It is a well known fact that at least half of all men will experience some form of Erectile Dysfunction between the ages of 40 – 70 years old.  Many of these experiences will resolve themselves without any form of treatment, but for some men, this condition can be the cause of worry and self doubt.

The first thing to remember when suffering from Erectile Dysfunction is that there is help out there.  For a lot of men, talking about it with a Doctor can make the situation worse, but you must be aware that Erectile Dysfunction can be a direct result of a more serious condition.

So, what is Erectile Dysfunction?  Well, medically speaking, the definition of Erectile Dysfunction is ‘The inability to get and maintain an erection that is sufficient for satisfactory sexual intercourse’; it is also known as Impotence. 

Erectile Dysfunction will rarely happen for no reason at all, and is normally due to either an underlying physical or psychological problem.  Some of the physical reasons for Erectile Dysfunction are; Heart Disease, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure (Hypertension), and / or Hormonal problems.  In these cases it’s important not to mask the underlying condition by just treating the Erectile Dysfunction, as it is your body’s way of telling you that it needs help, and Doctors advice should be sought.  However, if your Erectile Dysfunction is caused by Psychological problems and / or age, then there are self help measures that can be taken.  Quite often a few lifestyle changes, such as loosing weight, drinking moderately, taking more exercise, and eating healthily will help, but there are also medications, both prescriptive and herbal that can be taken.

Causes of Erectile Dysfunction in more depth.

Physical Causes

There are four main physical causes of Erectile Dysfunction;

Vasculogenic Conditions-  are health conditions that can affect the flow of blood to your penis.  Vasculogenic conditions include; Heart Disease, Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), High Blood Pressure (hypertension), and Diabetes (which can affect both the blood supply and the nerves endings in your penis).

Neurogenic Conditions- are health conditions arising from or caused by your nervous system.     Neurogenic conditions include; Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Spinal Injury / Disorder, and Tumours.

Hormonal Conditions- are conditions arising from your Hormones.                                                  Hormonal Conditions include; Hypogonadism (a condition that affects the production of the hormone Testosterone), an over active Thyroid Gland (Hyperthyroidism), under active Thyroid Gland (Hyperthyroidism), and Cushing’s Syndrome (a condition that affects the production of a hormone called Cortisol).

Anatomical Conditions-  are conditions pertaining to the structure of (in this case), the Reproductive Organ. Anatomical conditions include; Peyronie’s Disease (a condition that affects the tissue of the Penis), and Hypospadias (a congenital condition that causes the urethra to develop abnormally).

It is also known that certain medicines can cause Erectile Dysfunction, some of which include; Steroids, Antidepressants, Anticonvulsants, and Diuretics.  If you are unsure if your medicine is the cause of your Erectile Dysfunction consult your Doctor.

As for the Psychological causes of Erectile Dysfunction, it all depends on what is on your mind at the time of your experience.  It may be Stress, Depression, Anxiety, Pressure, Guilt, and / or Fear. 

There are also certain lifestyle issues that can create Erectile Dysfunction.  These may include obesity, smoking, drinking, drug use, and believe it or not cycling (due to saddle pressure on the nerves in your penis).