• How you can help yourself
• Why should I seek treatment?

• What should I expect when I go to my GP?

• Can erectile dysfunction be caused by another medical condition?

> Home > Advice for him > Erectile Dysfunction: the facts
 

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 you are suffering from the symptoms of impotence then it's worth bearing in mind that you are 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 your sense of identity and your self esteem, which in turn can affect your job and your 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 you seek advice from your GP or nurse about the condition to detect any other health problems you 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 self-confidence may decrease if you are experiencing sexual problems. If you put too much pressure on yourself, you risk making things worse.

The process behind getting and keeping an erection involves both physical and psychological stimulation. Signals from your brain tell the blood vessels in the 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 your penis or it is not staying there long enough to maintain your 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 your 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 you are taking, for example some antihypertensive, antipsychotic or antidepressant drugs.

Psychological: There are also psychological factors that can stop you 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 your ability to have sex.