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Erectile Dysfunction and the Aging Process

Intimacy is not just for the young; it is for all couples to cherish for their entire life together. The aging process should not hinder the desire to be close to your sexual partner. Erectile dysfunction, the inability to achieve an erection or perhaps to maintain one can have an emotional impact on the partners. The aging process not only changes our physical appearance, we can accumulate medical conditions and diseases that change our mobility, energy level or strength. Anything that alters our movement or strength can have an affect on the ability to be intimate with our spouses or partners.

The one sexual impact males experience in which age increases the risk for occurrence or that experiences it increases in frequency is erectile dysfunction. Although it happens to the male organ, the inability to achieve erection or to maintain it has an affect on both partners.

The male may experience symptoms of erectile dysfunction gradually including experiencing a longer time to achieve an erection, a decrease in the amount of ejaculate, the erection is loss quicker following orgasm that is normal for him, and also his erection may not be as firm as previously felt.

The onset of symptoms may have several causes including illness, physical disability, and also medication side effects. The emotional or psychological causes that may contribute are increased levels of stress, deterioration of the relationship, unhappiness with life in general (work, kids etc.) and also a decrease in the desire to have sex with a particular partner.

Age can increase the likelihood of the following diseases affecting the way you have sex: arthritis, chronic pain from various diseases, diabetes, cardiac disease, incontinence, stroke. The young have diseases too unfortunately, but as we age we are more likely to encounter one or more diseases in our spouse or ourselves. Dealing with an illness may zap our strength, may make us tired, and can also drain us mentally and emotionally. Dealing with an illness may leave little time, energy or desire for paying attention to sex or any problems we may be having with the sexual act.

Many medications can have an undesirable affect on the ability to have an erection. These meds include those taken for blood pressure control, antihistamines, antidepressants, appetite suppressants, drugs for diabetes, ulcer drugs and tranquilizers and sleep aids.

Alcohol can cause erectile dysfunction and also delay orgasm in women which if the man is having difficulty maintaining his erection can add to the difficulty.

The enjoyment of sex is usually a combination of physical and emotion. An emotion such as a male fearing that he will not be able to perform in bed may actually cause so much stress that he will not be able to have an erection. Older couples have multiple worries regarding the aging process, retirement, illness, and lifestyle changes so much so that they spend too much time on worrying and not enough on enjoying the pleasures of each other in bed.

Sometimes as we age, it becomes more difficult to admit when we are experiencing difficulties or need help; so older couples are less likely to see a doctor's help with sexual problems. We sometimes need to be reminded that with age comes wisdom. Help is just an appointment away. Seek medical advice if you are struggling with erectile dysfunction or any sexual issue.