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Erectile dysfunction, or impotence, is a medical condition. It is described as the persistent or recurrent inability to attain / maintain penile erection sufficent for sexual performance.

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If your partner is suffering from the symptoms of impotence then it's worth bearing in mind that he is not alone. Erectile dysfunction can affect men at any time in their adult life, although men are more likely to suffer as they get older - more than half of men over the age of 40 experience some form of ED. In total it is estimated that one in ten men suffer from erectile dysfunction at some point in their lives - that's around 2.3 million men in the UK.

Erectile dysfunction should be taken seriously as it may not only affect your relationship, but also his sense of identity and his self esteem, which in turn can affect his job and his social life.

Impotence may also be a symptom of a significant underlying health problem, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Therefore it is important that your partner seeks advice from his GP or nurse about the condition to detect any other health problems he may have.

Many men suffer from erection problems for years before going to seek advice. This may be because they are too embarrassed; because they are not aware that ED can be treated most of the time or because a treatment didn't work for them in the past. Ignoring the problem will not help. Your partners self-confidence may decrease if he is experiencing sexual problems. If he puts too much pressure on himself, he may risk making things worse.

The process behind getting and keeping an erection involves both physical and psychological stimulation. Signals from your partner's brain tell the blood vessels in his penis to relax, which allows more blood to flow into it, causing the penis to become hard. The process can be affected by both physical and psychological factors, some of which are listed below:

Vascular: This is when there is not enough blood entering the penis or it is not staying there long enough to maintain an erection. It can be due to a number of causes including smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease or high cholesterol levels. Physical factors account for about 70% of cases of erectile dysfunction.

Neurological: This is when messages from the brain are not received by the penis, therefore the body does not produce an erection. This can be caused by spinal injury, neurological disorders or surgery in the pelvic area.

Hormonal: Alterations in the levels of certain hormones in the body can be associated with erectile dysfunction. A significantly low blood level of the male sex hormone, testosterone, can lead to impotence and problems with sexual desire (libido).

Medications: Erectile dysfunction can sometimes be a side-effect of a treatment your partner is taking, for example some antihypertensive, antipsychotic or antidepressant drugs.

Psychological: There are also psychological factors that can stop you and your partner enjoying the sex life you want. These can include stress and anxiety at work, at home or concern about a relationship, as well as a loss of confidence in the ability to have sex.