What is erectile dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction (impotence) is when a man is unable to get and/or keep an erection that allows sexual activity with penetration. It is not a disease, but a symptom of some other problem, either physical, psychological or a mixture of both.
Erectile dysfunction should not be confused with low libido (little interest in sex) or the inability to reach an orgasm or ejaculate. Premature (too early) and retrograde ejaculation (into the bladder) are also different problems that need a different approach to diagnosis and treatment.
Occasional erectile dysfunction is normal. There is no need to worry about the occasional failure to get or keep an erection. Some of the causes of occasional erectile dysfunction include excessive intake of alcohol, anxiety and tiredness. One of the most common causes of erectile dysfunction in middle-aged men is lack of sleep.
Erectile dysfunction is very common and becomes even more common in older men. An Australian survey shows that at least one in five men over the age of 40 years, increasing to about two in three men over the age of 70 years, often experience erectile problems, and about one in ten men are completely unable to have erections.
With each decade of age, the chance of having erectile problems increases.
How Does an erection happen?
At a superficial level, getting an erection is a simple process. There are two tubes of spongy tissue that run along the length of the penis, and this spongy material is surrounded by a tough fibrous, partially elastic covering.
A message is sent through nerves that leave the lower spinal cord, telling the blood vessels entering the spongy tissue of the penis to let more blood in. The flow of blood out of the penis is then blocked off so the penis fills with blood and stretches within the outer casing. This creates an erection.
Underlying this relatively simple explanation is a very complex range of chemicals in the body that also work together to get an erection. At any one time, the muscle cells in the spongy tissue and in the blood vessels are influenced by a balance of chemical factors, some which cause an erection and some which encourage a flaccid (soft) penis.
What causes erectile dysfunction?
Many factors can interfere with getting an erection and often two or three factors are present at one time. Sometimes there can appear to be no obvious cause for the erectile dysfunction; however, most cases of erectile dysfunction are physical in origin.
Apart from the physical causes of erectile dysfunction due to an event such as prostate surgery or the introduction of a medication that affects sexual function, erectile dysfunction due to physical causes often begins gradually.
• Performance anxiety • Employment and financial pressures
• Sexual attitudes and upbringing • Depression
• Relationship problems • Psychiatric disorders
• Peyronie’s disease
• Pelvic trauma
There are many diseases that interfere with how the penis functions by either reducing blood flow or affecting the nerves. Importantly, when the first signs of erectile dysfunction happen, there is often an unknown underlying cause such as diabetes, hypertension or high cholesterol.
About one in 10 cases of erectile dysfunction is caused by psychological factors. A man’s sex drive (libido) can be affected by stress such as problems at work or financial worries. Feeling depressed and anxious about poor sexual performance can also lead to erectile problems.
Psychological causes of erectile dysfunction can happen together with physical causes.
Is erectile dysfunction a part of getting old?
There is no doubt that the ageing penis has less responsive muscle cells, which interfere with good erections. Like the rest of the ageing body, ‘muscle tone’ in the penis reduces with age, as do many other aspects of sexual function. Arousal can take longer, it may take much longer before a second erection happens, and usually the erection is not as firm.
Where can help be found?
The P-shot® is a drug-free, surgery-free treatment for ED.
It involves the use of Platelet Rich Plasma, or PRP for the penis. PRP is made from your own blood, so there are little or no known side effects. It is a concentrated formula of stem-cells and growth factors. PRP injections have been used successfully to help men suffering from erectile dysfunction.
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