Contents
Impotence (erectile dysfunction) in men is expressed in the inability of the penis to come into a state of excitement of a sufficient degree and stay in it for the time necessary to complete a full sexual intercourse. However, here it is impossible to attribute every unsuccessful sexual intercourse, which happened due to a “weak” erection or its absence, to impotence, which should cause concern. The unpreparedness of a man for coitus in some cases can be justified, natural and only temporary. For example, due to severe physical, psychological overwork, or due to a lack of sexual interest in specific women (these may be familiar personalities or women of a certain appearance).
Erection is a complex physiological process involving a wide range of neurological, psychological, and organic factors. It starts a chain of necessary reactions with a special impulse generated by the subcortical structures of the brain. If a man is completely healthy and does not have any abnormalities, then the state of complete arousal of the penis (erection) occurs within a few seconds after the appearance of the stimulus (thoughts about sex, memories, fantasies, viewing photos and videos of an erotic nature, contact with a woman). Those. for the occurrence of an erection, a “starting” impulse and a response to it from the male body are needed. For this reason, impotence is divided into several types, depending on the level at which the problem arose.
- Psychogenic impotence. Caused by a violation of the formation of the “starting” impulse. Here, sexual impotence in a man can manifest itself in the form of a weak sexual desire and, as a result, an insufficient degree of excitation of the penis, or a complete lack of erection.
- organic impotence. It is associated with the inability of the body for some reason to give a normal reaction to an exciting impulse. In this case, the man feels a strong attraction, but at the same time he is not able to perform a full-fledged sexual intercourse.
- Mixed impotence. It is a combination of impotence of both types and can develop as a result of the presence of an underlying psychogenic or organic factor.
Symptoms of impotence
By nature, impotence is divided into primary and secondary. If a man has never observed an erection sufficient for coitus, then he has primary impotence. This is a fairly rare occurrence associated with serious disorders in the body. If a man has had an erection and has an experience of a full sexual life, after which erectile dysfunction is observed, then this is secondary impotence.
It is worth noting that problems with sexual intercourse may be associated with temporary impotence, which in the vast majority of cases is eliminated without the help of specialists.
The following situations should not cause anxiety:
- Premature ejaculation that occurs in a man due to the lack of regular sexual relations. This problem can easily be eliminated by normalizing the frequency of sexual intercourse. If early ejaculation is observed regardless of the frequency of PA, then such a problem should be addressed to a specialist.
- Weak erection due to too active sex life. Sexual opportunities and resources for each man are individual. For one, the norm will be 2-3 intercourse per week, for the other – 5-6 or more. However, with an increase in this frequency, the reaction to stimuli, manifested in the form of sexual arousal, naturally decreases. Up to the appearance of a state of complete indifference to intimate relationships. This condition is easily eliminated by “rest”. Its duration depends on the degree of transferred loads and, again, the sexual capabilities of the man himself.
- Decreased sexual activity with age. This happens exclusively gradually and is manifested, first of all, in the frequency of full-fledged sexual acts performed by a man. If the ability to achieve an erection disappears abruptly, this is a reason to seek help from a specialist.
The symptoms of impotence, which you should definitely pay attention to a man, include the following conditions:
- The impossibility of achieving a full erection in the presence of a strong desire and irritants. In this case, only a partial erection, insufficient for coitus, can be observed.
- Complete absence of erection in the presence of desire and exciting factors.
- The state of excitement is achieved, but subsides in the process of intercourse until its logical conclusion.
- The appearance of premature eruption of seminal fluid in the presence of a full sexual life in an adult male.
- Sustained complete absence or a strong decrease in sexual desire, i.e. desire to have intimate relationships with women.
The presence of one of the above conditions indicates impotence that needs to be eliminated. The more such symptoms, the more difficult it is to deal with the problem, since the cause of erectile dysfunction in such cases is a number of different factors.
The need for medical care is determined very simply: if an unpleasant condition persists for a long period of time, the help of a specialist is needed. He will be able to establish the cause of the violation and prescribe effective therapy.
Diagnosis of impotence in men is carried out on the basis of existing complaints. If necessary, the doctor prescribes additional examinations to identify a specific disease that led to erectile dysfunction.
Causes of impotence in men
Erectile dysfunction can be both an independent disease and evidence of other problems in the body of a man. As mentioned earlier, an erection is characterized by a very complex mechanism, so the occurrence of various health problems is often reflected in potency.
Most often, especially in young sexually mature healthy men, it is psychological (psychogenic) impotence that is observed. The cause of this problem is constant psychological overstrain at work, excessive nervousness, anxiety, etc. Stressful conditions can accumulate. If at first psychological stress may not have any effect on male abilities, then over time the consequences may appear in the form of a sudden absence or weak erection at the time of intimacy.
Often the causes of impotence are prostatitis, urethritis, cystitis, vesiculitis, orchitis and other inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system in men. For example, chronic prostatitis leads to a decrease in the conductivity of the receptors responsible for erection. Inflammatory processes in the testicles can lead to a decrease in testosterone production. It is very important to detect and treat such diseases in a timely manner, since the proximity of the organs contributes to the exchange of infection between them.
One of the causes of sexual dysfunction is hormonal disruptions in the body. The main male hormone is testosterone. If it is produced in insufficient quantities, then this immediately affects the potency. Moreover, both on the very desire for sex, and on the possibilities in bed.
The problem may be due to the presence of congenital or acquired vascular pathologies (Lerish syndrome, atherosclerosis, etc.) that cause a violation of blood flow to the cavernous bodies of the penis.
Diabetes mellitus, drug use, alcoholism, and serious metabolic disorders are some of the common causes of impotence. The problem is caused by damage to the nerve endings, which makes it difficult for the impulses that control the erection mechanism to pass through them. Impotence often develops after trauma or in the presence of pathologies of the spinal cord, brain (Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, inflammation, etc.). Here the reason lies, again, in the problem of transmission of the “exciting” nerve impulse. Moreover, with epilepsy, impotence has a mixed nature. To organic factors are added psychological, associated with self-doubt and fear of provoking sex (active physical activity) another attack.
In some cases, erectile dysfunction is a consequence of taking medications. Here, the cause of weak erection is the side effects of medications. Antipsychotics, antidepressants, drugs for hypertension, as well as antisecretory drugs should be attributed to suppressing male power.
Self-satisfaction. Only in rare cases
Self-satisfaction can lead to problems with potency. This is due to the fact that artificial stimulation of the genital organs imitates PA incompletely and causes incomplete discharge of seminal fluid (sperm). Frequent self-satisfaction and the absence of a normal sexual life leads to the formation of congestion in the genitals. In some, rare cases, when a man is without a sexual partner for a long time, imitation of sex can be used to prevent sperm stasis.
To whom to complain?
If:
- the man is sure that he has encountered psychogenic erectile dysfunction, and there is no organic factor;
- the problem arose for the first time or repeatedly, but after a long period of time;
- unable to overcome the problem on their own; then in this case, you should seek help from a psychologist (or a narrow specialist – a sexologist).
If a man believes that erection problems are the result of hormonal disorders, then he needs to consult an endocrinologist. The doctor will refer you for a laboratory analysis of the level of hormones in the blood, for ultrasound of the endocrine glands, and computed tomography.
With impotence caused by problems of the peripheral nervous system, spinal cord or brain, it is necessary to seek help from a neurologist. In this case, diagnosis can be carried out using computed tomography of the spinal cord and brain, electroencephalography and other techniques. If impotence is caused by impaired blood supply to the penis, then this is established using dopplerography (ultrasound). Blood pressure in the brachial artery and in the artery of the penis can also be compared after the administration of vasodilators.
The nature of impotence is different, but in any case, diseases of the genitourinary system should be excluded as the most likely cause of erectile dysfunction. For this purpose, they turn to a urologist or andrologist, who directs them to ultrasound, urine, blood, semen, and prostate secretions.
impotence treatment
Psychological impotence is more common and easier to treat. If potency disorders are of an organic nature, then complex, individually selected treatment may be needed to combat them. Such therapy can only be prescribed by a doctor based on the results of a careful diagnosis with an accurate diagnosis of the cause.
To restore potency, you need:
- Normalize work and rest schedules. Ensure complete sleep.
- Establish a healthy, nutritious diet. The diet should contain a large amount of protein and a balanced complex of vitamins. You can not refuse meat, dairy products, eggs. Nuts and greens have a positive effect on sexual function.
- Overcome the psychological factor. Fear of failure, as mentioned earlier, leads to new failures. The ring can be broken by establishing a full understanding between partners and providing mutual support. The role of a woman here is very important, because. a man must be sure that his failure will not entail resentment and reproaches.
- You can also use alternative treatment for impotence. There are many products, the use of which will stimulate the production of the male hormone testosterone and thus have a positive effect on potency. These foods include nuts, pumpkin seeds, celery, and parsley. Tinctures of ginger, ginseng, decoctions of oak bark and various herbs are also useful.
- If you cannot overcome psychogenic impotence on your own, you should seek help from a psychotherapist.
The above measures, including folk treatment of impotence, are effective only in dealing with a problem that is of a psychological nature. If they do not help, then there is a high probability of the presence of organic factors. They can be eliminated only by a complete treatment of impotence.
Medical erection
Treatment of organic impotence can be medical or surgical. Today in pharmacies there are drugs, the intake of which contributes to the appearance of a stable erection. These drugs include: Viagra, Levitra, Cialis. They have a good effect even in the presence of serious organic problems with potency. However, these funds have a serious burden on the body and have a number of contraindications and therefore cannot be used regularly. In addition, their frequent use can cause the development of dependence due to a violation of the natural mechanism for the occurrence of an erection.
As practice shows, even serious violations that caused erectile dysfunction that cannot be treated are not a sentence today. In the presence of such problems, the possibility of maintaining a normal sexual life for a man can be returned by installing special flexible implants in the penis. The only drawback of the operation is that the erection achieved in this way is permanent, up to the removal of the implants. The second surgical method of treatment, less radical, but also less effective, consists in suturing additional blood supply vessels to the cavernous bodies of the penis. This method is used when the proven vascular nature of impotence and gives only a temporary effect. Over time, the patency of the additional arteries decreases.
Prevention of impotence
To preserve men’s health for the longest possible life, you should:
- Lead a healthy lifestyle. Normalize work and rest schedules. Provide nutritious food.
- Give up alcohol and nicotine. Even in small doses, they harm the entire body and sexual function in particular.
- Normalize sexual life: do not abuse self-satisfaction, interrupted sexual intercourse, refuse to change partners frequently.
- Regular follow-up with a urologist for the timely detection and treatment of diseases.
- Careful monitoring of your potency in order to timely eliminate any deviations.
- Favorable relationship with a sexual partner.
Every man experiences a natural decline in his sexual performance as he ages. This cannot be avoided. However, when exactly the first serious problems happen: at the age of 30 or 50, it largely depends on the lifestyle and careful attitude to one’s health.