Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
Patients who typically suffer with ED, Erectile Dysfunction, often see symptoms impact upon their sex life and behaviour. The capability of becoming erect and maintaining an erection usually becomes intermittent, unreliable or virtually impossible. Patients suffering with impotence will often lose all capability of experiencing an erection. ED symptoms are typically health-related and the causes can greatly vary from having an impaired endocrine, nervous or vascular system but also mental health issues such as expectations and how you might feel about your partner. These are all recognised causes of ED.
Physical Causes of ED
ED is most commonly caused by separate issues affecting a patient’s health; these conditions include, arterial build-up of fat or cholesterol known as atherosclerosis, chronic kidney disease, heart or blood vessel disease, injuries to the bladder, pelvis, spinal cord, penis or prostate. Often ED could occur following prostate surgery, radiation therapy and similar treatments. These may be symptomatic and can be temporary. Other possible physical causes are Multiple Sclerosis, a bending of the penis known as Peyronie’s disease and surgery for bladder cancer and type 2 diabetes.  Specific medicines including anti-depressants, appetite suppressants, sedatives or tranquilizers and those used to treat ulcers, blood pressure or prostate cancer (anti-androgens) are also commonplace contributors to ED.
Mental Health Causes of ED
While diabetes is known to double or treble the likelihood of developing ED, a patient’s emotional and psychological well-being, everyday lifestyle and condition specific medication could also induce ED¹. Common mental health contributors include anxiety, depression, fear, guilt, stress, low self-esteem, happiness and fulfillment within a relationship contribute to ED. Preventable causes of ED are typically behavioural or medicinal, with excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, habitual use of illicit drugs, being overweight and physical inactivity being commonplace contributors to ED.
Whether experienced generally or sexually patients with emotional or psychological traits are more prone to ED.
Erectile Dysfunction ED Treatment
Treatment is very individual ranging from counselling, CBT to well known brands of ED medication such as Sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), avanafil (Stendra) and vardenafil (Levitra). Medications may not be suitable for all so surgical procedures such as penis/ penile implants may be an option, or simple penis vacuum pumps may be a conservative start to treatment. Talking openly about your fears and concerns with your partner or Councillor its amazing how useful this can be and ultimately will get the best results from any treatment you decide.
¹ Harvard Medical School, 5 natural ways to overcome erectile dys-function, July 7, 2020
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