5 Ways to Cope With Erectile Dysfunction

1. Talk With Your Partner About It

Besides your own concerns about erectile dysfunction, it pays to have a frank and honest discussion with your partner about how it is affecting her. Ask about her expectations in the bedroom and what she requires to be satisfied. See where your own expectations differ from hers and how your erectile dysfunction may be influencing her emotions. Ask her for support and encouragement as you move forward to cope with the condition.

2. Consult Your Doctor

Talk to your physician about your erectile dysfunction. Be as specific as possible. Tell him how frequently it affects you, how often you're able to get an erection and whether or not you can carry through to a climax. Erectile dysfunction has a number of different causes. Some are chemical, some are psychological and some are biological. The more your physician knows, the better he can get to the root of the problem and prescribe a solution that works for you.

3. Seek Medication

Anyone who has watched any kind of sporting event on TV knows that there is a wide variety of remedies for erectile dysfunction. The two best known are sildenafil citrate and vardenafil HCl, which increase the flow of blood to the penis and help maintain an erection, though they don't increase arousal. A newer drug, tadalafil, works by blocking chemical PDE5, which keeps blood in the penis for longer periods of time. Another drug, apomorphine, stimulates dopamine in the brain, which causes an erection. It is available in Europe but not yet in the United States. Other medication may include testosterone patches and yohimbine, which both increase libido levels. Your doctor can tell you which ones work best in your case.

4. Explore Sex Therapy

Sex therapy works well when the erectile dysfunction is psychosomatic or has no obvious physical causes. The therapist will work with you on relationship issues, depression, anxiety and other factors that may be contributing to the erectile dysfunction. Sex therapy works on stimulation techniques and other aspects of performance in the bedroom. It can be a time-consuming process, and many men are uncomfortable about participating in it. It is often helpful if your spouse or partner can participate in the therapy as well.

5. Examine Surgical Options

Surgery is suggested only if other methods of treatment aren't working. Vascular surgery can remove blockages to penile blood flow or restrict the veins that cause blood to flow out of the penis. It's largely in the experimental stage at this point. Prosthetic implants are available as well, which involve placing flexible rods or inflatable cylinders in the penis. Once there, they can be manipulated to create an erection.