Erectile dysfunction is a condition in which a man has a difficult time achieving or maintaining an erection. They may be able to get an erection briefly, for a period of minutes or seconds, or not at all.
As you can imagine, erectile dysfunction can be an embarrassment for any man. Unfortunately, it’s a very common problem. In fact, it’s one of the most common issues that men around the world face.
Fortunately, there are just about as many treatments for erectile dysfunction as there are causes. Ranging from the world-famous Viagra to herbal supplements and penile exercises, there’s definitely a way that you can get your erections to be strong and long-lasting.
In this article, we’ll explain a bit about what erectile dysfunction is and then outline some of the most common treatments for the problem.
- What is erectile dysfunction
- How to check if you have erectile dysfunction
- Erectile dysfunction treatments
- Cure Your ED with Lifestyle Changes
- Medical Help for ED
What is erectile dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence, is a condition in which a man is unable to achieve an erection that enables him to perform sexual activity to his satisfaction. This may mean that he is unable to get an erection hard enough to penetrate his partner, or that he may not be able to maintain the erection for long enough to satisfy his partner or himself.
It’s normal for most men to have a hard time getting an erection from time-to-time. However, if this becomes a chronic problem that interferes with the man’s quality of life or his relationship with his partner, it can be a cause for concern.
Another reason that erectile dysfunction might be a concern is because it can indicate another, more serious health problem. Cardiovascular problems, for example, can make it hard for a man to get an erection.
How to check if you have erectile dysfunction
The first and most obvious way to check if you have erectile dysfunction is to try and get an erection. This can be done on your own, with the use of imagination or pornography, or with a partner.
If you repeatedly find yourself unable to get hard, then you probably have erectile dysfunction.
However, we don’t blame you for wanting to get a better diagnosis. You can go see your doctor for this. In most cases, your doctor will only need to give you a physical exam and ask you a few questions to determine whether or not you have erectile dysfunction.
Based on your answers and your medical history, however, your doctor might decide that an underlying health condition is responsible for your erectile dysfunction. In this case, they might follow up with further tests.
- Blood tests and urine tests can both be done to help determine if you struggle with a health problem like diabetes, which can impede blood flow and make it hard to get an erection.
- Ultrasound tests use special devices to get a visual understanding of what the blood vessels in your penis look like. This information can be used to make a diagnosis.
- Psychological tests can determine if an emotional or mental health problem like depression or anxiety is causing your erectile dysfunction.
Erectile dysfunction treatments
There are a lot of different erectile dysfunction treatments available. You can get erectile dysfunction drugs over the counter in many places, and there are plenty of erectile dysfunction medications available at the hands of your doctor. There are also natural treatments for ED, as well as herbal remedies and exercises that have been proven useful for helping men struggling with ED.
Erectile dysfunction drugs – oral medications
These are the most common ED drugs on the market. These ones generally require a doctor’s prescription, but it’s pretty easy to get a diagnosis and prescription for ED. It’s important to remember, though, that erectile dysfunction drugs often cause unpleasant side effects.
It’s also important to note that all erectile dysfunction medications can interact negatively with other medications that you might be taking, such as high blood pressure medication. Be sure to talk to your doctor before taking any of these drugs.
Sildenafil (Viagra)
Sildenafil is the active ingredient found in the drug Viagra. This is one of the most common drugs used for the treatment of ED, and can be found in pharmacies around the world. Sildefanil encourages more blood to flow into the tissues and veins of your penis, making it much easier to get and keep an erection.
Sildefanil can cause side effects like headaches, dizziness, high blood pressure, and heartburn. Sildefanil and other erectile dysfunction medications can also cause the risk of priapism, a long-lasting and extremely painful erection that won’t go away.
Tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis)
Tadalafil is the active ingredient in Cialis, which is the second-most-popular ED drug on the market today. The main difference is that Tadalafil lasts much longer than Sildenafil, and can remain active in the body for up to 35 hours whereas Sildenafil is generally inactive after 5 hours.
Tadalafil can cause similar side effects as Sildenafil, and the risk of priapism is the same – except the priapism might last a lot longer.
Avanafil (Stendra)
Avanafil, the main ingredient in Stendra, is one of the newest erectile dysfunction drugs on the market. It works in a similar way as all the other -nafil drugs, however there are a few differences.
- It selectively targets penis tissues, making it less likely to cause side effects like back pain
- It starts to work very quickly, within 15 minutes
- It lasts about 6 hours
Vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn)
Vardenafil is the active ingredient in Levitra. It lasts a bit longer than Sildenafil, remaining active for somewhere between 5 and 8 hours. It’s much stronger than Viagra, and as such you will only need to be prescribed much smaller doses to reap the same effects.
As with any of these compounds, Vardenafil can cause side effects, especially at higher doses.
Injections
If you don’t think oral medications are for you (and you’re not afraid of needles), you can also get an injection to help with your ED.
Testosterone replacement therapy
In some cases, erectile dysfunction can be caused by problems with low testosterone. In these cases, your doctor may recommend testosterone replacement therapy to help correct the issue.
Alprostadil self-injection
If you are adventurous, it’s possible to inject your penis with a substance known as Alprostadil. This substance is designed to cause blood to flow directly to the tissues in your penis, giving you an erection that will last no more than an hour.
This can be uncomfortable, can cause pain or bleeding, and can eventually lead to the development of scar tissue if used over time.
Penile implants
If you don’t think that medications or injections are working, it’s possible to actually get a penile implant that will allow you to get an erection on-command (in addition to being classified as a cyborg).
Penile implants generally come in the form of two inflatable rods. One of these rods is placed on either side of your penis. The rods are malleable, allowing your penis to remain somewhat flexible.
Penile implants are generally not recommended except as a last resort.
Penis pumps
Penis pumps can be used to help a man gain an erection. The air-tight tube is placed around the penis, and a suction pump pulls the air out of the tube. This draws blood into the penis and should allow the man to get an erection. After this, they can place a cock ring around the base of their penis to keep the blood in.
Exercise
Exercise is another good way to help treat erectile dysfunction. If you live a sedentary lifestyle without much exercise and spend most of your day sitting, it’s quite likely that you’re struggling with ED because your cardiovascular system doesn’t get much of a workout.
If your heart isn’t strong, then it simply won’t be able to work hard enough to consistently pump blood down to your penis. A regular exercise routine can strengthen your heart and make it easier to gain an erection.
How to Get a Longer Penis: Go Natural First
Every guy has wondered whether he should do something to increase the length of his penis. If you’re serious about a bigger penis, we recommend going natural first by changing your lifestyle including fitness and diet. Start supplementing with a natural male enhancer like MaleExtra and consider going to therapy.
If you exhaust all those options, then it might be worth chatting with your doctor about more invasive procedures.
Herbal supplements
There are lots of herbal supplements that can be useful for helping someone work through ED. Some of these include:
Ginseng. Ginseng is a powerful adaptogenic herb that has been used for thousands of years to help people improve their sexual health, energy levels, and fertility. It’s an important herb that can help men fight off erectile dysfunction.
Pomegranate. Pomegranate is more than just a strange-looking fruit. Pomegranate extract has been proven to be great for helping to improve male libido and can be useful for helping to fight erectile dysfunction.
L-arginine may not be a herbal supplement on its own, but it’s a compound found in natural herbal substances such as green tea. L-arginine is an amino acid that helps to reduce high blood pressure and increase blood flow to the genitals, making it an ideal supplement for men hoping to improve their sexual health.
One of the best things that you can do is try a herbal supplement that includes a number of different ingredients that all work together. One of the best supplements that you can find for this is MaleExtraf, which combines ginseng, pomegranate, L-arginine, and other important nutrients like zinc to help maximize male sexual performance.
Cure Your ED with Lifestyle Changes
Before you run to the doctor and get medicated, it’s important that you at least try to make some lifestyle changes. In many cases, having a healthy lifestyle will ensure that you don’t get ED.
This can include:
- Eating healthy. Nutritional deficiencies can lead to health problems and can contribute to sexual health issues. Vitamin D, for example, has been linked to ED.
- Exercising. As mentioned, exercise is important for cardiovascular health and can reduce ED.
- Avoiding pornography. Watching porn regularly can make it difficult to get an erection when you’re actually with a partner in person.
Medical Help for ED
If you find that natural remedies are not working, don’t hesitate to seek a doctor to help you with your erectile dysfunction. They can help you get a prescription, or recommend penile implants in serious cases.
Conclusion
Erectile dysfunction affects many men, but if you know how to work through it, it doesn’t have to be a problem.
Many men have found success using herbal supplements and natural remedies, such as exercise or a professionally-formulated product like MaleExtra, to treat their ED.
Hopefully, this article has helped you make a decision regarding how you can work on your ED.
