Understanding the Condition, Its Causes, and Implications
By 2025, it is estimated that over 322 million men worldwide will be affected by erectile dysfunction (ED)[1], a significant increase from 152 million just a few decades ago. While these numbers highlight a growing global health concern, they also deliver a crucial message: you are not alone. Despite its prevalence, ED remains a deeply personal and often misunderstood condition. This overview is designed to understand more of the condition, causes, and implications of Erectile Dysfunction.
What is Erectile Dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction is a general term for the inability to achieve or maintain erections (ED), ejaculatory problems such as premature ejaculations (PE), retrograde ejaculations, or little to no ejaculate, and deformities of the penis (Peyronie’s Disease or PD).
In this blog, we will first focus on the most common issue facing gents: ED. Ed can be experienced by gentlemen in adolescents, of course as gentlemen get older.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is characterized by the frequent or persistent inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual activity. While it is common for men to occasionally experience difficulties with erections, ED refers specifically to ongoing problems that interfere with sexual performance and overall quality of life
Causes of Erectile Dysfunction
ED is almost always a multifactorial issue. It can result from a variety of physical, psychological, and lifestyle factors. At times, several of the below mentioned issues can come together at the same time(S). Some common causes include:
- Age: due to lower nitric oxide bioavailability after the age of 15, and testosterone levels after the age of 40, generally as a rule of thumb, ED affects 10% of teens, 20% of 20 year olds, 50% of 50-year-olds, 70% of 70-year-olds, etc. Total dysfunction has been observed in gentlemen in their teens and 20’s, for one or more reasons.
- Physical Health Issues: Conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, lack of exercise, and hormonal imbalances all can impair blood flow or nerve function, leading to ED. Poor sleep patterns or diet, or occasional illness may also affect our overall general health and well-being.
- Medications: Certain prescription drugs, such as antidepressants, antihypertensives (blood pressure), antihistamines, and medications to treat GIRD (heartburn), prostate, bladder, cholesterol, blood sugar, pain, neuropathy, others, may have side effects that contribute to, or cause, erectile difficulties.
- Deficiency of certain vitamins
- Deficiency of certain minerals
- Hormonal deficiencies (nitric oxide -NO, testosterone, many others)
- Psychological Factors: Stress, anxiety (in particular “performance anxiety” – worry or distress over ED issues), depression, and relationship problems can negatively affect sexual desire and performance.
- Lifestyle Choices: Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, recreational drug use, late start in sexual experience, personal sexual habits, others, and lack of physical activity can increase the risk of developing ED.
- Lack of stimulation from a partner or no partner
- Excessive sexual inactivity
- Masturbation
As mentioned, several factors above could/may be involved. An experienced provider will and should help you in identifying some or many aspects or issues, to guide you back to an acceptable level of performance.
Erectile Dysfunction: Analysis and Treatment
To assess and improve erectile performance, the following should be considered: a medical history review, an in person, virtual or tele call assessment, and perhaps blood tests to identify underlying health issues. Treatments could include several options. However, shockwave therapies (ESWT) using proper technologies, is the only “non-invasive” option. An experienced provider will usually support this approach with counseling, what to do and not to do, dietary and other advice, what to check for in blood work, coach you on sexual activity, what medications, if any, could impede proper function and their possible alternatives and how to boost nitric oxide (NO), testosterone, metabolism as well as other suggestions for better physical, metabolic, and erectile health.
When to Seek Help
ED can have a significant impact on self-esteem, relationships, and overall well-being. Early intervention can help identify underlying causes and improve outcomes and how to deal with them, to eliminate most or all “offending” issues.
Conclusion
Erectile dysfunction is a common yet treatable condition. Understanding its causes, seeking appropriate and experienced advice, using proper technologies and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are key steps in managing and potentially overcoming ED. Should you feel compelled to learn more, see how you can treat it here.
