Erectile dysfunction (ED), also referred to as impotence, is the inability to achieve or maintain a firm enough erection for sexual activity.
About 50% of American men over 40 suffer with ED, one of the most common sexual problems. Relationships may suffer, and it may also lead to emotional issues like depression and low self-worth.
Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) combines diagnostic medical and laboratory tests with one-on-one interactions and offers a variety of safe and effective ED therapies to determine the root of the problem. Our major goal is to assist guys in reestablishing sexual closeness.
Risk Factors for Erectile Dysfunction:
There is a higher risk of getting erectile dysfunction due to the following factors:
• Older than 50
• Diabetes
• Elevated blood pressure
• High triglycerides
• A cardiovascular condition
• Prostate growth
• Prostate cancer history
• Abdominal surgery history
• Psychiatric problems
• Smoking
• Medications
• Drug and alcohol abuse
Diagnosis of Erectile Dysfunction:
Your urologists can choose the most appropriate course of treatment by identifying the ED's underlying cause. The following diagnostic techniques for ED may be used:
• Health and sexual background
• Inspection of the body
• Psychosocial assessment
• Blood counts, urinalyses, lipid profiles, and testosterone levels are among the laboratory testing.
• Ultrasound Doppler imaging
Treatment for Erectile Dysfunction:
There are several ED therapies available, including:
NON-SURGICAL ED TREATMENT:
• Men’s health PDE-5 inhibitors like Da Sutra 30x, which are taken orally, relax the muscle cells in the penis, causing a hard erection.
• An erection is produced via a vacuum erection apparatus, which sucks blood into the penis.
• A little needle is used in self-injection therapy to promote blood flow prior to sex.
OPINIONAL CARE FOR ED:
Devices that are surgically inserted entirely within the body are known as penile implants or penile prosthesis. They could be inflated or non-inflated objects. Normal sexual activity is made possible by erection-like conditions created by penile implants.
Each year, Men's Sexual Health Clinic director Michael O'Leary, MD, implants more than 50 penile prostheses.
Renewal of the penile arteries: By redirecting blood around a blocked or damaged vessel, this technique keeps blood flowing in males under 45 who do not have any known risk factors for atherosclerosis.
Treatment for Peyronie's Disease:
The disorder known as Peyronie's disease, which causes individuals to have a bent or curled penis, can also be treated with penile implants. Surgical straightening is an option in certain circumstances.
Penile injections, a less invasive method that has produced encouraging outcomes in clinical trials, may also be beneficial to patients. Dupuytren's contracture is a hand condition that affects the fingers for which Xiaflex® was initially licensed as a therapy.
The FDA authorized Xiaflex® in 2013 for Peyronie's disease after research revealed that it breaks down the collagen buildup that results in penile curvature.
In order to obtain this injection treatment approved as a treatment option for people with Peyronie's disease, BWH's participation in the national clinical study of Xiaflex® was crucial.
Prevention of Erectile Dysfunction:
Men can take charge of their overall medical and psychological health and adopt better lifestyle choices, a combination that may help improve sexual health.