Erectile dysfunction is a condition that affects nearly 20 million men across the United States. It is characterized by the man’s inability to develop or keep an erection of the penis that is stiff enough for sexual intercourse. A man can experience this at some point in his life, and should not be a cause for concern. However, if this is a persistent occurrence, an appointment with a physician needs to be set up. There could very well be an underlying health condition like a heart ailment or diabetes that needs to be taken care of. Seeking treatment of an underlying condition may reverse an erectile dysfunction. Avoiding treatment may cause stress, cause a relationship to end, and cause self-esteem issues.

An erection is an involuntary response and reaction to a touch, look, or some other sort of sexual excitement and stimulation. The brain, nerves, blood vessels, heart, and hormones cause a rush of blood to flow to the penis. Under the high pressure, the blood gets trapped, which causes the penis to expand and get an erection. When a man becomes aroused, the muscles that surround the arteries inside of the penis relax, which allows the chambers of tissue to fill with blood, the veins leaving the penis will constrict, causing the penis to get harder, thicker, longer and to become erect.

Erectile dysfunction, sometimes spelt erectile disfunction,  is more common in men over the age of 65, but can occur at any age. There are many common causes for this condition. Some causes are multiple sclerosis, diabetes, stress, depression, anxiety, smoking, alcohol, obesity, low testosterone, side effect of medication, high blood pressure, clogged arteries, and Parkinson’s disease.

There are many ways to treat this condition. Treatment is available for men of all ages, but is dependent upon different factors, like a man’s overall health and the underlying condition. Different lifestyle changes may reverse the condition. Losing weight, a healthy diet, not smoking or drinking alcohol may improve the condition. If it’s caused by a medication, the problem should cease once it is stopped. If the problem is mental, a few sessions with a psychologist may remedy the situation. There are also prescription medications that a physician will prescribe that is taken orally an hour or so before sexual intercourse is to take place. There may be some side effects associated with these prescription drugs and should never be taken with a nitrate drug, as blood pressure will drop dangerously low. See how Penoxil helps fix ED.