Category Archives: Erectile Dysfunction
When You Know ED Is in Your Head
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is an interesting phenomenon because while we understand that it is often a very normal part of aging, many men are also very embarrassed by its onset. We know that ED, for many, represents a loss of virility, and it’s one of the reasons why we rarely use the word impotence despite it being a common medical term. With the obvious physical component in any discussion about ED, some patients need to understand that there is a psychological component as well, though it may not be as widespread. In this article, we’ll talk about the signs that ED could be psychogenic and what we can do about it.
Should Viagra Be Considered a Preventative Therapy for Alzheimer’s?
Interesting research1 was recently released supporting the association between Viagra use and lowered risk of Alzheimer’s disease. We have all heard of Alzheimer’s and its devastating effects. Caused by the buildup of amyloid plaque and tangles of tau proteins in the brain, Alzheimer’s affects over 6 million people and is getting worse, with estimates of up to 16 million sufferers by 2050. Alzheimer’s slowly strips away cognitive abilities, rendering patients unable to recognize the closest family members or remember recent events. It is a devastating diagnosis that can affect not only the sufferer but also the caretaker and their loved ones.
Does ED Signal Impending Heart Problems?
Erectile dysfunction is a ubiquitous part of aging and is closely related, in most patients, to the efficiency of the blood flow to the penis. Just as with other parts of the body, the penis has arteries that supply it with oxygenated blood. Differently from most other structures in the body, the penis retains some of that blood to create an erection. If this blood does not or cannot reach the penis, an erection may be soft or not last long enough for proper sexual contact. While blood flow issues are the most common cause of erectile dysfunction, there are other considerations, including the fact that some patients have psychogenic causes of their ED. This means that they have essentially psyched themselves out of sex either due to prior poor performance or other psychological concerns.
How Curved Does Your Penis Have to Be for Peyronie’s Treatment?
When a man first sees that his penis is curved, it can be a very concerning, even panic-inducing situation. Peyronie’s disease is caused by plaque buildup on the penile structures, leading to curvature in any direction. Eventually, this curvature can begin to be problematic: it can be mild or serious enough to interfere with proper sex and even cause significant pain with an erection. When the penile curvature is relatively mild, patients are often hesitant to go to their urologist or men’s health specialist because they’re unsure if the degree of curvature requires medical or surgical care. However, looking only at the curvature does not paint the whole picture, and patients who have Peyronie’s disease should change how they think about the condition. Most importantly, it’s not so much about the degree to which the penis is curved but rather whether the curvature is interfering with life in some way or another.
P-Shots – What Are They, and Do They Work?
P-shots or Priapus shots, aptly named after the Greek god of fertility, have become popular in recent years as some in the medical community turn their minds toward biohacking or improving the function of the body. From online resources to doctors and men’s health clinics, P-shots are being advertised as a way to get many benefits from platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, specifically as it relates to the penis. Let’s see what the most common claims are. P-shots can improve erectile function. P-shots can increase the girth and or length of the penis. P-shots can improve the health of the penis.
Penile Implant – A Fix for Peyronie’s and Erectile Dysfunction?
Of the most common and debilitating male sexual function concerns that Dr. Engel treats, erectile dysfunction, and Peyronie’s disease are at the top of the list, both in incidence and in the desire for the patient to have them treated. When discussing these two conditions with patients, they are often seen as having separate and distinct treatment protocols. To some degree, this is true if they occur individually. However, Peyronie’s disease and ED often co-occur. One may cause the other, or they may both be present independently. In this article, we will discuss when a penile implant may be appropriate to treat both conditions, giving patients a one-stop option for handling two significant concerns.
Should I Worry About Priapism With My ED Treatment?
Priapism is a greatly misunderstood concern. Many people call priapism the four-hour erection and think that it is alternately a good thing – a sign of masculinity or amusing; however, the exact opposite is true. Yes, we all want strong, prolonged, lasting erections, but when they begin to damage penile tissue, often permanently, we need to stop them in their tracks. In this article, we discuss the primary non-surgical ED treatments, whether they could cause priapism, and what to do about it. Before we continue, however, it must be said that priapism is very rare, and while you should know about it, you don’t necessarily need to actively worry about it. Remember, a satisfying sex life is also psychological, and you do not need any impediments to that. You should also know that several medications can cause priapism, and as such, you should speak to your urologist to understand more about possible causes.
Are Injections for ED Extreme?
Erectile dysfunction, or ED, is a problem as old as humanity and remains virtually inevitable as we age. No matter how healthy we are, the heart and blood vessels, especially those arteries feeding oxygen to the penis, eventually lose their ability to transmit blood to the body as effectively as before. The best analogy involves our capacity to exercise as we age. No matter how in shape we are for our age, our bodies lose some ability with time. As it relates to erectile function, this aging process leads to weaker erections over time and, eventually, the inability to enjoy one’s sex life.
Supplementing Nitric Oxide – A Natural Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction?
As we age, there is an inevitable decline in the ability to achieve an erection. This is simply because erectile function depends on blood flow to the penis, and as a man ages, the circulatory system becomes less efficient. This is also why we can’t perform in sports or endurance in our later years the same way we did in our teens, 20s, or 30s. With that said, some men begin to lose their erectile function earlier, and we see patients as young as 30 or 40 who have concerns about their ability to achieve and maintain an erection during sex. At this point, there is a continuum of care that almost every ED patient will follow. This begins with an evaluation of the root cause of the problem, and the answer may include any combination of psychological therapy (for a small number of patients), lifestyle change, and ED medications like Sildenafil and Tadalafil. If these options fail, we move on to injection therapy or a penile implant for severe cases of ED.
Can I Take ED Meds Forever?
Erectile dysfunction most often has a slow progression, where patients initially have occasional trouble achieving or maintaining an erection, followed by subsequent difficulty finishing. Eventually, the condition becomes troublesome enough that without intervention, a satisfying, sex life is not possible. Of course, once the patient first realizes they have a problem, the psychological effects are often as problematic as the physical ones. While the prospect of taking medication to achieve an erection can be dispiriting, patients need to know that they are not alone. Around 50% of all men over 60 have trouble attaining or maintaining their erection, and those that opt for medical therapy as a front-line attack on the condition can often regain a satisfying sex life immediately. Further, with generics like sildenafil and tadalafil on the market, the cost of this improvement in sexual function is minimal when compared to when these drugs were on-patent (Viagra and Cialis).
