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On occasion, erectile dysfunction, or impotence, can cause problems for a man. This is the repeated inability for a man to get or keep an erection hard enough to enjoy sexual intercourse. In some cases, it means the man cannot get an erection at all. In other cases, the erection may happen easily, but then not be sustained.

How Pervasive Is The Problem?

If you have erectile dysfunction (ED), you are not alone. The diagnosis of ED is increasing. Some estimates put the figure at from 15 to 30 million men. Now that there are more drugs and devices to help with ED, it has come out of the shadows and men are discussing options with their doctors.

Though it is more common for older men, it can be treated at any age. Men can be successfully treated once the cause of their impotence isfound, and return healthy sexual activity.

What Are Some Causes Of Impotence?

There are many things than can cause impotence, because there are several events within the body that take place sequentially and a problem can happen at any stage. There are many parts of the body involved in causing an erection: the brain, spinal column, muscles, fibrous tissues, arteries and veins. If a part of the gets damaged - through injury or disease - it can cause impotence. Some of the diseases that can cause problems are diabetes, alcoholism, vascular disease, neurological disease, kidney disease, and multiple sclerosis. About 70% of impotence is caused by one of these diseases.

Side effects of drugs taken for legitimate reasons can cause impotence. Drugs like for blood pressure, antidepressants, tranquilizers, antihistamines, appetite suppressants, can all have ED as a potential side effect. Other forms of impotence are caused by lifestyle. For example, smoking, getting little exercise, and being overweight or obese can also cause impotence. Psychological factors also come into play when evaluating causes of impotence. Stress, guilt, depression, anxiety, fear of sexual failure, and low self-esteem are said to cause 10-20% of ED cases.

Attacking The Causes Of Impotence?

Before prescribing drugs, most doctors suggest that a man clean up his lifestyle. If he smokes, he should quit. If he doesn’t get adequate exercise, he should find a way to add activity into his day. If he’s on the heavy side, he should lose some poundage. Each of these things can help restore sexual ability. Also, take a look at the drugs being taken. If any can have sexual side effects, try changing to a different type of drug - with the input of your doctor, of course.

If those two fail to address the cause of impotence, psychotherapy and behavior modification are the next line of defense. They are followed by either oral or injected drugs, and devices - either vacuum devices or surgically implanted devices. Whatever the cause, these should help fix the problem and restore a man’s sexual ability.