Bert Vorstman MD, MS, FAAP, FRACS, FACS
When a man suffers from impotence, or erectile dysfunction, his connection with his partner is interrupted. For many, this has a significant impact on quality of life, yet the condition may make them feel self conscious, and thus some fail to seek treatment. Understanding the underlying causes will help these patients understand that the condition is nothing to feel embarrassed about, and this will help them seek treatment.
Underlying Causes of Impotence
The process of creating an erection is an extremely complex one involving the nervous and cardiovascular systems. If a part of that process is interrupted, then a man will struggle with erectile dysfunction. Because of the complexity of this process, male impotence has several underlying causes, including:
- Lifestyle factors – Smoking, alcohol abuse and obesity can all damage the nervous system or impact blood flow to the penis.
- Hormonal imbalance – Hormones play a role in sexual arousal, so an imbalance can create a problem.
- Neurological problems – Sexual arousal relies on the nervous system. If it is not functioning properly, neither will the arousal process.
- Emotional or psychological problems – Problems with anxiety or emotional problems with the partner can make attaining an erection difficult.
- Underlying physical problems – Hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes and priapism can all lead to erectile dysfunction.
- Medications – Medications that affect blood flow or the nervous system can create the problem.
- Surgery or pelvic trauma – Radical pelvic surgery or trauma to the pelvic area are also contributors to erectile dysfunction. For this reason, many men who seek radical prostate cancer treatment, like surgery, will suffer unnecessarily.
Treatment Options for Impotence
If you are struggling with impotence, it may not have to remain a struggle. There are numerous treatment options available that are highly effective at helping certain men with their condition. These include:
- Oral treatments – Medications like Cialis, Levitra, Staxyn and Viagra, in addition to testosterone treatments and certain herbal treatments can help some men overcome ED.
- Testosterone treatment – If the problem is hormonal, testosterone treatment can help.
- Injectable treatments – Certain medications (prostaglandin) can be injected directly into the shaft of the penis to elicit an erection during intimacy.
- Prostaglandin pellet (Muse)– This pellet is inserted directly into the penis to create an erection.
- Vacuum device – An external vacuum devise forces blood flow into the penis, then a tension ring is placed at the base to maintain the erection.
- Surgery (artificial penis)– When more conservative treatments do not work, surgery to treat problems with the arteries or to place a penile prosthesis into the penis can provide a solution.
Unfortunately, an increasing number of men are suffering from impotence unnecessarily due to radical prostate surgery/robotic prostatectomy for cancer treatments that they did not need. These treatments cause pelvic trauma which isirreversible.
To learn more about the drawbacks of these treatments and what can be done for many Gleason 6 (3 + 3) patients, visit Dr. Bert Vorstman’s website, https://urologyweb.com/exclusive-medical-reports/. Dr. Vorstman also blogs at http://www.urologyweb.com/uro-health-blog/ and http://www.hifurx.com/blog. Contact him directly at bvorstmanmd@gmail.com.