Symptoms and Causes of Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of those conditions that is very common among men, except nobody seems to be talking about it. We believe that having an open dialogue about ED is essential, so that if you are experiencing this condition that you can successfully address the issue and work towards a solution.

Here are some indicators of erectile dysfunction, and what the underlying causes of this condition may be. Note that these change from person to person.

Symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction

The main symptom of erectile dysfunction is you or your partner not being able to successfully enjoy intercourse, due to the strength of your erection. This might mean that you cannot get an erection in the first place, you cannot get a strong enough erection for intercourse, or you lose your erection or become only semi-erect during intercourse.

This may lead to distress either for you or your partner. You may or may not experience these symptoms during oral sex, foreplay, or solo masturbation.

Causes of Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction may be from psychological causes, physiological causes, or even a combination of the two. Erectile dysfunction often arises as we age, due to some age-related physiological conditions.

Physiological causes of erectile dysfunction:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease, or other associated conditions such as high cholesterol
• Obesity
• Parkinson’s
• MS

These are also certain medicines that can affect the erectile response. Make sure to ask your doctor about this. Since erections involve the flow of blood to the penis, anything that can affect blood flow may be an issue.

Psychological causes of erectile dysfunction:

• Issues within your relationship
• Stress, either in your relationship or other areas of your life
• Mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression

Determining the causes of your erectile dysfunction will guide towards the best options for you.