WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE TREATMENTS FOR ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

 ED is defined as a man’s inability to maintain an erection. This condition in men can be achieved by a variety of physical & psychological causes. The physical causes can be underlying medical conditions like heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, habitual smoking etc. The psychological causes of ED are stress, depression, fear & anxiety.

Treatment of ED includes specific treatment of the underlying cause whether physical or psychological; treating the underlying health condition is the only way of treating ED. Your doctor will make sure you’re getting the right treatment for any underlying health conditions that could be causing or worsening your ED.

 

  POSSIBLE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF ED

·      HABITUAL SMOKING- smoking can be a contributing factor in causing ED as it will cause damage to the blood vessels. In such case, your doctor will advise you to quit smoking or limit your habit of smoking.

·      HEART DISEASE- heart disease usually affect the amount of flow of blood to the heart & causes narrowing of the arteries due to build up of plaque (due to high cholesterol levels); lack of healthy blood vessels will cause ED & treating the underlying heart disease can therefore help in subsiding the symptoms of ED.

·      DIABETES (especially TYPE-2)- type-2 diabetes has been strongly linked to ED, as high blood sugar can damage the nerves as well as the blood vessels. It can also damage the blood vessels of pelvic area; it can cause development of symptoms of ED.

·      OBESITY- having too much weight of the body can adversely affects the sexual performance as it strongly impacts the levels of hormone testosterone. Obesity should be a topic of consideration for doctors when treating ED in men who are very overweight.

 

 

 TREATMENTS OF ED

 

A doctor will use a combination of treatments, including medications & therapies.

ORAL MEDICATIONS- oral medications stimulates the sufficient blood flow to the penis to help treat ED. Medicine like “VIAGRA” is a popular treatment for men with ED; this medication is not only safe but also very effective in case of ED. Other medications like “STENDRA”, “CIALIS”, “LEVITRA” & “STAXYN” are also useful in case of ED but are less popular than Viagra.

VACUUM PUMPS- vacuum pumps are also known as “PENILE PUMPS”; in this treatment, creation of vaccum is done by a battery-powered pump to stimulate an erection. When the penile pump is used, the blood is drawn into the penis, leading to an erection.

       P-SHOT- also known as “PRIAPUS SHOT” OR “PLATELET RICH PLASMA SHOT”; it is a component of blood that promotes healing as well as generation of new tissue. It makes the tissue & the blood vessels in the penis healthier. It is a quick procedure & can be done only in an hour.

       PLACEMENT OF PENILE IMPLANTS- it is a surgical procedure in which devices are placed into both sides of the penis. Penile implants are usually not recommended until other methods have been tried first.

       PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELLING- if your ED problem is a result of some emotional factors like stress, anxiety or depression, the doctor might suggest you to have a psychological counselling.

       SHOCK WAVE THERAPY- it is an alternative, non-invasive treatment for ED. In this treatment, low density shock waves are applied to the penis to increase the blood flow of the penile region. People usually do not need any anesthetic before the initiation of the treatment but they usually may experience a tingling sensation in the penile region. Shock wave therapy in case of ED stimulates growth of new blood vessels of the penile area, due to which the blood flow in the penis increases which ultimately may improve ED.