Impotency is also known as erectile dysfunction, or just ED. This condition affects males and is characterized by not being able to maintain an erection long enough to finish a sexual experience. Older men are the most susceptible, but men of any age can experience it.
Significance
When impotency takes place once in a while, there is no reason to worry. But when it becomes chronic, it can take its toll on self-confidence and self-esteem. It can also be a secondary sign of a more serious condition, so it should be taken seriously.
Symptoms
When it comes to impotency, there is one concrete sign. According to the Mayo Clinic, impotency is the inability to maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse at least 25 percent of the time.
Physical Factors
For an erection to take place, there needs to be a sufficient amount of blood flow to the penis. Heart disease, high blood pressure and atherosclerosis are all conditions that can have a negative effect on blood flow and cause impotency. Other physical factors that can cause it are obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, alcoholism, tobacco use and low testosterone levels.
Mental Factors
The mind has a lot to do with the physical events that cause an erection to take place. Depression, stress, anxiety, fatigue and poor communication with your partner can all have an impact on impotency.
Treatments
Oral medications are one of the first lines of defense with impotency. They work by enhancing the effects of nitric oxide, a chemical that increases blood flow to the penis by relaxing muscles. This promotes the natural sequence involved when an erection forms. Sildenafil, tadalafil and vardenafil are all examples of these medications.
Vacuum devices are characterized by a tube that gets placed over the penis. A vacuum effect is created with a hand pump that causes blood to flow into the penis and make it erect. An elastic band is then placed at the base of the penis to prevent blood from backing up. It is then removed after sex.
Surgery is another treatment option that can be utilized for impotency if nothing else seems to work. A device called an "implant" can cause the penis to become erect, arteries can be reconstructed to increase blood flow and veins can be blocked off to prevent blood from backing out of the penis.
