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Taking Charge of Your Erectile Dysfunction

Men love to be in charge and to fix problems. When a man experiences erectile dysfunction it adds to his stress level because of the emotional and relationship issues involved in erectile dysfunction. The ability to achieve an erection is important for self-esteem, for sexual pleasure and for intimacy between those in a committed relationship. It is also important when a couple is trying to have a baby. All of these reasons can put pressure on a man to perform and when he can't seem to have an erection or to sustain one long enough to complete the sexual act he suspects the worse - that he has erectile dysfunction (ED).

After his suspicion occurs to a man, his next step is to seek medical confirmation. His appointment will not only include a physical examination, but also require him and his spouse/sexual partner to fill out a form concerning his sexual activities and the problems associated with them. A psychological profile may also be part of the appointment as well as psychological counseling to determine if there are any emotional causes for his symptoms. If there are no emotional causes, then a physical cause will be sought. There are some cases where there are combinations of causes for the erectile dysfunction that may include emotional, psychological and physical causes.

Once the diagnosis and causes are determined, a treatment plan can be designed that fit the symptoms, age of the male, lifestyle and intensity of symptoms and any other medical conditions that he may also have. The man will partner with his doctor in coming up with a treatment plan as he will need to be comfortable with some of the methods, especially the self-administered ones. Treatment may be a combination of medication, counseling, vascular surgery, stimulation devices, and possible implants. The treatment will take into consideration the age of the man, his lifestyle, his sexual partner, any other medical conditions he may have and his overall physical condition and medical condition.

Generally the diagnosis and making of the treatment plan gives a measure of relief to the man and helps him to feel more in control of the situation. Erectile dysfunction because of the sexual implications is something that affects both partners. The solution can involve the female especially if an emotional or psychological cause is determined to be the case. She may have to attend counseling sessions by herself or with her partner. Her involvement will give both a sense of taking charge and doing something positive towards getting back the intimacy needed in their relationship.

Whether the cause of the erectile dysfunction is determined to be physical, emotional or a combination the knowledge gained from the medical appointment will be a first step in taking charge of the situation and resolving the erectile dysfunction and hopefully preventing it from reoccurring.