Causes of Erectile Dysfunction

Posted by Harish on December 9th, 2020

We are going to discuss the various causes of ED in men these days.

Organic Erectile Dysfunction

Causes of organic erectile dysfunction (OED) have been classified as vasculogenic/arteriosclerotic (arterial failure to fill, or venous — failure to store); neurogenic (peripheral, spinal, and supraspinal); endocrinologic (endocrine lesions that impair erectile function e.g. diabetes mellitus, hyperprolactinemia, hypogonadism); cavernosal smooth muscle abnormalities; or drug-induced (DePalma et al, 1990; Donatucci and Lue, 1992; Kaiser, 1991). In some men, combined factors, for example, endocrine, arteriogenic, and neurogenic may contribute to diseases such as diabetes and
cause ED.

Vascular abnormality thought to be the most common cause of the organic component of OED (Donatucci and Lue, 1993) is often associated with atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus. Other diseases associated with both cardiovascular disease and erectile dysfunction include hyperlipidemia which contributes to the development of atherosclerotic vessel disease (Virag, 1985), and ED linked with hypertension may be due to secondary vascular damage (Jaffe, 1996). Prevalence data suggest that atherosclerotic disease is the cause of approximately 40% of ED in men older than 50 years (Kaiser et al, 1988); in men with diabetes mellitus,
irrespective of type, the prevalence of ED is approximately 50% (Rubin and Babbott, 1958).
Other medical conditions associated with the high prevalence of ED include renal failure (Kaufman et al, 1994), hepatic failure (Cornely et al, 1984), multiple sclerosis (Ghezzi et al, 1995), Alzheimer’s disease (Zeiss et al, 1990), and chronic obstructive lung disease (Fletcher and Martin, 1982). Endocrine disorders, sleep disorders, trauma, and irradiation and surgery in patients with prostate cancer (Flannigan et al, 1983) may also result in ED, and recent research indicates that lower urinary tract symptoms are a risk factor (Ponholzer et al, 2005; Muller and Mulhall, 2006). Numerous forms of surgical intervention and traumatic spinal injury can also result in ED.
In addition to the physical impact of diseases associated with aging on sexual
performance, sexual function progressively clines in healthy aging men (Feldman et al, 1994) where often there is a decrease in sensitivity of the penis and greater genital stimulation is necessary to achieve an erection, the refractory period extends, erections are not as firm as they once were, ejaculation is not as forceful, and the volume of ejaculate decreases (Masters and Johnson, 1977).

Psychogenic Erectile Dysfunction

Psychogenic ED is attributed to undifferentiated “psychological factors which result in central inhibition of the erectile mechanism without physical injury, and can be further characterized by onset, as lifelong (primary) versus acquired (secondary), and by context, as generalized versus situational (DSM-IV-TR, 2000). Primary PED is rare and refers to the lifelong inability to achieve successful sexual performance, and is usually associated with chronic intra-personal difficulties and sexual inhibition (McCarthy, 1988). Secondary
PED, occurring after a period of satisfactory sexual functioning, is thought to develop as a result of the sexual consequences of common life processes and could be considered to have aetiological foundations in vulnerabilities during the development of masculinity (Levine and Althof, 1991). Situational ED is characterized by the ability to have erections in some situations, with some partners, under certain conditions, and not in others, whereas generalized ED is a global inability to achieve and maintain an erection with a partner.

Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction

Although there are many solutions for ED issues the best cure is available in Ayurveda (herbal medicines), for a long-lasting result. You can consult Dr. Sudhir Bhola, who is a world-renowned doctor (Sexologist in Delhi, India). Check the link to know more and book online consultations from any part of the world.

Best Sexologist doctor 👈 Link for Dr. Sudhir Bhola's educational videos and blogs.