Experiencing Erectile Dysfunction?
Talk to Your Doctor

These days, it's difficult to avoid television commercials about drugs to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). The ads may make some people squirm, but they've had at least one positive impact – increasing awareness of a problem that many men may have felt uncomfortable discussing, even with
their doctors.

What Causes ED?
"Erectile dysfunction is the inability to get or maintain an erection," explains John Hairston, M.D., urologist and clinical associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine and on staff at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. It's estimated that between 15 to 30 million American men are affected. It is most common (but not inevitable) in men age 65 and older, but may also affect younger men. For example, about 5 percent of 40-year-old men experience ED.

Dr. Hairston identifies the following physical causes of ED:

• Conditions such as diabetes, vascular disease, atherosclerosis, stroke and kidney disease
• Injury from an accident or as a result of prostate or bladder surgery
• Side effects of certain medications, such as blood pressure drugs, antihistamines and antidepressants.

"Alcohol and tobacco use, obesity, lack of physical activity, low testosterone levels and/or fatigue may also contribute to ED," says Dr. Hairston. "Erectile dysfunction may also be triggered by stress, guilt, fear of sexual failure or depression."

Treatment Options
Fortunately, ED often can be treated successfully. The most important step anyone experiencing ED can take is to consult his doctor, who can take a medical history, conduct an exam and, if necessary, order laboratory tests to determine the
underlying cause.

Once the cause is determined, a course of treatment can begin. Options may include:

• Lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking or getting more exercise or sleep
• Changing medications, such as trying a different class of blood pressure pills
• Counseling or psychotherapy, if the underlying cause is emotional
• Drug therapy, including oral medications or injections
• Mechanical devices that stimulate an erection by increasing blood flow.

"If these therapies fail," says Dr. Hairston, "surgery is an option to repair damaged arteries or veins in the penis or to implant a prosthesis."

Don'’t Suffer in Silence
Erectile dysfunction isn't something you have to live with. And, it could be a symptom of other serious health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease. Discuss ways to treat the condition and help improve your quality of life with your physician.