That’s what Matt asked his doctor after putting off the appointment for months.
Matt and Cindy have been together for over 12 years. They were best friends first and then became lovers, then life partners. But lately there hasn’t been much sizzle in the sex department. Cindy wants to deal with the problem, get professional help, and fix it.
But Matt hates talking about it. He’s afraid his erection problem might get worse if they focus on it too much. His fear is understandable.
The mind and the ego play a major role in a man’s ability to get and maintain an erection long enough to complete the sex act. Many emotional issues can actually cause impotence, like:
- depression
- anger or fear
- anxiety
- self-esteem issues
- relationship problems, poor communication
So how can Matt and his doctor figure out the root cause of his erection problem and resolve it before it starts to affect Matt and Cindy’s relationship?
Impotence Risk Factors
Let’s look at the various risk factors. In older men, impotence is more often the result of physical causes like prostate problems or diabetes.
In younger men, psychological factors are usually the culprit. So Matt, at 39, should seriously consider where his head and heart are at.
But ruling out physical causes is probably the best place to start any investigation into impotence.
There are many physical reasons for a man to develop erection problems. Some cause temporary impotence, others contribute to a more enduring erection problem:
- Chronic smoking reduces blood flow, which may result in erection problems.
- Alcohol and cocaine are famous for causing "whiskey dick".
- Neurological impairment due to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or MS.
- Health conditions like heart or thyroid, diabetes, high blood pressure, spinal chord injury, depression, and prostate problems can contribute to erection problems.
- Prescription drugs like blood pressure, heart, ulcer drugs, sleeping pills and antidepressants.
- Pelvic trauma or surgery may cause nerve damage to the area.
- Vascular disease may lead to reduced blood flow to the penis.
By first considering all physical causes of impotence, the doctor can more easily diagnose his patient
Physical or Mental?
How will the doctor zero in on the cause of Matt’s erection problem? He may start by asking if Matt has erections in his sleep. Most men experience up to six erections every night.
There are devices that attach to the penis to find out if a man has erections while sleeping. If he does, it tends to indicate that his penis is working fine physically and that psychological causes may be the source of his impotence.
But that isn’t the only diagnostic tool in the urologist’s arsenal. There are at least eight other tests, some more complicated and invasive than others, that doctors use to diagnose impotence: ultrasound, penile reflex tests, electromagnetic vibration, angiograms and other procedures are available to help Matt’s (and your) doctor come to a diagnosis.
How To Treat Impotence
Once the doctor knows the cause of Matt’s erection problem, prescribing the right treatment becomes much easier.
In Part II of Matt’s story, we look at impotence treatments for both psychological and physiological erection problems. And we find out how Matt’s erection problems were finally resolved.
