What is impotence?
Impotence occurs when a man has difficulty with getting an erection or keeping one for long enough to allow satisfactory sexual activity.
It's one of the most common sexual problems. Affects around 2.3 million men only in the UK and many more all over the world. 50% of men over the age of 35 will experience it in their lives. It becomes more common and severe as men get older and older. However, only about 9 % of affected men seek help or they think that is not a problem, it`s only temporary condition.
Causes
There are many reasons why man may have impotence. In around 3/4 of cases there are physical problems affecting the blood supply. There is a complex relationship between the physical and psychological aspects of sexual function. For example, you may have physical health problems that cause psychological distress and this may have an additional effect on erection problems and that cause Impotence.
Physical health
A number of different conditions may cause impotence, including:
- diabetes
- multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson's disease
- if you have had surgery in your pelvic area
- hormone disorder
Psychological
Psychological problems can influence your ability to get and keep erections. These include:
- feeling anxious, guilty or depressed
- stress at work оr at home
- conflicts with your partner
- unresolved issues about your sexual orientation
Lifestyle
If you drink too much alcohol (even beer), this can affect the ability to get and keep an erection . In the longer term, it interferes with the production of the male hormone testosterone, which can reduce your sexual drive and desire (libido).
Smoking damages your blood vessels and so increases your risk of erection problems. Similarly, being physically inactive, which contributes to poor cardiovascular fitness, may raise the chances of you having impotence. Impotence may be an early warning sign that you are at risk of coronary heart disease (the arteries that go to your heart are narrowed). You can see our Non-smoking products.
Many men need greater tactile stimulation as they get older. You may want to consider a change in sexual foreplay and technique to ensure a sustained erection.
Medicines
The drugs such us those for blood pressure or antidepressants have the side-effects ho can lead to impotence. Some pills can also affect your libido, cause problems with ejaculation and orgasm. These can also have an effect on your erections.
Diagnosis
You may decide to see your GP if you are anxious about how reliably you can have an erection. This is often the initial problem in younger men. However, occasional episodes of impotence are common and don't mean that you will have persistent problems in the future.
You may feel embarrassed when you first go to discuss the issue with your GP or practice nurse. However, talking about impotence is routine for GPs and nurses. Don`t be ASHAMED. It`s normal for human beings to have problem with sexuality in old ages.
Your GP will ask about your general health and your erections. This will include whether or not you wake up with an erection in the morning and the strength of erections compared with those in the past. Your GP will ask you if you are taking any medication, and whether there have been any changes in your life recently that might have influenced your sexual health.
Your GP will take your blood pressure and check the pulses in your legs. This helps to indicate how healthy your circulation is. The doctor will examine your penis, scrotum and testicle. Your GP may request blood tests for conditions such as anaemia, diabetes, high cholesterol or hormone imbalances. He or she may also examine the prostate gland.
Your GP may talk with you and your partner together about any physical or psychological factors that could be contributing to the problem. For example, around the menopause, women may experience pain or discomfort during intercourse - if the man has a faltering erection, this may lead to further distress for you both.
More specialised tests to assess blood flow and the way your nerves are working can be done in specialist hospital clinics. Your GP will refer you if this is necessary.
