Erectile Dysfunction or impotence, as it is commonly called is the inability of men to either achieve or sustain an erection which allows a satisfactory sexual experience. The severity of this condition can vary. In some men, there may a total inability to achieve an erection, in some cases this inability may surface only occasionally, whereas in some other cases, the may be an inability to maintain the erection for anything more than a brief period of time.
However, there is no definite data available on the number of
people afflicted with this condition. There are a number of reasons
for this. To begin with, the difference in severity of erectile
dysfunction makes it difficult to diagnose. Secondly and more
importantly, this condition is very difficult for men to discuss,
even with their doctors. This leads to a drastic under diagnoses
of the disease. However, it is estimated that at least 30 million
men in the US are currently suffering from erectile dysfunction.
Although erectile
dysfunction can happen at any age, it is mostly common among
older men. It is believed that by the time men reach the age of
45 years, they are likely to have experienced erectile
dysfunction at least once in their lifetime. At the age of
45 years, about 5% of the male population is afflicted with this
condition. By age 70, this number rises up to about 15%. However,
among men with chronic illnesses, strong medication or stressful
lifestyles, these figures may be a lot higher.
Some of the common factors that cause erectile
dysfunction include:
• Aging- This is the most common cause of erectile
dysfunction. This happens primarily because of the decrease
in the compliance of the tissues in the corpora cavernosa. Erectile
dysfunction is also common in older men, because they are
also very likely to develop chronic diseases which affect this
condition.
• Diabetes- Diabetes may cause erectile
dysfunction to occur as many as 10 to 15 years early than
is common. More than 50% of diabetic in the age of 50 to 60 have
erectile dysfunction. At age between 60 to 70 years, over 75%
diabetic men are affected by erectile
dysfunction and at age over 70 years, more than 90% are.
• Hypertension- It is believed that hypertension leads to
low production of nitric oxide in the body which leads to erectile
dysfunction is men.
• Heart Diseases- Heart disease that are caused by the narrowing
of arteries near the heart almost always imply that other arteries
in the body are also affected. This may lead to reduced blood
flow and cause the condition of erectile
dysfunction.
• Damage to the Spinal Cord- Whether caused by trauma, disease
or surgery, damage to the spinal cord can lead to erectile dysfunction
by immobilizing the nerve endings in the pelvic region.
• Substance Abuse- Use of controlled substances like marijuana,
heroin and cocaine can lead to nerve damage that can lead to erectile
dysfunction.
• Medication- Erectile
dysfunction may also occur as a side effect of many strong
medication used in treating chronic diseases.
