Also known as "impotence", erectile dysfunction is a man's inability to achieve an erection in order to perform sexual intercourse. The term "erectile dysfunction" refers specifically to the erection whereas "impotence" is also used quite often to refer to other problems associated with sexual intercourse and reproduction such as a lack of sexual desire or problems with ejaculation.

The Penis and Erections

An erection is achieved when muscles, blood vessels, nerves and hormones all work together. When the brain senses sexual stimulation or arousal, it sends nerve signals to the penis. Arousal can be caused in various ways such as through touching, visual or auditory stimulation, or a fantasy or dream. These nerve signals cause muscle relaxation in the penis and as a result, blood is allowed to flow and collect in the spongy tissue. This causes the penis to inflate as it grows larger and firmer. Blood is prevented from flowing out by veins which close themselves off.

Causes of Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction has various causes most commonly physical causes in older men such as disease, injury or a side-effect of drugs. Any injury to the nerves or blood flow in the penis could potentially cause ED.
Most men will never experience erectile dysfunction. It is not inevitable as a man grows older. However, 5% of 40 year-old men do suffer with ED, as do between 15% and 25% of 65 year-olds.

Treatment

Nowadays there are many ways to treat erectile dysfunction. More sufferers seek treatment as awareness grows that the condition is treatable at any age. Successful, improved treatment of ED allows many men to return to normal sexual activity.

Examples of how to treat erectile dysfunction include counseling (the cause can be psychological), medications, devices such as a vacuum or implanted device and where the condition is caused by damage to veins or arteries, surgery is another option. Research into treating erectile dysfunction is extensive and ever-increasing. As always, patients should consult their clinician about the latest and most suitable treatments.

Statistics

The term "erectile dysfunction" is used to covers a range of severity from a complete inability to achieve an erection, to an inconsistent ability, or the inability to sustain an erection for a long enough period to perform sexually. Due to this broad range, it is difficult to measure and estimate the level and severity of incidence.
Between 15 and 30 million American men are estimated to suffer from erectile dysfunction. This figure varies according to how the condition is defined. The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) claims that in 1985, for every 1000 men in the US, 7.7 visits to physicians were due to erectile dysfunction. In 1999, this rate had tripled to 22.3 visits.

This increase is more likely due to more men being comfortable discussing their problem. As more treatments have become available, the subject of erectile dysfunction is no longer as taboo as it once was.
The biggest recent advance in treatment for erectile dysfunction was the highly-publicized March 1998 introduction to the market of the oral drug popularly known as Viagra. NAMCS estimate that Viagra was mentioned in 2.6 million visits to physicians in the United States in 1999, one third of which occurred when conditions other than ED were diagnosed. Nowadays, Sildenafil citrate is readily available. Online Viagra is particularly popular as it can avoid embarrassment purchasing the drug this way. Millions of email inboxes worldwide are filled with advertisements for online Viagra every day.

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