| Sexual functioning can be affected by many things. Erection problems or erectile dysfunction is brought on by both psychological and physical factors. It is believed that in the majority of cases there is a physical factor involved.
Psychological factors that contribute to or result in erection problems are tension and anxiety, conflicts and dissatisfaction with a partner, depression. Men with Erectile dysfunction often experience the fear of sexual failure. Males who have experienced erection problems in the past are worried about their sexual performance. This distracts from getting sexually stimulated, thus bringing on erection problems.
Among physical factors leading to erectile dysfunction include diabetes, low blood flow to the genitalia, penile nerve damage, endocrine imbalances, substance abuse, such as heavy smoking, high cholesterol level and stroke.
However, whatever the causes are, males who have ED are usually worried and feel guilty and powerless.
The U.S. FDA has approved only three oral medicines to treat erectile dysfunction: Cialis, Levitra, and Viagra. The medications relax the walls of the penis allowing more blood to flow to the organ, so that when a male is sexually aroused, he can achieve an erection.
The medications are potent and work in a similar way. There are insignificant differences in how long and how quickly the drug works. Levitra works a little longer than Viagra. They both take effect in around thirty minutes. With Levitra, the effects last for about 5 hours. With Viagra, the effects last about 4 hours. Cialis works a bit quicker (in about 15 minutes after administration), and the effects last far longer - up to 36 hours in some cases.
Although each drug has proven efficacious, none is cure-all. Moreover they can lead to problems if interact with other medications. Drug-to-drug interactions with nitrates or nitroglycerin cardiac medications can result in a serious drop in blood pressure, which can be fatal. More general side effects, such as splitting headaches and - in case of Viagra - blurred vision can be observed.
Alongside drugs, there are other methods of treatments, such as vacuum therapy, penile injections, urethral pellets and penile implants for severe cases of ED. The type of therapy, therefore, is dependent on the severity of the disorder. |
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