Erectile Dysfunction for what it's worth

Otherwise known as male impotence, we define erectile dysfunction, or ED, as the failure for a man to perform mutually satisfactory sexual intercourse with his partner due to an inability to achieve and/or maintain an erection.

As we grow older, disorders such as erectile dysfunction or impotence become more important because the sexual health and function we take for granted greatly helps to determine our quality of life. Nowadays, it is common for men and women of all ages to improve their relationships and sex lives by seeking guidance. This is largely thanks to the media bringing the topic out into the open and making it a socially acceptable subject of discussion.

Conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, nervous system disorders and depression are all known causes of sexual dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction in particular can be a medicinal side-effect or a symptom of another disorder.

Successful treatment is proven to enhance the quality of sexual life and therefore, life in general. Intimacy and satisfaction is also proven to be improved and depression to be overcome.
Premature ejaculation occurs when the process of arousal, erection, ejaculation and climax is very quick. This condition can accompany erectile dysfunction but the two should not be confused and should be treated differently.

There are many factors and systems that cause a man to achieve a successful erection. His central nervous system, peripheral nervous system and psychological state all contribute as do hormonal and vascular factors. It is a complex process of which the penis is a single component.

Sensory stimuli cause erections to occur. Information travels from the brain the base of the spine where nerve fibers connect to the penis and regulate blood flow.

When sexual stimulation occurs, nerve endings in the penis cause the release of chemicals and ultimately muscle contraction. When the smooth muscle relaxes, blood flow increases and the erection grow large and rigid as venous drainage channels compress and are closed off.

Ejaculation causes the penis to regain muscle tone by inhibiting the release of muscle-relaxing chemicals. Venous drainage channels open again allowing the blood to drain from the penis.

52% of men in the Massachusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS) aged between 40-70 years reporting erectile problems of varying degree. Total erectile dysfunction, where a man has a complete inability to obtain or sustain erection during sexual stimulation and absence of erections during sleep occurred in 10% of men in the study. 17% and 25% of participants reported lesser degrees of erectile dysfunction.

10.4% of men who took part in the National Health and Social Life Survey (NHSLS), which is nationally representative sample of both men and women aged 18-59, reported the inability to achieve or maintain erection at one time or another over the past 12 months. According to research results, an estimated 18-30 million men suffer from some degree of erectile dysfunction, or have done at some point of their lives.

The NHSLS discovered that 28.5% of men ages 18-59 reported problems with premature ejaculation during the past year and 15.8% reported a lack of interest in sex. Both premature ejaculation and loss of libido are common male sexual disorders. A further 17% reported performance anxiety when it came to sex and 8.1% reported a lack of sexual pleasure from any activity.

The 1998 introduction of the oral drug Sildenafil citrate (Viagra) did much to change attitudes towards erectile dysfunction because it offered a reasonably simple solution. Viagra is readily available nowadays and commonly bought on the internet. A number of companies offer online Viagra nowadays. Online Viagra is being marketed aggressively by email.