Erectile dysfunction is a topic most commonly shrouded in guilt, insecurity and sadness. It is a challenging complaint for men and their partners and technically only describes a man’s inability to maintain or develop an erection. A useful classification to determine if something more sinister going on is to assess if the male can develop a morning erection or can have one during his sleep. If this is possible then the cause is most likely psychological in origin – good news essentially but it doesn’t necessarily make fixing it any easier! If a male isn’t able to have an erection at all (even during the night) then a visit to your GP is a good idea to eliminate anything more sinister going on.
Common physiological causes can basically include anything that would negatively affect blood and hormones reaching the area (circulatory or cardiovascular) or higher control mechanisms such as neurological defects or hormone insufficiencies.
Diseases such as diabetes or side effects from medication can also be a cause. As such, it is important to ascertain what is causing the problem to accurately determine the treatment. It would be easy if you could simply prescribe Horny Goat Weed or Viagra to fix this issue, but it may not be this simple. For example a circulation defect may require adequate hydration, increased exercise; hot and cold water therapy (balneotherapy) or the herbal medicine Ginkgo biloba. Testosterone support is best achieved with the nutrient Zinc; the herbal medicine Panax ginseng and exercise that aims to increase muscle mass.
The most important strategy is to maintain a respectful, caring and loving interaction when spending time with one’s partner. There are plenty of sexual activities that do not involve penetration and emotional tension is certainly not conducive with intimacy.
