Erection Problems: An Overview
Some people can talk to their doctors about sex without any embarrassment. Others feel that sex is private and do not want to share details with anyone. But if you have erection problems, including getting or keeping an erection, you have two good reasons to talk to a doctor:
- Your health
- Your quality of life.
Erection problems used to be called "
impotence." Now, the term "
erectile dysfunction" is more commonly used, and sometimes people simply use the initials
ED.
Erection problems are a medical problem, and your doctor can help.
Hormones, blood vessels, nerves, and muscles must all work together to cause an erection.
Your brain starts an erection by sending nerve signals to the penis when it senses sexual stimulation or arousal. Touching may cause this arousal. Another trigger can be something you see or hear. Or it may simply be a sexual thought or dream.
The nerve signals sent from the brain cause the muscles within the penis to relax and let blood flow into the spongy tissue within the penis. Blood collects in this tissue like water filling a sponge. As a result, the penis becomes larger and firmer, like an inflated balloon. The veins in the area then become closed off to keep blood from flowing out.
After climax, or after the sexual arousal has passed, the veins open back up and blood flows back into the body.
Due to the important role blood vessels play in this process, healthy blood vessels are needed for an erection to occur.
What Causes Erection Problems?
The causes of
erectile dysfunction are numerous. But by far, the most common
cause of erectile dysfunction is other health problems. For some men, clogged blood vessels are the problem. Other men may have nerve damage from
diabetes. If you have a health problem and don't see your doctor, the problem will go untreated and may even become worse.
Another reason to see your doctor is to treat the erectile dysfunction itself. Your doctor can offer several new types of
erectile dysfunction treatment options.
For many men with erection problems, the answer is as simple as taking a pill. Other men have to try two or three options before they find an
erectile dysfunction medication or treatment that works for them. Don't give up if the first treatment doesn't work. Finding the right treatment for you can take time.
Erection Problems: Summary
Here are some things to remember about erection problems:
- Erection problems may be a sign of health problems.
- A doctor can help you overcome erection problems.
- Smoking, being overweight, and avoiding exercise can contribute to erection problems.
- Most erection problems have a physical cause, but counseling can help couples build a stronger relationship.
- Many men can take a pill to treat erection problems. These men should still treat the health conditions that caused the erection problems in the first place.
- Taking an erectile dysfunction pill doesn't work for every man.
- Men who take any of the medicines called nitrates should not take a pill to treat their erection problems.
