Select a treatment option from the list on the left to find out more!

Oral treatments

These tablets are called PDE-5 inhibitors. They act by helping to relax the blood vessels in the penis and allowing blood to flow into it causing an erection for most people. For most people tablets are the most convenient and simple treatment to use. All of them require sexual stimulation in order to attain an erection, therefore allowing sex to occur naturally, and without intrusion. There are differences between the oral tablets, so talk to your GP or nurse about which one will be most suitable for you.

Vacuum devices

Vacuum devices consist of a plastic cylinder and a pump which could be hand or battery operated. The penis is inserted into the cylinder and a vacuum is created by the pump, causing the penis to fill with blood and harden, producing an erection. A tension band is then placed around the end of the penis to keep the erection hard and the pump is removed.

Intracavernosal injections

This involves you (once taught by your GP or nurse) injecting a drug directly into the shaft of the penis when you want to achieve an erection. The procedure is relatively simple to learn and there are several different treatments available that can be introduced in this way.

Transurethral treatments

Transurethral treatments are inserted into the urethra (which is the tube through which you pass urine). They are needle-free and either yourself or your partner, need to insert a small 'pellet'. This enables the treatment to be absorbed through the wall of the urethra and directly into the erectile tissue.

Hormone treatments

There are a small proportion of impotence cases that are due to hormonal imbalances. The most common cause of this is a reduced level of testosterone, which can be restored with testosterone replacement. It is important that you undergo tests to determine your hormone levels before you commence treatment for
your ED.

Surgery

There are two types of surgery for erection problems. Penile prosthesis is usually carried out when all other treatments have failed. This involves the surgical insertion of either a semi-rigid rod or an inflatable implant in to the penis. The other type is vascular surgery. This is carried out in cases where the erectile dysfunction is caused by a vascular problem.

Sexual & relationship therapy

When you have visited your GP they may diagnose that psychological factors are a potential cause of your erection difficulties. Your GP may then refer you for sexual or relationship therapy to look further into the cause of the problem.