Some people can talk to their doctors about sex without any embarrassment. Others feel that sex is private and do not want to share details with anyone. But if you have
erection problems, including getting or keeping an erection, you have two good reasons to talk to a doctor:
- Your health
- Your quality of life.
Today, impotence is more commonly known as
erectile dysfunction, or
ED. In fact, the word "impotence" may also be used to describe other problems that interfere with sexual intercourse and reproduction, such as lack of sexual desire and problems with ejaculation or orgasm. Using the term erectile dysfunction makes it clear that those other problems are not involved.
However, in this article, the terms impotence and erectile dysfunction are used to describe the same problem: the repeated inability to get or keep an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse.
Hormones, blood vessels, nerves, and muscles must all work together to cause an erection.
Your brain starts an erection by sending nerve signals to the penis when it senses sexual stimulation or arousal. Touching may cause this arousal. Another trigger can be something you see or hear. Or it may simply be a sexual thought or dream.
The nerve signals sent from the brain cause the muscles within the penis to relax and let blood flow into the spongy tissue within it. Blood collects in this tissue like water filling a sponge. As a result, the penis becomes larger and firmer, like an inflated balloon. The veins in the area then become closed off to keep blood from flowing out.
After climax, or after the sexual arousal has passed, the veins open back up and blood flows back into the body.
Due to the important role blood vessels play in this process, healthy blood vessels are needed for an erection to occur.
Impotence can be caused by a number of things. But by far, the most common cause is other health problems. For some men, clogged blood vessels cause impotence. In other men, it may be caused by nerve damage from
diabetes. If you have a health problem and don't see your doctor, the problem will go untreated and may even become worse.
Lifestyle factors (such as smoking, being overweight, and being physically inactive) can contribute to the condition, too.
Another reason to see your healthcare provider is to treat the impotence itself. Your doctor can offer several new treatments that are currently available.
Even though most cases have a physical cause, counseling can help couples deal with the emotional effects of impotence. Some couples find that counseling enhances the effects of other forms of
impotence treatment by making their relationship stronger.
For many men with the condition, the answer is as simple as taking a pill. Other men have to try other treatment options before they find a treatment that works for them. Don't give up if the first treatment doesn't work. Finding the right one can take time.
Consider the following facts about impotence:
- The condition may be a sign of health problems.
- A doctor can help you overcome impotence.
- Smoking, being overweight, and avoiding exercise can contribute to impotence.
- Impotence usually has a physical cause, but counseling can help couples build a stronger relationship.
- Many men can take an erectile dysfunction pill to treat the condition. However, these men should still treat the health conditions that caused it.
- Men who take any of the medicines called nitrates should not take a pill to treat their impotence.
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