Erectile Dysfunction: Causes

Erectile dysfunction, also  called “impotence,” is basically means difficulty in gaining and sustaining an erection,or ED is the repeated inability to get or keep an erection enough for sexual intercourse. The word “impotence” is also used to describe other problems that interfere with sexual intercourse and reproduction, such as lack of sexual desire and problems with ejaculation or orgasm. Use of  the term erectile dysfunction makes it clear that those other problems are not involved.
In a recent survey, almost 800 men questions about their sex lives. Interestingly they found that just over 70 percent of men admitted that on at least one occasion they had faced the humiliation of erectile dysfunction. Just under three quarters of all men said that they would happily use erectile dysfunction medication if they had ongoing sexual problems.
Erectile dysfunction, or ED, can be a total inability to achieve erection, an inconsistent ability to do so, or a tendency to sustain only brief erections. These variations make defining ED and estimating its incidence difficult.

In older men, ED usually has a physical cause, such as disease, injury, or side effects of drugs. Any disorder that causes injury to the nerves or impairs blood flow in the penis has the potential to cause ED. Incidence increases with age: About 5 percent of 40-year-old men and between 15 and 25 percent of 65-year-old men experience ED. But it is not an inevitable part of aging.

The causes for ED differ from one individual to another, and may be attributed to psychological problems such as stress at work or physical issues such as fatigue or any health problems that prevent blood from flowing through the penis properly. About a third of ED sufferers attribute psychological causes to low self esteem and depression, and so on. Chemicals exist in the body which are designed to make the penis soften after an erection has occurred.

Erectile Dysfunction may take place because of many reasons. It may happen as a result of reduced blood flow to the penis and nerve damage. And it may also take place because of some other reasons, like

  • •    Diabetes
  • •    Drugs
  • •    Vascular disease
  • •    Hormone disorders
  • •    Pelvic trauma, surgery, radiation therapy
  • •    Psychological conditions
  • •    Venous leak
  • •    Neurologic conditions
  • •    Peyronie’s disease

Diabetes: Diabetes often damages the small blood vessels and nerves throughout the body. This can block the chances of nerve pulses and blood flow necessary for erection. About 60% of men suffering from Diabetes experience Erectile Dysfunction.

Drugs: There are many kinds of drugs known to cause Erectile Dysfunction available in the market. This includes drugs for high blood pressure, heart medication, antidepressants, sedatives and tranquilizers. Long term consumption of alcohol and illicit drugs may affect the vascular and nervous systems and are associated with erectile dysfunction.

Vascular disease: The hardening and narrowing of the arteries causes a reduction in blood flow resulting in Erectile Dysfunction. It is associated with age. It accounts for 50% to 60% of impotence in men over 60.

Hormone disorders: This is a rare cause. A rarely occurring condition called Testosterone deficiency (Deficiency of a potent androgenic hormone produced chiefly by the testes) can result in a loss of libido and thus loss of erection.
Pelvic Trauma, Surgery, Radiation Therapy: A pelvic trauma can damage the veins and nerves required for erection. Surgery of the colon, prostate, bladder, or rectum may damage the nerves and blood vessels involved in erection. Radiation therapy for prostate or bladder cancer also can permanently damage these nerves.
Psychological conditions: Worry, stress, guilt, anxiety and depression all can lead to Erectile Dysfunction. One may worry about the repetition, if he experiences a loss of erection once. This can produce anxiety associated with performance and may lead to chronic problems during sex.

Venous leak: Erection can’t be maintained if the veins in the penis are unable to prevent blood from leaving the penis during erection. Venous leak can be a result of injury, disease, or damage to the veins in the penis.

Neurological conditions: Spinal cord and brain injuries can cause Erectile Dysfunction when they interrupt the transfer of nerve impulses from the brain to the penis.

Peyronie’s Disease: This is a rare inflammatory condition that causes scarring of erectile tissues. Scarring produces curvature of the penis that can interfere with sexual functions and cause painful erections.

ED is treatable at any age, and awareness of this fact has been growing. More men have been seeking help and returning to normal sexual activity because of improved, successful treatments for ED. Urologists, who specialize in problems of the urinary tract, have traditionally treated ED; however, urologists accounted for only 25 percent of Viagra mentions in 1999.

There are various other solutions too. Firstly, psychotherapy is possible to cure psychological factors contributing to Erectile Dysfunction if there is any. However this may be a laborious and expensive process. Secondly, a penis pump. This however is unadvised as it only masks the problem. Thirdly, herbal supplements are available which help to target physiological and psychological reasons.