Medical Attention for Erectile Dysfunction
It is important for men to know when it is necessary to seek medical attention and what value seeking medical care can mean to problems with sexual performance.
Should erectile dysfunction last longer than 2 months or is a recurring problem it would be wise to try to discover the cause of the problem so that it can be fixed and things return to normal.
What to expect at the doctor’s:
A complete medical history will need to be filled out including a listing of all medications taken (prescription, nonprescription, recreational or street drugs). You will be asked to describe your problem in detail (are you experiencing difficulty achieving an erection or maintaining one? Etc.)
A sexual information sheet will be filled out detailing the sexual problems you are encountering. Your partner may also be asked to fill out a form detailing how they feel about sex activities as part of the psychological profile.
A complete physical examination will be done so that the doctor can rule out any physical abnormalities like penis shape or deformity.
There are medical conditions in which erectile dysfunction can be a symptom for, so seeking medical advice may be important for your health and not just your sexual well-being.
Testing:
To eliminate physical causes for ED, your doctor may do some testing:
? Blood tests to check your level of male hormones and for the presence of other medical conditions such as diabetes.
? You may be given a ultrasonography test that will determine the arterial circulation in your genital organs to see if it is adequate for sexual function. The test is done both before and after medication is administered to monitor if there is improvement or not.
? A neurological evaluation may be conducted to determine possible nerve damage. This is a “touch” test that is done as part of the physical examination.
? Cavernosometry/Cavernosography are two tests that measure penile vascular pressure.
? A sleep test may be done to discover if you have erections during your sleep (most men do) If you do have erections during your sleep than a physical cause for your problem can pretty much be ruled out.
You may be asked questions that may be embarrassing, like “do you achieve erections during masturbation”, questions like this, are not meant to embarrass you, but to help determine the cause of your ED.
Once the diagnosis has been made and the cause determined; your doctor will give you some treatment options.
Oral Medication – Cialis, Levitra and Viagra are all commonly prescribed medications for ED.
Needle-injection therapy, self-administered intraurethral therapy, hormone, replacement therapy, vacuum devices, vascular surgery, penile implants and psychological counseling are all therapies that may be suggested depending on the cause and severity of your ED.
It is important to follow the advice of your doctor as combining different medications that you may find online or in magazines with those given to you by your doctor could cause problems due to interactions.
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