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5 Things You Must Know About Erectile Dysfunction

1. Causes and Risk Factors of Erectile Dysfunction

The most common cause of erectile Dysfunction is injury to the tissues, either the nerves, arteries, fibrous tissues or muscles. Physical diseases also account for around 70% of erectile dysfunction cases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, kidney disease, nervous system condition like multiple sclerosis, hormonal problems or hypopituitarism after head injury, tumour treatment or haemorrhage. In some cases, the condition is due to the damage of the nerves and arteries near the penis which can take place during surgery, particularly for bladder and prostate cancer.

Physical injury to the penis, prostate, spinal cord, pelvis or bladder can also be considered a factor. Or it could also be a side effect of some common medication which includes blood pressure drugs, antidepressants, tranquilizers and antihistamines.

2. Symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction

The penis has two chambers full of spongy tissue known as corpora cavernosa. When a man becomes sexually aroused, impulses from the brain and local nerves make the muscles in the corpora cavernosa to relax, thus allowing blood to flow in and fill the spaces in the tissue. This produces pressure in the corpora cavernosa, causing the penis to expand. A membrane known as the tunica albuginea also helps hold the blood in the corpora cavernosa, hence sustaining erection. The erection is only lost when the muscles contract to stop blood from flowing into the penis and open outflow channels. A successful, sustained erection involves a sequence of events to take place in a precise fashion. Anything that disrupts this sequence can result to problems either keeping or getting an erection.

3. Treatment and Prevention

There are various ways to treating erectile dysfunction. The first step is to search for a cause and carry out a full screen for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and also check for blood flow to the penis. The doctor will also investigate the possibility of psychological factors and ,if these are considered to be significant, may recommend sexual counselling for the patient.

4. Drug Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction

One medicinal drug in particular, commonly known as Viagra, has become an international phenomenon since its launch in the 1990s because of the fact that it is the first drug to provide a relatively simple and safe drug treatment that helps the majority of men with erectile dysfunction -- at least 70% report improved erections. The medication does not instantly give a man an erection but it works by boosting the natural mechanism which then leads to an erection. When a man becomes sexually aroused, particular tissues in his penis relax, permitting blood to enter and fill the penis. Viagra helps by increasing the levels of the chemical that makes the tissues to relax. These effects were discovered by accident because the drug was originally formulated to improve blood supply to the heart in angina sufferers.

5. Lifestyle changes

There are a number of things that a man can do for himself to reduce his risk of erectile dysfunction. These include: stopping oneself from smoking, losing weight if overweight, dealing effectively with anxiety and stress -- one can try counselling, meditation and exercise, moderation in alcohol consumption, avoiding street drugs and taking regular exercise which can improve one's cardiovascular health.