FACTS ABOUT ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

FACT-1 ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION IS A COMMON DISORDER

Erectile dysfunction, commonly known as impotence is a common symptom among men. Usually ED is caused by an underlying health problem that can prevent men from getting the erections they want. Most of the medical disorders associated with ED affect the blood vessels, reducing the blood supply to the penis. Two out of three men with hypertension have ED to some degree, while more than half of men with diabetes also have ED to some degree by the age of 60.

FACT-2 ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION CAN BE TREATED

There are many different ways that ED can be treated. Simple and effective medications that can be taken orally are available today. Taking the right drug can help in the treatment of ED. Other ways of treating ED include injection of medications that dilate blood vessels, into the urethra or penile tissue, vacuum devices that use a vacuum pump to draw blood into the penis until it is rigid, and penile prosthetic implants.


FACT-3 ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION IS NOT ONLY A NORMAL PART OF AGING

ED is not just the result of getting older. ED prevalence is thought to increase with age because the disorders associated with ED increase with age, and because older men more commonly take medications associated with ED (e.g., certain antihypertensives). A wide variety of diseases and risk factors are associated with ED, including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, abnormal lipid levels, renal disease, neurological disease, depression, cigarette smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption. Surgery, trauma to the genitals, hormonal disturbances, and psychological factors can also be associated with ED. In fact, ED may be among the first signs of
With age, physical changes can occur in the genital organcardiovascular disease in individuals who otherwise do not have complaints suggestive of cardiovascular disease.

FACT-4 A MAN CANNOT GET AN ERECTION WHENEVER HE WANTS

With age, physical changes can occur in the genital organs, requiring greater stimulation to produce an erection. The intensity, duration, and frequency of ejaculation also tend to decrease, and erections may be less firm.

FACT-5 ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION IS NOT ONLY PSYCHOLOGICAL

As little as 10% of ED is based purely on psychogenic factors, with the remainder of the cases based on factors such as medical conditions (diabetes, hypertension, etc) or surgical problems (following surgery for prostate cancer). The younger the patient, the more likely it is that the basis for ED is psychogenic. In older men, ED related to diabetes, hypertension, and medication use account for most of the cases.

FACT-6 MOST MEN EXPERIENCE ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

Studies suggest that as many as 52% of men between the ages of 40 and 70 may experience ED.

FACT-7 ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION IS NOT A PERSONAL PROBLEM

ED often leads to anxiety, depression, loss of self-esteem, and diminished quality of life. It can cause mental stress that can affect a man's interactions with family and associates, and can lead to depression, loss of self-esteem, and increased anxiety or tension with one's partner. ED should be viewed as a problem that affects both the man and his partner, not simply as an individual man's personal problem in attaining an erection.