Erectile Dysfunction Symptoms

Erection is a fantastic phenomenon, which in ancient times was attributed to the almost supernatural origin. The ability to have a strong erection among all peoples and at all times was considered an indispensable characteristic of the “tough guy”. And impotence was considered (in many parts of the world to this day) due to witchcraft or black magic.

Today, when not only the mechanism of erection is well studied, but also there is a wide arsenal of remedies for the treatment of sexual dysfunctions, an almost primitive fear of impotence torments many men.

If earlier various psychological problems were considered the main cause of ED, now this opinion has changed. It has been proven that erectile dysfunction in almost 80% of cases occurs as a complication of various, primarily vascular diseases. Psychological causes of erectile dysfunction, such as the fear of being unable to have sexual intercourse, prevail in young patients. Most of the patients with erectile dysfunction are men over 45 years old.

Signs of the disease

Should I sound the alarm in the event of a one-time “fiasco”? Not. Doctors consider a pathological situation in which erection problems occur, at least in a quarter of sexual intercourse cases. However, there are a number of signs that should be the reason for consulting a specialist:

• lack of morning erection;
• the inability to cause an erection during masturbation;
• slowing down the rate of occurrence of an erection with arousal or its complete absence;
• rapid ejaculation.

With erectile dysfunction of an organic nature, these symptoms increase gradually, often accompanied by the fading of a man’s interest in sex. If the disease is based on psychological problems, there may not be any signs of violations outside of sexual intercourse (morning erection persists, and difficulties during sexual intercourse are observed not constantly, but only from time to time).

The manifestations of functional (psychogenic) and organic dysfunction have a number of distinctive features. The psychogenic dysfunction is characterized by an unexpected onset and frequency of occurrence. It is a connection between the traumatic situation and the onset of the disorder. A positive response is noted during masturbation, the preservation of an erect state during intercourse, if it can be started. Morning erection is present.

Organic ED develops gradually. It is present almost constantly, to one degree or another, and progresses over time. There are no morning reactions. During sexual intercourse, the tension of the penis decreases. A connection with other diseases or the use of pharmacological agents, intoxication is revealed. The severity of symptoms correlates with the severity of other organic changes.

The problem affects both sexual partners. Therefore, it is extremely important to begin the timely treatment of erectile dysfunction in men as soon as the disorder’s first signs appear.

Diagnosis of erectile dysfunction

You should contact a urologist or andrologist with complaints of potency violations. The doctor asks the patient in detail about sexual activity both in the present and in the past and is interested in the relationship’s nature with a partner. It is important how the first signs of impotence appeared, how often, and under what circumstances it manifests itself.

For the indirect determination of hormonal disorders, the genitals, the structure of the skeleton, body hair, and the muscles’ condition are examined. Of particular importance is the assessment of the state of the cardiovascular system. For example, if a patient with erectile dysfunction has more than 3 risk factors for coronary artery disease, they are asked to undergo stress ECG and cardiac ultrasound. It is because in severe pathologies of the heart and blood vessels, sexual life or the treatment of impotence may be contraindicated.

Impotence is not a disease in itself. It is a symptom of other diseases in the body. The most common are diabetes mellitus, overweight, hypertension, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases – blood does not enter the penis, hormonal imbalance – a lack of testosterone, diseases of the genitourinary system, liver disease due to alcohol and cigarette abuse.

Occasionally, this disorder can manifest itself in almost every man under the influence of external circumstances. The diagnosis is made only if the dysfunction persists for three months or more. In this case, impotence treatment is required in a multidisciplinary clinic, after a preliminary examination and establishing the disorder’s causes.