The erectile dysfunction (erectile impotence) is a disease of male potency or a dysfunction of the penis during sex ax. This often leads to permanent erectile dysfunction in which the man is not able to achieve an erection through sexual stimuli. This form of potency problems mostly have psychological causes. But organic reasons can also be responsible.
What is erectile dysfunction (erectile impotence)?
The erectile dysfunction or erectile impotence describes in medical terminology the state of health of the man, who as impotence is known. It manifests itself in the fact that the affected patient cannot maintain an erection long enough for sexual intercourse. In severe cases of erectile dysfunction, an erection may not be achieved at all.
causes
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Erectile dysfunction can be based on various causes. One of them is psychological reasons. Men who are nervous before sexual intercourse, who are experiencing their first time or who are exposed to many stressful situations in everyday life, may take the everyday stress home with them and are thereby impaired in their potency. This form of erectile dysfunction is temporary and disappears once the stress is overcome.
Erectile dysfunction is more common with organic disorders. An erection comes about because the man's body produces the messenger substance cGMP when he is aroused. As a result, the blood vessels of the erectile tissue expand and allow more blood to flow in: This causes the member (penis) to stand up and become stiff. The messenger substance cGMP works until it is cleaved by the enzyme PDE-5. This ensures that the influence of the cGMP disappears and the limb relaxes.
The body releases the enzyme again after a while, as a permanent erection would be harmful to the erectile tissue. In erectile dysfunction, however, PDE-5 is released too early, so that the erection of the limb subsides too quickly or does not come about at all.
You can find your medication here
➔ Medicines for potency and erection problemsSymptoms, ailments & signs
Erectile dysfunction is characterized by the failure of an erection sufficient for the sexual act to occur. It can be an erection that is too short, too weak or nonexistent, which in all cases severely restricts or renders sexual life impossible. Occasional erectile dysfunction, which occurs due to the daily form, due to the lifestyle, ingested medication, are not to be described as erectile dysfunction.
For the presence of the clinical picture it is rather decisive that a complete erection can no longer be achieved or only to a very limited extent. Furthermore, the associated symptoms differ depending on what is causing the impotence. Psychological causes come into consideration, which are then also expressed in accompanying psychological symptoms. Depressive moods and body awareness problems often play a role here.
Organic causes are also conceivable. When erectile dysfunction occurs, it is therefore important to clarify the vascular health, since erectile dysfunction can also be associated with other vascular problems. In most cases, those affected also suffer psychologically from their perceived imperfection.
The younger the affected person is, the more likely it is to suspect an underlying disease that can lead to further symptoms. Signs of erectile impotence cannot always be clearly identified, as temporary phases of inability to erect can be quite normal depending on the person. Only after a longer period of time - which is not clearly defined - does the erectile dysfunction have a disease value.
course
If psychological reasons can be identified as the trigger, erectile dysfunction begins with severe stress in the everyday life of the patient concerned. In this way, short-term erectile dysfunction can occur. The first signs of erectile impotence are usually noticed a few days or weeks after the stressor enters the patient's life.
In the case of organically caused erectile dysfunction, there is often no clearly recognizable course of the disease. Affected men usually notice in puberty that they are not able to keep an erection long enough. Most men cannot determine a starting point because erectile impotence has always been there.
Complications
A number of problems can arise with erectile dysfunction. These are mainly psychological complications. In particular, erectile dysfunction that can be traced back to mental problems or illnesses often leads to further complications.
The consequences of erectile dysfunction can exacerbate psychological problems or create additional psychological stress. For example, stress-related erectile dysfunction, due to the pressure to perform during sex, can lead to more stress and make the problem even worse. If depression is the cause, this pressure can appear as an additional problem.
This often creates a stressful interaction that is very difficult to stop. However, psychological problems can also occur in the form of additional psychological stress in addition to physically caused erectile dysfunction and impair the healing process.
Erectile dysfunction caused by medication represents a special situation. In this situation, drug therapy often induces one problem to another. Patients who lose the ability to lead a satisfactory sex life due to the use of medication often develop strong signs of depression, which in the worst case can even become pathological.
When should you go to the doctor?
If you have erectile problems every now and then, you don't necessarily need to consult a doctor. A medical examination is only necessary if difficulties occur regularly or an erection no longer occurs. In general, the two-thirds rule applies: If an erection of the limb is not possible in two out of three cases, there may be impotence. Then you should talk to your family doctor or a specialist as soon as possible, who can determine the cause and suggest a suitable therapy.
In addition, medical advice is needed if erectile dysfunction is associated with pain or symptoms of another disease. If the lack of erectile function is based on sexual aversion, this should be clarified after three to four months at the latest.
In addition to the family doctor, you can also speak to a urologist. If the trigger is stress or a mental illness, therapeutic help is best sought. In some cases, couples therapy can also help identify and / or work through the causes of erectile dysfunction.
Doctors & therapists in your area
Treatment & Therapy
The easiest and fastest way to treat erectile dysfunction is to get a prescription for a potency enhancer. Well-known remedies are, for example, Viagra, Levitra or Cialis - they are mainly known from spam emails, but are developed by well-known pharmaceutical companies and can be prescribed by a doctor.
They are based on the fundamental cause of erectile dysfunction: the premature release of the enzyme PDE-5. Such drugs are also known as PDE-5 inhibitors because they eliminate erectile dysfunction by blocking the enzyme. This can lead to a long-lasting erection.
In the case of psychological causes, it is advisable to find methods of coping with stress. The man can often do this alone - in many cases it helps to wait for the stressful situation to end. In more severe cases, however, it is advisable to seek the help of a psychologist. This will not treat erectile impotence directly itself, but rather try to eliminate the underlying problem in the long term through various therapeutic methods.
Outlook & forecast
Erectile dysfunction can appear suddenly, in phases, or as a permanent condition. Most men will experience temporary impotence at some point in their life and just have to wait for it to go away on its own. Reasons range from stress and emotional distress to taking medication, mostly in the psychological area.
Erectile dysfunction improves once these causes are eliminated. On the other hand, if there are physical causes that may even ensure that the impotence has existed since early teenage years, then it does not improve on its own and needs medical help. At best, treatment with a drug such as Viagra, an alternative or a cheaper generic, which, however, must be taken before each sexual intercourse, helps. There are also surgical procedures that, depending on the individual case, can be useful to permanently solve the problem of erectile dysfunction.
If, on the other hand, the cause lies in increasing age, it is a completely normal symptom of old age and can best be resolved by the targeted administration of medication if sexual intercourse still or again plays a role in the patient's life. Patients should be prepared not to achieve the desired result with the first drug, because sexual enhancers can have side effects and are not subject to prescription for free. But once the active ingredient and dose have been found, nothing stands in the way of a fulfilling sex life.
You can find your medication here
➔ Medicines for potency and erection problemsprevention
In order to prevent erectile dysfunction or impotence in good time, men should stop smoking, eat healthily and do a lot of sport. Excessive consumption of alcohol should also be avoided. Furthermore, stress and social problems should be eliminated. Well-known relaxation techniques such as yoga, autogenic training and progressive muscle relaxation are also suitable for this.
You can do that yourself
Under certain circumstances, erectile dysfunction can also be combated by self-treatment, but this depends on the triggering cause. If the impotence is caused by psychological problems, discussions with the partner can often help. By relieving psychological pressure, there is an opportunity to break the cycle of fear of sexual failure and disappointment.
A useful self-help measure to improve erectile dysfunction is to give up tobacco products such as cigarettes. Tobacco consumption increases the risk of the arteries becoming clogged. The same risk arises from the regular consumption of alcoholic beverages. In contrast, special nutrients that u. a. contained in dark chocolate and blackberries have a positive effect on blood vessels.
Reducing obesity is often helpful. This is how obese men make less testosterone. However, the male sex hormone is extremely important for stable erections. Even a weight loss of ten percent leads to an improved erectile function.
Men who suffer from erectile dysfunction sometimes use mechanical aids. This includes, for example, the vacuum pump. The user puts his penis into a transparent plastic cylinder and creates negative pressure by hand. This in turn causes blood to flow into the erectile tissue. A penis ring can be used to prevent blood from flowing out of the erectile tissue.
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