Importance of the partner

Although Healthcare Professionals could take a purely medical view about ED, it’s also relevant to consider the social circumstances of the patient.

No matter whether a man is in a long-term relationship, single or widowed, whether he is a 35 year old Type 1 diabetic or a 65 year old man with high blood pressure; his ability to engage in sex can be essential to his health and well-being.

For a man with ED, simple gestures of affection, which are not normally considered preludes to sex, can act as reminders that sex is not an option. The man may start to fear these gestures in case they develop into a sexual situation which is likely to end in failure and consequently avoid intimacy altogether.

In turn, this can lead to the partner feeling unattractive or fearing infidelity and ultimately impacting on their self-esteem and quality of life.

Consequently, it is not only important to involve partners at the consultation stage where appropriate and encourage the man to discuss the situation in full with his partner, but also to consider the broader context of the situation when advising on treatment.

It may be that the couple has not had intercourse for a number of years and in such a case the provision of a treatment alone may not be sufficient to re-establish the sexual relationship. It is often the case that the sexual relationship will need to be rediscovered which is not likely to be an overnight process.

Communication is vitally important and the healthcare professional is ideally placed to highlight these issues, especially where the man presents alone and has not been open with his partner previously.