Health Checks: Erectile Dysfunction

January 19th, 2011Sexual Health0 comments

An occasional failure to get or keep an erection should not be cause for concern. Occasional erectile dysfunction is normal. Some of the causes include drunkenness, anxiety and tiredness. In fact, one of the most common causes in middle-aged men is lack of sleep.However, if the problem persists, it is important to consult with your doctor – partly because erectile dysfunction can be a clue to another health problem, such as heart artery disease.

Possible causes that doctors are likely to investigate are:

• Physical illness – Most causes of erectile dysfunction are physical. There are many diseases that interfere with functioning of the penis by either reducing blood flow or affecting the nerves. Such diseases include heart and blood vessel diseases, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and alcoholism. When the erectile dysfunction is caused by a physical illness, it usually develops slowly. Some prescription drugs, like narcotics, sedatives and blood pressure medication, can give you erectile dysfunction as a side effect.
• Psychological factors - a man’s sexual drive or performance can be affected by stress, such as problems at work, relationship difficulties, or financial worries. Psychiatric conditions and feeling depressed or anxious about poor sexual performance can also result in a failed erection. Only one in ten cases of erectile dysfunction are caused by psychological factors.
• A combination of physical illness and psychological factors - physical problems with maintaining an erection may cause the man to feel anxious about lovemaking, which makes the problem worse.
• Unknown – in a few cases, neither physical nor psychological causes can explain the loss of sexual functioning.

Establishing a cause for erectile dysfunction will enable the most appropriate form of treatment. Health checks may include those for diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure) and high cholesterol. Depression has also been associated with erectile dysfunction and may need to be eliminated as a possible cause.