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Erectile
Dysfunction (ED) Causes |
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Do you know that most cases
of Erectile Dysfunction (ED) have a physical cause?
It is wrong to dismiss Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
as a psychological problem. In most of the cases ED is a
side effect of other underlying causes. The causes of impotence
or erectile dysfunction can be classified into two major
groups:
- 90% of all causes are due to physical or organic factors
- Whereas only 10 % of all causes are due to purely psychological factors
Diabetes and the side effects of prostate cancer can reduce or prevent blood flow and nerve impulses to the penis. So can pelvic injury and the side effects of some drugs. Only about 10% of impotence has a psychological cause.
Physical / Organic Causes
Physical or organic causes for temporary or chronic impotence range from the easily avoidable or curable, to very severe causes, which cannot be cured without radical measures, such as surgeries.
These causes are:
Peripheral Vascular Disease: Insufficient blood supply to the penis. Chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, renal failure, heart disease, and others, lead to the destruction of the contractile walls of the veins or provoke hardening, narrowing or blockages of the arteries leading to the penis.
Side Effects of Medications and Drugs: Did You Know That More than 200 prescription and non-prescription medicines are known to affect erectile function in man? Some of these medications include anti-hypertensives (blood pressure medications) or medications prescribed for depression or mood disorders.
Substance Abuse: Did You Know That More than 80 % or chronic alcoholics suffer from chronic impotence? Scientific studies have also shown that heavy smokers have important damage to their genital blood supply.
Neurological Damage: Impotence is caused by Nervous diseases or damage to the nerves which control the erection process. Neurological conditions include spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis and nerve degeneration sometimes caused by diabetes or alcoholism.
Hormonal Disorders: About 5 to 10 % of men suffer from some kind of hormonal disorder. The most common, which is related with aging, is a constant decrease in the levels of testosterone , the main sexual hormone of man.
Structural Damage to the Penis: Fibrosis of the penis tissues, caused by scarring or organic diseases; Peyronie's disease (which lead to an abnormal curving of the penis); the painful retraction of the penis' foreskin; genital herpes; cysts and tumors.
Trauma: Injuries to spinal cord or pelvic
features.
Surgery: Prostate surgery damages the nerves in more than 80 % of the cases. Other pelvic surgeries may have a detrimental effect on erection.
Psychological / Non -Organic Causes
- Performance anxiety
- Stress
- Depression
- Relationship problems
What is Peyronies?
Peyronies Diseases is uncommon sexual dysfunction
that results from a bent penis during erection in the
year 1743 and christened it "Peyronie's disease" As the Peyronies disease involves
deformity of an erect penis and can impair sexual intercourse,
doctors have historically classified the condition as
a form of impotence as of now referred to as erectile
dysfunction.
The health information
contained herein is provided for educational purposes only
and is not intended to replace discussions with a healthcare
provider. Decisions regarding patient care must be made
with a healthcare provider, considering the unique characteristics
of the patient.
