An Overview Of Erection Problems

An Overview of Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction can be defined as not being able to get and/or keep an erection which enables intercourse to take place. Erection problems occur in any age group: they happen to all men at some point, but for a man not be able to get an erection every time he wishes to have sex is uncommon under forty years of age. However, over this age, there is an increasing occurrence of erection problems, so that about six men in ten over the age of 75 have erection problems. The main reason for this is that vascular problems - blocked penile arteries or leaking veins - occur very much more frequently as men age, and although ageing itself does not cause erectile dysfunction, the physiological changes associated with ageing certainly do. The occurrence of erection problems occurs about ten years earlier on average in diabetic men.

Of course, most men need to be physically stimulated to become erect as they get older, erections become less hard, loss of erection becomes more common, sexual intercourse takes place less often, and the refractory period increases. Indeed, older men may not ejaculate every time they have sex. This does not mean that men are less satisfied with sex as they get older, and it remains an important part of a man's self-esteem. The main causes of erection problems are smoking, hypertension (high blood pressure) and other cardiovascular problems. In addition, diabetes and abuse of alcohol are all potential causes of erection problems.

Physiology of an erection

A non-erect penis is caused by the action of sympathetic innervation of the smooth muscle found in the corpora cavernosa and the penile arteries. Sensory stimulation and tactile stimulation to the penis will both increase parasympathetic activity and this will result in the penile smooth muscles relaxing, a process which is mediated by activation of the Nitric Oxide / cyclic GMP biochemical system with a concomitant increase in blood flow into and along the penile arteries. This increase in penile blood flow results in an increase in volume of the penile chambers, and an increase in the intracavernous pressure: this increase in pressure in turn causes the penile veins to be compressed against the fibrous capsule (the tunica albuginea) around the internal chambers of the penis, thereby blocking the venous outflow. This is the veno-occlusive mechanism.

Causes of erectile dysfunction (origin of erection problems)

The main points to note are these: if you have erectile dysfunction you should seek help. We know that most men do not, for those men who have participated in research on treatment are found to have had the problem for more than a year before they are identified. Smoking, high blood pressure, and circulatory or cardiovascular problems, the presence of diabetes and alcohol abuse all add to the potential for erection problems. Erection problems need to be distinguished from penile curvature or Peyronie's disease.

Two categories of erection problems are commonly recognized:

• erectile dysfunction with clinical manifestations which imply a physical cause

• erectile dysfunction clinical manifestations which imply a psychological cause.
Physical causes of erection problems

When a man shows the following signs, it may well be that his erection problems have a physical cause:

  • the onset of his erection problem is gradual and there is no obvious cause
  • the onset is sudden and there is an obvious cause such as spinal injury or prostate surgery
  • if his erection problems occur all the time
  • if a man is over 65 years of age
  • orgasm and ejaculation usually maintained
  • erectile dysfunction risk factors present - such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes.

Psychological causes of erection problems

The psychological causes of erection problems include the following symptoms

  • there is sudden onset without injury in a young man
  • the erection problems only occur in certain situations or with certain partners
  • there are relationship or interpersonal problems
  • the man is under forty years of age
  • orgasm and ejaculation patterns have changed
  • there are no relevant risk factors such as diabetes or hyperlipidemia.

Diagnosis of erectile dysfunction

The story of your experience usually reveals everything behind your erectile dysfunction. First of all, you are not alone - the number of men with erection problems is astounding - up to one man in ten at any time. There are many approaches to treatment and so most men can be treated successfully. There is a service which offers free online advice on this website: Sex And Relationships
Remember that you may have other problems like premature ejaculation or Peyronie's disease, which need to be treated first. Furthermore, if you have diabetes, hypertension, multiple sclerosis, psychiatric issues for which you are being medicated, high cholesterol, or any other physical condition, then you should also seek treatment for those conditions.

In general, the relative importance of physical and psychological factors is not hard to establish. When erection problems are physically based, there is often a gradual and continuing loss of erection, although a man's sex drive continues to be strong, and his capacity to ejaculate continues unchanged. If you're in the position of being assessed for erection problems, an assessment of your general health and indeed your psychological health is crucial to working out why you have developed an erection problem - hypertension and diabetes are obvious and common causative factors. Hyperlipidemia, depression, and other psychological issues  need to be investigated, as does the possibility of hypogonadism and drugs which can can cause some form of erectile dysfunction - these include major tranquillizers, antidepressants, antihypertensives, beta blockers, some ACE inhibitors, vasodilators, diuretics, and some lipid lowering drugs.

Continued here: summary of erection problems

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