Approximately three quarters of erectile dysfunction cases are due to
diseases and other
physical causes such as injury or surgery. If you have a continued
problem with getting an
erection you really, really want to go and see a doctor. If you
can get an erection some of
the time but have difficulty achieving penetration, try
our practical erectile
dysfunction tips
first. Chronic erectile dysfunction means
you have experienced repeated problems with
getting an erection over an extended
period of time. Here's some common causes of chronic
or long term erectile
dysfunction. In all these cases the solution is to go and see your doctor
or health care
provider for diagnosis, advice and treatment.
Diseases
Many diseases are known to cause erectile dysfunction, including
diabetes, kidney disease,
hypertension, heart disease and alcoholism. These conditions
cause narrowing of the blood
vessels, restricting the blood flow to the penis,
making it difficult to get and sustain erections.
Diabetes is one of the most common
conditions linked to erectile dysfunction. High
cholesterol, high blood pressure and
smoking are also serious contributors to narrowing of
the blood vessels and thus
erectile dysfunction. Regular exercise and a healthy diet work
wonders for your sex
life.
Prostate problems
In general prostate problems themselves don't actually
cause erectile dysfunction. However,
surgery for prostate conditions does cause it in a high
proportion of men who receive the
treatment. The three main prostate problems are prostate
cancer, prostatitis (infection of the
prostate) and BPH - benign prostate
hyperplasia (enlargement of the prostate). A treatment
for prostatitis is prostatic
massage - massage of the prostate through the anus, draining the
prostate of a milky
white fluid which exits through the penis. See your doctor if you have
any pain during
urination, erection or ejaculation - it may be a prostate problem. If you are
over 35
you should see your doctor for routine prostate checks.
Injury
A number of penis conditions related to injury can
cause erectile dysfunction: peyronie's
disease (bending or curving of the penis), trauma or injury to
the penis, surgery or radiation
therapy, pelvic or spinal cord injury. Believe it or
not, sex itself can cause damage to your
penis. Be careful in the woman on top position.
Beware of your penis bending back to far.
In other positions be careful of where you
thrust - ie not into her pubic bone. If your spinal
cord is damaged or if you have a
slipped disc in your back, the nerves leading to the
genitals may not be able to transmit
signals of sexual pleasure, resulting in erection problems.
Medications
Lots of prescription medications are known to cause
erectile dysfunction.
Warning: consult your doctor or physician before
you stop or start taking any medications.
If a medication you are taking is listed here, consult with
your doctor or physician before
you stop taking it. She/he may be able to prescribe an
alternative medication.
- Anti-Androgens (Ketoconazole,
Spironolactone)
- Antiarrythmics (Digoxin)
- Antidepressants (Prozac, Paxil)
- Antihypertensives (Beta-Blockers:
Atenolol, Propanolol)
- Ace Inhibitors (Vasotec, Lotension)
- Barbituates (Codeine, Methadone,
Morphine)
- Benzodiazepines (Librium, Tranxene,
Valium)
- H2-Blockers (Cimetidine)
- Steroids
For
a more detailed list of medications that can cause erectile
dysfunction check
webmd.com's
Drugs Linked to Erectile Dysfunction
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