| The recurrent inability to get or sustain an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse is called erectile dysfunction (also known as male impotence). The word "impotence" may also refer to other disorders that interfere with intimate life and reproduction, for example lack of sexual desire and problems with ejaculation or orgasm. The use of the term erectile dysfunction makes it clear that those other disorders are excluded.
Some males suffer from chronic ED, and others have a partial inability to attain and maintain an erection. Frequent erectile dysfunction can trigger emotional and relationship disorders, and often leads to diminished self-esteem. It makes defining the health problem and estimating its incidence hard. Depending on the definition used, from 15 to 30 mln are estimated to have ED.
Physical factors, for example blood vessel, nerve and abnormalities in the penile area are at the root of male sexual problems.
In older males, erectile dysfunction usually has a physical cause, for example diseases, injuries, or side effects of medications. Any disorder that impairs penile nerves and blood vessels has the potential to trigger ED. Incidence raises with age: about 5% of 40-year-olds and 15-25% of 65-year-olds suffer from ED. But it is not an irrevocable aspect of aging.
Not being able to perform in bed adversely impacts on man's self-esteem and confidence. More than that, it also badly damages his relationship with a sexual partner.
According to the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), for every 1, 000 males in the USA, 7.7 appointments with a physician were made for erectile dysfunction in 1985. By 1999, that number had almost tripled. The increase occurred gradually, presumably because therapies, for instance vacuum and drug therapies became more easily available and discussing erectile function became accepted.
In general, ED is treatable at any age, and awareness of this fact has been raising. Today more males search for specialist aid and return to normal intimate life because of advanced, effective therapies for ED. There are drug, mechanical, injection and surgery therapies.
One way to improve erectile dysfunction is to make some simple life-style changes. For some men, selecting a healthier lifestyle, such as quitting smoke, exercising regularly, and reducing stress, may be all that is required to find relief. For those who require more intensive therapy, lifestyle alterations alongside other therapies can further help. |
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