What Causes Erectile Dysfunction - Overview

What causes erectile dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction (ED), also called impotence, inhibits the capacity for a man to obtain or sustain an erection during sexual intercourse. Impotence may also describe other related problems that interfere with sexual relations, such as issues with orgasm, ejaculation or lack of sexual desire.

Men who have erectile dysfunction often experience stress, issues with self esteem, and intimate relationship problems related to their condition. In the past, many believed the condition occurred as a result of purely psychological issues; however, researchers have since determined that erectile dysfunction more often occurs as a result of physical health issues (not necessarily related to age).

Underlying conditions such as heart disease or other cardiovascular illnesses can be what causes erectile dysfunction, so treatment should be sought as soon as possible despite the problem’s rather embarrassing nature.

Male arousal transpires through a complicated series of steps that involves the brain, emotions, hormones, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels. Thus, a disruption in any one of these areas, or in the delicate equilibrium among them, can affect erection, playing a part in what causes erectile dysfunction.

In older men, erectile dysfunction tends to result due to injury, disease or drug side effects and interactions. However, aging does not automatically mean that ED must be inevitable; in fact, many men sustain perfectly healthy erections well into their 80s. Awareness of this formerly taboo subject continues to grow, and as more men consult their health practitioners regarding the issue, researchers will be better able to determine root causes and reasons.

Currently, in the "what causes erectile dysfunction" equation, diseases account for approximately 70 percent of ED diagnoses. Diabetes, kidney diseases, chronic alcoholism, multiple schlerosis, neurologic disease, metabolic syndromes, atherosclerosis, and vascular diseases all contribute to a predisposition towards ED. In fact, between 35 percent and half of all men with diabetes also experience ED.

Diabetes can lead to artery and nerve damage that impacts erection. Kidney disease affects hormones, energy level, circulation, and nerve function. In addition, prescribed medications used to treat kidney disorders may affect erection, as do other types of medications.

Neurological diseases impinge on the nerves, which play a central role in the erection process. Often , patients with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or multiple sclerosis also experience ED as nerve impulses sent by the brain cannot be processed properly or transmission becomes interrupted.

Vascular diseases affect the blood vessels. The most common conditions include hardening of the arteries and hypertension. Certain treatments for prostate cancer like radiation, hormone replacement and manipulation, or surgery will also impact erectile function.

Poor lifestyle choices will also influence the incidence of ED, and play a great part in what causes erectile dysfunction. Smoking, excess alcohol consumption, exercise avoidance and obesity all raise the rate of the condition.

Men who must undergo surgery, especially very invasive procedures like radical prostate or bladder operations, also are more likely to experience ED. These procedures can injure the delicate nerves, tissues and arteries in the pelvic area. Likewise, any injuries or trauma to the lower spinal cord, prostate, bladder, pelvis and directly to the penis can harm muscles, tissues and nerves.

Commonly prescribed medicines, too, affect some men, especially antihistamines, blood pressure medications, tranquilizers, antidepressants, and appetite suppressants. Over 200 prescribed medications have been labeled as having potential erectile dysfunction side effects. One does wonder - how often could such drugs be behind what causes erectile dysfunction?

Though experts no longer consider psychological issues to predominantly cause ED, they nonetheless can be traced as the root of what causes erectile dysfunction for approximately 10 to 20 percent of patients. The brain play a key role in the process, so mental disturbances such as depression, stress, guilt, chronic fatigue, or anxiety may make it more difficult to initiate or sustain an erection. Hormonal abnormalities like under production of testosterone (hypogonadism), too, will have a negative impact on erection.

Relationship issues, which can also be tied to the socio-emotional conflicts that arise from the aforementioned conditions, too, can cause conflict with an intimate partner. The resulting discord and lack of communication may cause repeated episodes of ED. Of course, because the body and mind relationship interact holistically, a minor physical problem may be exacerbated into an intense emotional reaction which worsens ED.

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