A condition suffered by millions of men all over the world is erectile dysfunction which, until the mid 1990’s, went widely unreported. Erectile dysfunction is a condition that has recently been more widely reported and me n are more likely to report it and seek help.  The Latin term impotentia coeundi describes erectile dysfunction but is now more commonly known as impotence.

Erectile dysfunction and occurs in men of all ages which is an inability to obtain and maintain an erection in order to have sexual intercourse. Some men experience an erection but can’t maintain it for any significant period of time and some experience no penile response at all. No formal tests are conducted to diagnose erectile dysfunction but blood tests are carried out to exclude underlying disease, such as diabetes.

For younger men the problem can be caused by either a physical disorder to anxiety, for middle aged men this can be more physical then anything else but it has been shown that stress associated with this age range can also cause penile dysfunction. In older men erectile dysfunction can be due more to age than anything else; this is caused by the blood vessels that carry the blood to the penis beginning to deteriorate. For men who suffer from impotence or erectile dysfunction can also suffer from premature ejaculation. In a smaller number of men the cause can be due to diabetes or some other preexisting physical illness and it is so important to consult a doctor before trying any erectile enhancing drug.

If we are to understand erectile dysfunction we also have to have an understanding of how an erection occurs when blood is pumped into the penis making it erect. Normally this happens when a man’s penis is being stimulated either physically or by thinking about sex when signals are sent to the genitals causing the blood vessels in the penis to dilate, fill with blood and make the penis erect. There are medications such as Viagra and Cialis that can help sufferers of erectile dysfunction.

There can be many outside factors contributing to erectile dysfunction but research and development is continuing to address this problem and help men have a normal sex life.