Living with Erectile Dysfunction

Do you tend to shy away from women because you deal with erectile dysfunction? Is your erectile dysfunction or erectile impotence causing you to stress out? Erectile dysfunction has been around for many years, yet only in the past couple of decades have people really become aware of it.

Erectile dysfunction is many times seen as more of an emotional problem that a physical one for men. This disorder is referred to most commonly as ED. Erectile dysfunction, in simple terms, is an inability of men to repeatedly get or maintain an erection for sexual fulfillment throughout intercourse.

There is a very precise series of events required to get an erection, and if there is a disruption in any part of the series, it leads to dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction typically occurs when there is damage to the smooth muscles, arteries, or nerves of the penis. Some lifestyle activities can contribute to erectile dysfunction as well, such as lack of physical activity, consuming liquor excessively, obesity, and smoking.

Mental or sensory stimulus, or both, can initiate an erection. The local nerves send impulses to the brain which leads the muscles in the corpora cavernosa to become loose and permit blood to flow through and seal up the spaces. The blood that is flowing through will then generate pressure into the corpora cavernosa and cause the penis to expand. The blood is locked into the corpora cavernosa by the tunica albuginea, sustaining the erection.

The symptoms of erectile dysfunction can include the inability to have an erection during sex or while masturbating, the inability to maintain a firm erection for sexual intercourse, or the inability to keep an erection for long a enough time for sexual intercourse.

According to Wikipedia, some of the physiological factors for erectile dysfunction are diabetes and vascular disease. There are some psychological factors as well, such as guilt, anxiety, and stress. These psychological factors tend to make the physical factors worse.

Erectile dysfunction has been shown to mostly affect men ages 40 to 65. It is not necessarily an inevitable part of aging, though. There are many medications, thanks to the advancement of medical science, that are now available to effectively treat erectile dysfunction. These medications work differently for everyone.

Some of the drugs available these days for erectile dysfunction include Levitra, Viagra, and Cialis. Each of these drugs work by using the same principle, by increasing the flow of blood into the penis when a man is sexually stimulated to help cause an erection. These drugs are prescribed orally and are all approved by the FDA. Seeking the recommendation of a doctor is the best way to know what will work for you.