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Erectile dysfunction, also known as male impotence, is when a man is unable to achieve or maintain an erection that is hard enough for sexual intercourse. When this happens, the man’s libido or ability to have an orgasm may not be affected in any way. It is a big deal for a man when he becomes impotent, especially if he has been able to experience the pleasure that comes along with sexual intercourse and related activities. Regardless, it is a fact that virtually all males will experience erectile dysfunction at one point or another during their lifetime. In the medical world, impotence is thought to be a normal part of life. It only is diagnosed as impotence once it happens at least one quarter of the time.
Erectile dysfunction is a pretty known and common disorder in both the medical world and sexual world. However, only up until recently was the condition revealed in a widespread manner. Previously, there wasn’t a lot known about it and it carried a negative stigma. Expectations of male sexual performance only added to the reasons why men would not discuss this issue with their spouse or doctor, even if there was a solution.
Common symptoms of male impotence may include the inability to achieve or maintain an erection for a period of time long enough to satisfy himself and his partner. It is considered normal is this happens once in a blue moon, but frequent occurrences of erectile dysfunction should be evaluated by a licensed medical professional.
One out of three cases of erectile dysfunction has a psychological cause. It may be difficult to differentiate between the mental and physical causes due to negative feelings about the issue. Impotence can be caused by prolonged stress in a man’s life. Other signs of mental causes are if a man can achieve an erection during sleep or masturbation, but not with his sexual partner.
One’s life choices are another cause of impotence. A man who leads a healthy lifestyle is much less prone to erectile issues than a man who is unhealthy. A man in poor health may have other conditions that will cause erectile dysfunction as a side effect.
Medical causes of impotence develop over time and are consistently noticed by the man. A visit to the doctor may be needed if erectile dysfunction lasts for more than a few months and cannot be attributed to emotional or lifestyle problems. Some medical causes include side effects of medication, symptoms of long term medical ailments, and hardening of the blood vessels due to high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Fortunately, there are medications on the market today that can treat the symptoms of erectile dysfunction and provide an erection that is sufficient for sexual activity. Currently the top medications in this area are Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis. These medications have proved to be successful in most impotence cases caused by emotional and physical triggers. They are thought to be the best and safest options to treat erectile dysfunction today.
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