With recent figures indicating that the condition can affect as many as 1 out of every 10 men at any given time throughout the course of their lives, erectile dysfunction causes are many.
What is Erectile Dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction (impotence) is the inability to get and keep an erection firm enough for sex. It is a condition that affects many men worldwide. It causes both a physical and mental strain on men, causing them to constantly worry about it.
As with most medical conditions or ailments, there is not one conclusive underlying cause of the condition but many possible reasons why sexual dysfunction amongst men can occur.
Reader’s Choice: Dear Men, How to Keep Yourself Safe from Heart Problems After 30
The more common of these reasons, which can be both physical and psychological, will be explained below in this article and may be able to provide some much-needed explanation of why this condition can occur.
Reasons for Erectile Dysfunction
Vascular Disease:
This condition, which is scientifically known as Arteriosclerosis, is a process defined by the hardening of a person’s arteries which can often lead to erectile dysfunction. There are many attributing factors to the development of this condition such as diet, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and lifestyle choices like smoking, which over a number of years can cause this hardening to take place.
Vascular disease is often associated with age and can account for as many as 65% of all erectile dysfunction cases in men over the age of 60.
Prescription Medication:
At present, there are well over 200 prescription treatments that are known to cause or at least contribute to the development of erectile dysfunction. These commonly prescribed medications (Viagra, Cialis, Levitra) can include treatments for depression, hypertension, cardiovascular conditions as well as sedatives and tranquilizers.
In addition to these treatments, there are a number of other substances, such as prohibited recreational drugs which are responsible for erectile dysfunction causes.
Diabetes:
Diabetes is a condition that is caused by high levels of sugar within the blood, which over a number of years can cause substantial damage to both the nerves and blood vessels found throughout the body. This condition is one of if not the single highest physical erectile dysfunction causes with as many as 60% of men with ED as a direct result of Diabetes.
Peyronie’s Disease:
This condition is extremely rare and is more frequent in men who are advancing in age. It is an inflammatory condition, which causes considerable scarring of the tissue found within the penis which causes abnormal curvature of a man’s penis. This condition can often interfere with the sexual function of its sufferers as well as causing erections to be considerably painful.
Consider Reading: 11 Foods & Herbs for a Great Stamina & Immune System for Men
Venous Leak:
Venous Leak is a condition whereby the veins found within the penis are unable to prevent blood from flowing out, causing an erection to be lost. This condition can occur for a number of different reasons including diseases, injury, or other general damage to the veins which are located within the penis.
Hormone Disorders:
It is possible for erectile dysfunction to be caused by a deficiency in the number of sex hormones, such as testosterone, found within the body. This physical accounts for less than 5% of all impotence cases and can not only make achieving an erection difficult but these disorders may also cause a decrease in sex drive and libido amongst men.
There may be two causes for the development of a hormone disorder such as this are an excessive amount of a hormone called prolactin, often caused by a tumor of the pituitary gland, or liver or kidney disease which can cause an imbalance of these hormones within the body.
Neurologic Conditions:
Another cause of impotence can be neurologic conditions, including brain or spinal cord injuries such as stroke, paraplegia, etc. These can also be accompanied by a number of nerve disorders including the likes of Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Multiple Sclerosis commonly known as MS.
Psychological Conditions:
In addition to the numerous physical causes of this condition, there are also a number of psychological reasons why erectile dysfunction can occur. These reasons, which usually bring about the condition temporarily, include depression, stress, anxiety, guilt, and a whole host of different forms of psychiatric ailments. These conditions often also lower patients’ want or desire for sex as well as directly inhibiting the erection process.
Erectile Dysfunction causes many men to be terrified of it. However, it can be cured with the proper diagnosis and treatment.
