Erectile dysfunction (ED) is very common. Depending upon how you define ED, there are 15 million to 30 million men who have it. ED ranges from complete impotence to unsatisfactory performance.
But it doesn't have to be a part of getting older. As you age, you may need more stimulation and more time, but older men should still be able to get an erection and enjoy sex.
The incidence of ED increases with age. Between 15 and 25 percent of 65-year-old men experience this problem. In older men, ED usually has a physical cause, such as a drug side effect, disease or injury. Anything that damages the nerves or impairs blood flow in the penis can cause ED.
The following are some leading causes of erectile dysfunction: diabetes, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), prostate surgery, hormone imbalance, alcohol and drug abuse.
And, of course, there are your emotions. It should be no surprise that, if you’re having a relationship problem with your sex partner, you can suffer from ED. Here are some other psychological influences: anxiety over a previous failure, everyday stress, depression, and feeling unattractive to your partner. If you’re suffering from ED, you should see your doctor for a discussion and physical exam.
Monitoring erections that occur during sleep can help the diagnosis.
Healthy men have involuntary erections during sleep. If nocturnal erections do not occur, then ED is likely to have a physical rather than psychological cause. Tests of nocturnal erections are not completely reliable, however.
The cause of the ED will determine the treatment. Some ED medicines are injected into the penis. Other medicines are taken orally. In addition to medicines, there are vacuum pump devices and surgery.
Millions of men have benefited from drugs like Viagra that treat ED. Viagra improve the response to sexual stimulation, but they do not trigger an automatic erection as injections do.
