Erectile Dysfunction
A brief, all you need to know guide to erectile dysfunction. Don’t worry, its very common and very treatable too.
What Is Erectile Dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction is a common problem where a man finds it hard to get or keep an erection. The main symptom of erectile dysfunction is not being able to get or keep an erection. If it is happening quite often, its definitely worth getting checked out.
Is Erectile Dysfunction normal?
Occasionally experiencing erection problems isn’t necessarily a cause for concern. We estimate that it’s normal to have trouble getting or keeping an erection in a reasonable proportion of sexual encounters. However, if it becomes consistent you should speak to your (or indeed our) GP about it!
How Common Is Erectile Dysfunction?
The Massachusetts Male Aging Study, which was completed in 1994, is often cited by experts in discussions of prevalence, even though the research is older. This study found that around 52 percent of men experience some form of ED, and that total ED increases from about 5 to 15 percent between ages 40 and 70.
Though the risk of ED increases with age, it’s still possible for young men to experience ED. A study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that ED affected about 26 percent of men under the age of 40.
Of course, it can be embarrassing to discuss this amongst friends and colleagues but we see plenty of patients in complete confidence about this at our clinic.
What Causes Erectile Dysfunction?
- Physical Issues: diabetes, heart or cardiovascular disease, obesity
- Lifestyle Issues: smoking, drugs, alcohol, some medications
- Mental Issues: poor sleep, psychological: anxiety, stress, depression, relationship issues
- Hormonal – testosterone levels
What tests do I need for ED?
At Pop Up Docs we realise that although ED can be psychological, it is often an indicator of an underlying health condition, so we would certainly recommend our ED panel of blood tests along with a consultation to find out the exact causes of ED.
This includes:
Lipid Profile
Glucose
HbA1C
FT4/TSH
Prolactin
Total Testosterone
Free Testosterone
PSA
SHBG
Free Androgen Index
How Do We Treat Erectile Dysfunction?
Non-invasive treatments are often tried first. Most of the best-known treatments for ED work well and are safe. Still, it helps to ask your health care provider about side effects that could result from each option:
- Oral drugs or pills known as phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitors are most often prescribed. These are commonly known as Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, Stendra
- Testosterone Therapy (when low testosterone is detected in blood testing)
These are the main treatments for ED and they are often very successful. There are other treatments available too!
