Archive for the ‘Impotence’ Category

Other Male Sexual Issues

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007

Erectile Dysfunction, or impotence, is what most people think about when they hear the term “male sexual issue.” However, there are other forms of sexual dysfunction that affect men, these including:

Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: Men with this issue experience a persistent lack of sexual desire or appetite, absence of sexual fantasies, and complete lack of interest in and avoidance of sexual contact with a partner. According to The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, it affects roughly 10% of men. It may be caused by boredom or unhappiness in a long-standing relationship, or related to traumatic events in childhood or adolescence. Depression may play a role as well. Possible physical causes include drug side effects and hormonal deficiencies. Sometimes, boosting abnormally low testosterone levels may help.

Male Orgasmic Disorders: Also called ejaculatory disorders, issues include inhibited ejaculation (orgasm does not occur) and premature ejaculation (when ejaculation occurs before, during, or soon after penetration, and before the man desires). Inhibited orgasm is usually caused by a psychological disorder like depression or anxiety, or use of substances like alcohol or drugs. The man?s emotional state?feelings like guilt, boredom, or resentment?may also play a role. The cause of premature ejaculation is unclear, but it is thought to result from a combination of psychological and physical factors. Both problems are typically treated with therapy that teaches the man and his partner techniques for either producing or slowing down orgasm. In some cases, premature ejaculation can be treated with small doses of a medication called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, taken either daily or one to two hours before a sexual encounter.

Peyronie?s Disease: This Issue is Thought to affect about 1% of men, usually between the ages of 40 and 60, Peyronie?s Disease is characterized by the formation of a hard, fibrous layer?called plaque?under the skin on one side of the penis. This usually starts out as an inflammation, leading to a hardened scar that causes the penis to bend sharply when erect. If hardening occurs on both sides, then indentations and shortening may result. The scarring or hardening can make erections painful and intercourse difficult or impossible. The bent or misshapen appearance of the penis also can lead to emotional distress, which in turn makes any sexual difficulties even worse. Doctors are not sure what causes Peyronie?s Disease, but in many cases, the condition resolves itself. A physician will usually monitor the man closely for about a year, watching the plaque development and checking erectile function. Medications that might help to alleviate the plaque buildup include topical vitamin A, collagenase ointment, B-complex molecule, or calcium channel blockers. If these treatments don?t work and the condition doesn?t go away on its own, surgery may be necessary. Surgeons have developed different techniques for removing the plaque without affecting the function of the penis.

Sexual Dysfunction - A Common Problem

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007

According to recent studies, some 4 out of 10 women and 3 out of 10 men experience sexual problems. The most common problems reported by women were low sexual desire (23%), problems with arousal (15%), and pain during intercourse (8%). Men most commonly reported problems with premature ejaculation (23%), erectile dysfunction (6%), and low desire (7%).

Other key findings include the following:

  • For women, the prevalence of sexual dysfunction problems tends to decrease with increasing age, except for those who report trouble lubricating. As men get older, however, they are more likely to experience sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction and lack of desire for sex.
  • Younger women are more likely to experience sexual problems, perhaps due to lack of experience and the greater likelihood that they?re not in a stable relationship (i.e., single as opposed to married).
  • Married women and men are at lower risk of experiencing sexual symptoms than their nonmarried counterparts.
  • Women and men with lower educational levels report less pleasurable sexual experience and raised levels of sexual anxiety.
  • Emotional or stress-related problems, as well as financial difficulties, are important risk factors for sexual problems.
  • Past sexual trauma?such as forced sexual contact or sexual assault?is associated with long-term sexual problems, whether the person was the victim or aggressor.
  • Sexual problems are associated with unsatisfying personal experiences and relationships, lack of physical and emotional satisfaction, and low feelings of happiness.

Available Impotence Treatments

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007
  • Psychosexual therapy. When psychological factors or relationship problems are considered to be the cause of your impotence, a course of sex therapy or couples therapy might be recommended. Therapy’s very useful in helping you to re-establish a sexual relationship with your partner when there’s been a long period without sex.
  • Vacuum pumps. A device involving a plastic cylinder and pump is used to make blood rush to your penis, enlarging it in a similar way to an erection. When you remove the pump, the erection is sustained by slipping a tension ring around the base of the penis.
  • Injections. You or your partner will be taught by a nurse or doctor to inject a drug directly into the shaft of the penis when you want an erection. An erection usually follows within 15 minutes. The procedure is easy to learn.
  • Transurethral therapy (Muse). This involves taking a small pellet of a drug, about half the size of a grain of rice, via the urethra (the tube through which urine is passed) using a special disposable applicator. The drug is absorbed through the urethra directly into the erectile tissue of the penis, giving an erection within five to ten minutes.
  • Viagra. This drug is taken in tablet form one hour before sexual activity. It then remains active for three to four hours. Viagra won’t work without sexual stimulation. It’s not an aphrodisiac and doesn’t increase sexual desire.
  • Uprima. Uprima is a tablet which is taken under the tongue. You place the tablet under your tongue and wait for it to dissolve, which can take about ten minutes. It acts within 15 to 25 minutes and can be effective for up to two hours. Uprima won’t work without sexual stimulation.
  • Cialis. This drug comes in tablet form and can be taken from 30 minutes before sexual activity. With sexual stimulation Cialis may be effective for up to 36 hours after taking the tablet. Like Viagra, it’s not an aphrodisiac and doesn’t increase sexual desire.
  • Levitra. This tablet should be taken ten minutes to one hour before sexual activity. With sexual stimulation Levitra can be effective up to 12 hours after taking the tablet. Like Viagra and Cialis it is not an aphrodisiac and does not increase sexual desire.
  • Hormone treatment. Only a small proportion of cases of erectile dysfunction are caused by hormone abnormalities. The most frequent hormone abnormality is a reduced level of the male sex hormone testosterone which can be restored by appropriate hormone replacement. It’s unwise to take testosterone preparations unless you’ve had tests that confirm a deficiency.
  • Penile prosthesis. You shouldn’t consider a prosthesis (implant) until other forms of treatment have been tried. There are two types of implant. The semi-rigid type keeps the penis rigid all the time but lets you bend it downwards when you’re not having sex. The hydraulic type is more sophisticated and causes the penis to stiffen when a pump (implanted in the scrotum) is activated.
  • Surgical treatment. A few cases of impotence are caused by abnormalities in blood flow in and out of the penis and can be treated with surgery.

Sexual Impotence

Thursday, August 30th, 2007

About Impotence
Sexual Impotence, often reffered to as erectile dysfunction or ed, is the inability of man to achieve or maintain an erection long enough to engage in sexual intercourse.

Description of Impotence

Under normal circumstances, when a man is sexually stimulated, his brain sends a message down the spinal cord and into the nerves of the penis. The nerve endings in the penis release chemical messengers, called neurotransmitters, that signal the corpora cavernosa (the two spongy rods of tissue that span the length of the penis) to relax and fill with blood. As they expand, the corpora cavernosa close off other veins that would normally drain blood from the penis. As the penis becomes engorged with blood, it enlarges and stiffens, causing an erection. Problems with blood vessels, nerves, or tissues of the penis can interfere with an erection.

Impotence (ed) The common Causes and the symptoms
Current estimates are that up to 50 million US (American), Canadian, UK (United kingdom), men frequently suffer from impotence and that it strikes up to half of all men between the ages of 40 and 70. Doctors used to think that most cases of impotence were psychological in origin, but they now recognize that, at least in older men, physical causes may play a primary role in 60% or more of all cases. In men over the age of 60, the leading cause is atherosclerosis, or narrowing of the arteries, which can restrict the flow of blood to the penis. Injury or disease of the connective tissue, such as Peyronie’s disease, may prevent the corpora cavernosa from completely expanding. Damage to the nerves of the penis, from certain types of surgery or neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis, may also cause impotence. Men with diabetes are especially at risk for impotence because of their high risk of both atherosclerosis and a nerve disease called diabetic neuropathy.

Before commencing Treatment with any of the ed drugs Viagra, Levitra, or Cialis, It is important to note that certain types of blood pressure medications, anti-ulcer drugs, antihistamines, tranquilizers (especially before intercourse), antifungals (hetoconazole), antipsychotics, antianxiety drugs, and antidepressants, known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs, including Prozac and Paxil), can interfere with erectile function. Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and illicit drug use may also contribute. In rare cases, low levels of the male hormone testosterone may contribute to erectile failure. Finally, psychological factors, such as stress, guilt, or anxiety, may also play a role, even when the impotence is primarily due to organic causes.