Erectile dysfunction happens when you are unable to get or sustain an erection that is required for sexual intercourse. This dysfunction often indicates an underlying health condition that could require treatment. If a medical specialist can treat the underlying issue, it may help to reverse the erectile impairment. Here are three causes of erectile dysfunction:
High Blood Pressure
Sexual arousal causes the brain to signal the nerves around the penis to send more blood flow to that area. The increase of blood causes the tissue to relax and allow the pressure from the blood flow to harden the penis. High blood pressure can cause damage to the blood vessels in the body, including those that lead to the penis. When the vessels become too narrow, they are unable to let blood flow through them and sustain erection. Some blood pressure medications contribute to erectile dysfunction, such as propranolol, atenolol, metoprolol, spironolactone, and chlorthalidone.
Brain and Nerve Disorder
When disorders in your nervous system affect your sexual function, it is known as neurogenic erectile impairment. Causes of neurological ED include spinal cord injury and epilepsy, and alcoholism can also affect nerve tissue. Surgery of the bladder or prostate can damage the nerves and tissues around the penis, leading to this dysfunction. Multiple sclerosis and its medications might also affect the central nervous system. Parkinson’s disease could cause men to experience less sexual feelings and difficulty ejaculating. Epileptic men may develop erectile dysfunction because the condition affects sex hormone levels, such as testosterone and prolactin. Physical urology damage due to accident or injury also causes erectile impairment.
Diabetes
Men with type 2 diabetes are at risk of becoming sexually dysfunctional if the disease is not managed. High blood sugars often affect blood vessels and tissues, which contributes to lesser blood flow to the penis. Other causes include kidney disease, anxiety, and depression. People with diabetes can reduce the impact of this condition on their sexual functions by making healthy lifestyle choices. Some healthy lifestyle habits include eating a balanced diet and physical exercises.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Medical specialists should assess your health history and dysfunction symptoms to help determine if any past surgeries or medications could be the cause. Blood tests help specialists determine if it is related to a heart condition and check for other issues, such as kidney and hormonal issues. If needed, ultrasounds may help them evaluate the blood flow in and out of the penis. Ultrasound tests help to distinguish between mental and physical causes of erectile impairment. Doctors could suggest specific lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, regular exercise, and an improved diet, to manage the condition. They may also recommend medications that help to achieve quality sexual function. Some of these medications require the man to be stimulated to achieve an erection. If testosterone levels are too low, a doctor may treat the dysfunction with a bioidentical hormone replacement procedure to help balance it.
Seek Treatment for Erectile Dysfunction
Working with a doctor to control any underlying health condition might help to reverse erectile impairment. A doctor can perform regular check-ups and screenings to determine the root cause of a penis that will not stay erect. If you need to treat erectile dysfunction, reach out to a urology clinic today.
