Treatment for Erectile Dysfunction
Hi, thank you for coming back for the latest edition of Beyond Primary Care’s blog- testosterone replacement therapy. In Beyond Primary Care blogs we highlight healthcare news, advice for medical conditions, and how membership for care works! Beyond Primary Care is an insurance free, membership based family medicine clinic. Beyond Primary Care is the highest rated Direct Primary Care clinic serving patients in Ann Arbor and throughout Washtenaw, Livingston, and Wayne counties giving families and employers peace of mind about healthcare costs by providing affordable and accessible primary care services.
In this blog post, we wanted to introduce our patients and prospective patients on education, lifestyle concepts, and medications to safety treat erectile dysfunction.
What is Erectile Dysfunction
In this post we are discussing a common condition that we see at our clinic: erectile dysfunction (ED). Let us repeat that last part- a common condition. If you suffer from erectile dysfunction, you are not alone. Those two words can make any man nervous. It affects all men but becomes increasingly prevalent as we age. At least 12 million U.S. men between 40 to 79 years of age have it, but can occur at any age. Older individuals are more likely to experience health conditions that require medication, which can cause or even worsen erectile dysfunction. It is a very emotional and sensitive topic to discuss.
Anatomy & Physiology of Erectile Dysfunction
The penis consists of two parallel cylinder-shaped tissues called the corpora cavernosa that run the length of the penis, a hollow tube called the urethra that is responsible for expelling urine and ejaculate, erectile tissue surrounding this tube, and various arteries and veins. The process of erection involves increased blood flow and pressure to the penis, and those cylinder-shaped tissues mentioned above become engorged and expand- thus an erection. Erectile dysfunction occurs when those tissues fail to become engorged or the penis fails to maintain rigidity and resumes a normal shape.
Your Body As A Team
Getting and maintaining an erection requires your muscles, hormones, brain, nerves, and emotions to come together. These systems are key to your sexual health. And your blood vessels play one of the largest roles.
Blood flow is key for erectile function. As you age, your blood vessels become weaker and can become lined with plaque, making getting an erection difficult. There are other underlying issues that affect the way blood flows in your body. Some of these factors include:
Tobacco use and/or smoking
Alcohol and drug use
High cholesterol
Sedentary lifestyle
Obesity
Diabetes
Heart disease
Sleep disorders
Multiple sclerosis
Parkinson’s disease
Peyronie’s disease
Enlarged or cancerous prostate
Medications: Take a look at your existing medications. Several medications may lead to erectile dysfunction. As example, anti-depressants like SSRIs (citalopram, fluoxetine paroxetine, sertraline) used to treat mental health concerns and Beta-blockers (metoprolol, carvidilol, labetalol) used to treat blood pressure can cause erectile dysfunction. Review all your medications and side effects with your doctor.
Smoking: Compared with men who have never smoked, the risk of erectile dysfunction is increased by 51% in current smokers and 20% in ex-smokers. Ask your doctor for help in quitting.
Diabetes: If you've ruled out other causes, there's a chance your erectile dysfunction is due to diabetes. Patients with diabetes are three times more likely to develop erectile dysfunction. Review your risk for diabetes or work with your doctor to bring your sugars under control.
Low Testosterone: Also called hypogonadism, is a condition that generally occurs to all men as they age. By age 80, 50% of men will have testosterone levels in the low range, however the decline is faster in some men than others. Testosterone levels can affect a man’s overall health including sex drive and sexual function.
Addressing these underlying issues may help or resolve erectile dysfunction in certain cases.
Mental Health Causes of Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile Dysfunction can trigger emotions of frustration and inadequacy, resulting in a diminished sense of self-worth. Untreated erectile dysfunction may escalate into depression, anger, and possibly even aggression. These emotional states can affect your relationships, turning your sex life into a challenging ordeal.
Doubt and insecurities may take over your thoughts: “Will I get hard enough?” “Will I maintain an erection?” “How do I compare?” “What if I can’t finish?” These pervasive questions can ruin any performance. Talk to your doctor about understanding the emotions that cause anxiety, depression, anger and how to reduce or eliminate them.
Treatment for Erectile Dysfunction
Effective treatments exist to help you enjoy sex again and to strengthen erections and make them more attainable.
Exercise and Nutrition: A change in eating and drinking habits can potentially reverse the contributing causes.
Therapy: Seeing and talking to an accredited sex therapist can lead to an overall happier sex life for men and their partners.
Medications: The availability of oral medications such as Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis, make it much easier to treat erectile dysfunction. However, medications should be part of a more comprehensive long-term plan. As example of our commitment to affordable healthcare, at Beyond Primary Care, we wholesale generic Viagra and generic Cialis, 30 pills, to our patients for $12.00
Testosterone Replacement Therapy: For men experiencing sexual frustration and have low testosterone, testosterone replacement therapy is a safe and effective way to return T-levels to the normal range.
Thank you for reading
If you’re concerned about erectile dysfunction, consider making an appointment with Dr. Jeff O’Boyle at Beyond Primary Care. Please see our scheduling link.
