Erectile Dysfunction: Treatment Options

Among many male sexual problems that can occur, erectile dysfunction is one of the most common. It can appear as early as 30-40 years old.

However, in recent years, this term is rarely used in international medical literature. For a long time, it was of reprehensible character and was not quite accurate and strongly generalized. It was established in almost all cases when a patient complained of a reduced duration of sexual intercourse or a decreased sexual desire.

Erectile dysfunction is a lack of erection for performing sexual intercourse. It is expressed in insufficient penile volume and hardness. In other words, erectile dysfunction is impotence.

The diagnosis is often sounded like a death sentence. At the moment, it is considered as an erectile violation and is not associated directly with ejaculation, i. e. ability to emit seminal fluid. Most patients still have an erection, but it is not sufficient for normal sexual intercourse.

Besides, it was found out that there are much more patients with poor erection than its complete absence. So now such definition as «erectile dysfunction» is used more often.

Impotence is just its extreme degree. It is divided into two types. Primary – when a patient has never had a good erection, and secondary – when erection has weakened over time. If there are no disease and factors causing sexual dysfunction, the normal erection may be achieved even at 60 and 70 years old.

Types of Erectile Dysfunction

In normal state, male sexual intercourse consists of several stages. The first is sexual desire and foreplay. Then comes erection and penis introduction into the partner. Then follows a certain number of frictions over some amount of time, resulting in ejaculation and orgasm. If something in this chain is broken or absent, it leads to the impossibility of normal sexual intercourse performance and disturbs other components. Most often it is erection and ejaculation that are disordered.

The simplest to treat is temporary (weak) male erectile dysfunction, and the most common cause is alcohol abuse or stress and fears.

In this case, you should eliminate the root cause and normal body function will restore by itself. In other words, you need to stop drinking, smoking, more frequently spend your time outdoors and be optimistic about future.

It is much more difficult when this condition becomes permanent, chronic.

According to the latest research in this area, more than half of all ED signs s are caused by physiological reasons.

Then, there are psychological causes, which can be stress or fear, dissatisfaction with oneself, one’s life, some kind of emotional breakdown. In medicine, male impotence is divided into three types (according to reasons of appearance): organic, psychogenic and mixed (manifestation and treatment methods are also different).

Treatment Methods for Erectile Dysfunction

Modern methods of ED treatment reached have shot the moon. Practically, in most cases, the patient can be cured. The first step is to conduct accurate diagnostics and, taking into consideration individual characteristics, determine the best suitable for the patient treatment.

There are no universal methods or they are not effective since disease causes are different in each case. Treatment methods range is also wide.

If you have a psychogenic impotence and its cause lies in psychological state or nervous disorder, consultation with specialists may be an effective treatment; and if the cause is different, then medicamental treatment or even surgery may be applied.Today, erectile dysfunction treatment is conducted according to several methods:

1. Sex therapy and psychotherapy. It also can be a massage or simple positive changes in patient’s live. Except for psychogenic erectile dysfunction, this treatment method can sometimes be applied in organic cases;
2. Medications to enhance erection, which includes Viagra Professional. This is known as so-called «first» therapy. It can be used from the very beginning at all types of treatment.These drugs increase blood flow to the penis and hold it there. However, when using such drugs some side effects may occur. Therefore there are certain recommendations and limitations. The most harmless side effect is temporary blindness. Viagra Professional is one of famous Viagra modification. If your sexual activity reduced and you bother thinking about problems with potency, then this drug is optimal decision. By changing its formula, its creators have achieved 15-20 minutes action beginning period after taking a pill, increased its action duration up to 8 hours, during which enhanced penis sensitivity is observed, reduced erection recovery period to 15-20 minutes and increased number of orgasms. Professional version acts by blocking the PDE-5 enzyme, thereby penis gets the amount of blood sufficient to provide a strong erection. Recommended dosage – 100 mg (1 pill) per day. The drug is taken 15 – 20 minutes before sexual intercourse.It is not recommended to take this medicine with alcohol. Eating fatty foods may prolong its action beginning period, but has no influence on drug’s effectiveness. After taking one pill, an erection occurs only at natural sexual excitement. It doesn’t affect sperm production and constitution;
3. Injection therapy. It is used in the case when pills don’t provide the desired effect or if they are contraindicated. This method of treatment involves hormonal drugs penile injections. In this case, special vasodilators are used to increase blood flow to the organ. Thereby normal erection is achieved. This is a very effective method and patients can learn to make these injections themselves, when necessary, and control erection duration.This method is effective in 70-80% of cases. Besides, these drugs do not build up the tolerance and at regular use over one year are able to improve natural erection;
4. Vacuum-erectors or pumps for a better erection (special devices). There are many different models and their modifications. This method is used at organic ED treatment. However, in some cases of psychogenic forms, it may also be applied. Its advantages are that besides no side effects or contraindications, it is a non-aggressive method and is effective in 90% of cases.The essence of this method is that penis is placed into the cylinder, where the vacuum is created with the help of a pump. Blood flows to the penis and is held there by special rings, the so-called rings for erectile dysfunction. This device can be used by healthy people for massage or their own erection supplement, enlargement or straightening penis and to prevent premature ejaculation;
5. Exercises that help to eliminate symptoms of impotence. This method consists in lower pelvic muscles restoration and training them to work with necessary force. This is a biofeedback method. It trains perineum muscles, making them work when it is needed. It is used in case of injuries or long muscles inactivity as a result of some trauma;
6. The most radical and the most effective treatment is a penile prosthesis. It is used when other methods are useless and dysfunction caused by irreversible causes. With surgical intervention, penile prosthesis is installed. An erection occurs after pressing special pump located in the scrotum. By means of such operation, maximal effect can be achieved.

All of these methods help to raise general body tonus, realize its internal force and relieve nervous or psychological stress, which may be dysfunction causes in psychogenic and some organic cases. If more serious reasons and especially serious diseases such as diabetes, they will not help and it is necessary to obtain medical advice immediately.

Watch the video showing the explanation of urologist about surgical treatment for erectile dysfunction:

Thus, today, almost all erectile dysfunction cases are curable. Methods are numerous and an experienced doctor is able to determine personal treatment for each patient.

It is also necessary to remember that this disorder can serve as a symptom of another more serious disease. The main thing is not to delay treatment and at the first signs undergo diagnostics at a specialized center. Your health is in your hands!