it can have a devastating impact on the body, causing headaches, migraines, or depression. It should not be a surprise then that stress can have a big impact on your erections.

The process of getting an erection is complicated. There are many processes and complicated signals that the body needs to respond to. Stress can interfere with these signals, and the message just gets lost.

Stress is multifaceted, and there are many different types. Many younger men will experience performance anxiety before having sex with their partner for the first time.

There is also stress that comes from your working life – i.e., being made redundant or having financial troubles.

Being stressed can also lead you to make negative lifestyle choices, such as drinking or smoking. These two choices will only lead to making your ED worse. If you feel very stressed, it is recommended to talk to a therapist or health care professional.

They will be able to speak with you and give you several strategies to cope with stress. Talk therapy is very successful as it teaches you other methods for dealing with your anxiety. This is made even more comfortable with the various options for online therapy.

Thanks to the Internet, it is now easier and more accessible than ever to contact counselors and therapists. Engaging in regular aerobic exercise is another excellent way of reducing stress. Other great physical ways of reducing stress include yoga and acupuncture.

If reducing your stress hasn’t worked then it may be that a physical factor causes your ED. In that case, there is a range of treatments available. The treatments include prescription medication such as sildenafil or testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).

Conclusion

In the end, you need to know that erectile dysfunction is a pervasive problem for millions of men, and that there are more ways to treat it than you can shake a stick at.

There’s absolutely no shame in openly discussing with your healthcare provider your sexual health concerns, and he or she will be more than willing to help you find the right course of treatment that is best suited for your own unique medical history.

We wish you all the best in your quest against erectile dysfunction.

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