Erectile dysfunction
The number of men diagnosed with erectile dysfunction has skyrocketed since the little blue pill made it okay to talk about. Fortunately, the number of treatment options has also increased. So which ones are worth a try and which ones are just hype?
For the past fourteen years or soViagrawas introduced in 1998, the number of men diagnosed with erectile dysfunction (ED) has increased by as much as 250 percent. Men are increasingly realizing that they are not alone and that they have options. Besides pills like Viagra,Levitra, InCialisFor example, there are surgical, therapeutic and even do-it-yourself treatments that can bring back the loving feeling. “Some older ED treatments are being used even more than ever, especially for men who can't swallow the pill,” says Michael Feloney, MD, a urologist at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Read on to learn about nine common onesmoney for EDplus the truth about which ones live up to the hype and which ones fall flat.
Viagra, Levitra in Cialis
For many of the 30 million Americans who suffer from erectile dysfunction, Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis are the first line of ED treatment — and they're successful for about 80 percent of men. These drugs, called phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, have been approved by the US. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and works by increasing blood flow to an erection. Common side effects include nasal congestion and headache. Note: If you takenitroglycerinpills for heart disease, which you cannot takeED pillsbecause they can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
Injections into the penis
Alprostadilis an FDA-approved erectile dysfunction drug that can be injected directly into the penis to induce an automatic erection. “Penis injection is the most effective type of ED treatment for men who cannot undergo oral treatment,” says Nelson Bennett, MD, urologist at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts. In fact, it has an 85 percent success rate. Possible side effects include a burning sensation and priapism, an erection that lasts more than four hours and requires medical treatment.
CAN
“For men who are unwilling or unable to inject alprostadil themselves, the FDA has approved this dissolvable pellet that can be inserted directly into the urethra, the opening of the penis,” says Dr. Criminal act. MUSE, with an inspiring name that actually stands for medical urethral system for erection, will produce an erection in about 10 minutes that can last up to an hour. However, using MUSE to treat erectile dysfunction can cause some unpleasant side effects, including soreness, burning, redness, and minor bleeding.
vacuum pomp
Can't or don't want to use ED medication? The vacuum pump method is the second most common choicemen with erectile dysfunctionpassing on those pills, says Dr. Bennett. To create an erection, place a plastic cylinder over the penis and pump the air out of the cylinder to force blood into the penis. An elastic ring that you slide over the base of your penis maintains the erection. This ED treatment device is effective for about 75 percent of men. Side effects include numbness, bruising, and weak ejacul*tion. The ring should be removed after 30 minutes.
Surgical implants
If you have a neurological condition or spinal cord injury and other treatments for erectile dysfunction are ineffective, two types of surgical implants can provide solutions to your erectile dysfunction. “An implantable pump can be used to manually create an erection by pumping fluid into cylinders within the penis,” Feloney explains. “The other option is a malleable prosthesis that acts as a gooseneck lamp to move the penis into position for intercourse.” Risks of these ED treatments include infection and mechanical breakdown.
Sex therapy
“Drugs that increase blood flow to the penis may not help if an erection is blocked by the fear or anxiety of the fight-or-flight response,” says Feloney. "This kind of erectile dysfunction probably has a lot to do with evolution. - Men didn't need an erection when a dinosaur was hunting them." The best way to treat erectile dysfunction caused byfear of failureDepression, a bad relationship, or stress can occur with a combination of ED medications andsex therapy, individual therapy or relationship therapy by sexual health professionals.
Male hormone therapy
Ads for medications to improve "low T", ortestosterone, the male hormone, now compete for airtime, but they focus on desire, not performance. “Male hormone is not an approved treatment for erectile dysfunction,” notes Bennett. “It can be used to increase desire in men who have itlava testosterone, but it does not improve blood flow to an erection.' A doctor can do a blood test to check you for low testosterone, but that is a rare cause of ED. Hormone therapy with injections, patches or gels applied to the skin can improve mood andsex drive, but it probably won't solve any mechanical problems. In addition, testosterone drugs should not be used by men with diabetesprostate cancer. Side effects include acne, breast enlargement,prostate enlargement, Influid retention.
Herbal supplements
Herbal supplementsasginkgo biloba,save palmetto, and yohimbe are touted as sexual enhancers, and some men have been tempted to try them to treat erectile dysfunction. However, Bennett cautions that none have been approved by the FDA or even shown by reliable studies to prevent, treat, or improve erectile dysfunction. Additionally, dietary supplements are not regulated and can have many side effects or interfere with prescription medications you are already taking. Don't risk your health by taking a supplement to treat erectile dysfunction without first talking to your doctor.
Shockwave therapy
The idea of using low-energy shock waves to treat erectile dysfunction stems from studies showing that these types of shocks help the heart's blood vessels regrow, a process called revascularization.Shockwave therapycan also work on the penis, and there have been some promising results, but it is not currently an approved ED treatment. “It looks like the kind of shock waves used to break apartKidney stones, and that can cause revascularization,” says Bennett. “However, there are no good controlled studies yet to recommend it to patients.”
The future of ED treatment
The nextnew treatments for erectile dysfunctionare likely improvements in some ED medications already in use. "There's going to be a soluble form of Levitra that you put under the tongue that might work faster than the pills we have now," Feloney says. A new form of alprostadil allows you to rub it directly on the penis instead of inserting or injecting it. And newer phosphodiesterase inhibitors are being developed that last even longer and have fewer side effects. Linger!
