Impact On The Partner
Health and sexuality have a bidirectional relationship, and both partners of a couple contribute assets and/or liabilities to the health endowment. In this context, health is defined as jointly produced by a man and his intimate partner. Joint production of health means that the illnesses of one partner affect the health of the other in addition, there is a dynamic aspect in both intimate relationships and health over time. For example, if a man has erectile dysfunction, his partner might report decreased libido because he or she is anticipating a negative sexual experience rather than a positive one. Similarly, an endometrial cancer survivor with stenosis and dyspareunia can have a partner who experiences sexual aversion because he or she fears intimacy will cause her pain. Likewise, if a man has premature ejaculation, his partner may be unable to experience orgasm, which causes distress about sexual satisfaction. However, this distress may be reversed when the partners sexual dysfunction is treated.
What Doctors Treat Erectile Dysfunction
The type of medical specialist who treats ED will depend on the cause of the problem. Based on your family’s medical history, as well as your own medical history and current health, your doctor may treat you with oral medications .
If these options fail, you may be referred to a urologist who can assist with other non-surgical options such as vacuum device or injections or surgical treatment options. If needed, your doctor may also refer you to a psychologist specializing in sexual dysfunction.
Assessing Your Cardiovascular Health
Your GP may assess your cardiovascular health. Narrowed blood vessels are a common cause of erectile dysfunction and linked with cardiovascular disease .
Your GP may:
- reducing stress
As well as helping to improve your erectile dysfunction, these changes can also improve your general health and may help to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease .
Read more about preventing cardiovascular disease
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Pde5 Inhibitors: Viagra Levitra And Cialis
Approved by the FDA in 1998, sildenafil revolutionized the way we think about and treat erectile dysfunction, largely because it is so easy to use and effective. Since then the FDA has approved three closely related drugs, vardenafil , avanafil and tadalafil .
All four drugs work in a similar fashion, by affecting the normal physiology of the penis. In particular, they block PDE5, an enzyme that breaks down the erection-producing chemical cyclic guanosine monophosphate. This enables the penis to fill with blood and to stay erect long enough for intercourse. Of course, its important to realize that none of these drugs is an aphrodisiac. Youve got to feel sexually stimulated in order for them to work.
The main differences between the drugs have to do with timing: how quickly they begin to work, and how long their effects last . Levitra may start working slightly faster than Viagra although the FDA says that like Viagra, it should be taken about an hour before sexual activity. Some studies suggest that Levitra may help some men who dont respond to Viagra. And while some doctors are skeptical about this claim, theres no harm in trying Levitra or Cialis if Viagra doesnt work for you.
Cialis has also been approved to treat men with both erectile dysfunction and BPH. The dose is lower, usually 5 milligrams per day.
Treatment Of Situational Erectile Dysfunction
“Most short-term ED problems can be avoided by making healthy lifestyle choices,” says Montague. “A good rule of thumb is that if you do what is good for your heart, you will be doing what’s good for your erection.”
Follow these prescriptions:
- Try positive lifestyle changes: Quit smoking, limit alcohol to two drinks a day, get plenty of exercise, and eat a healthy diet.
- Plan sexual activity for a time when you have both energy and time for sex. “Try having sex in the morning instead of at the end of a busy day,” Montague suggests. “Take a vacation to recharge your relationship.”
- Avoid over-the-counter medications that may cause ED, and ask your doctor whether any of your prescription medications could be causing a problem.
- Talk to your partner about any anxiety you have about ED. For good communication, try talking openly about what arouses each of you, and keep in mind that intimacy can relieve performance anxiety.
- If you feel you need help to improve your psychological outlook, or to work on your relationship, consult a mental health professional individual therapy and couples therapy are two options.
The most important thing to remember about avoiding situational erectile dysfunction is to get it out in the open, where you can deal with it. The longer you wait, the more anxiety you have, and the worse it gets,” says Montague.
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How To Ease The Stress And Reverse Erectile Dysfunction
There are many techniques to keep calm and prevent stress. Not always the medicines are a good thing, but the good news is that there are many other techniques to keep stress at bay.
- Meditation: First and foremost, the best technique for relaxing and calming yourselves down is by meditation. Studies have shown that meditating just 30 minutes a day can reduce stress and anxiety to a far greater extent. Also, there are certain meditation techniques that can help the people with ED to attain a full erection.
- Counseling: It is a great way to identify the root cause of stress, which is often handled by a professional. Through counseling, one can face the stress rather than running away from it. This helps the body to fight it, rather than suppressing it by evoking secondary symptoms like ED, weight gain, lack of confidence, etc.
- Psychodynamic therapy: It is a new avenue, where people are treated subconsciously to fight the reason for stress, and this can greatly help in controlling the ED, thus helping the patient to resume a normal sex life.
- Acupuncture, yoga, sex therapy: These are some of other commonly practiced treatment modalities, which are opted based on the severity of stress and accompanied ED.
What Are Some Common Sources Of Stress That Cause Ed
Stress can be caused by anything good and bad. Your body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses. Sometimes we dont realize how many things contribute to stress, and how issues that stress causes in turn.
These are only some of the common sources of stress that cause sexual dysfunctions for men of all ages:
- Deadlines
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Health Conditions That Can Cause Ed Stress And Anxiety
In some cases, even young men have erectile dysfunction due to organic causes or health conditions. They are usually not very severe but cause or potentiate sexual performance anxiety.
We can name and explain several health conditions that may add up to the psychological background and worsen erectile dysfunction :
Diagnosis Of The Cause Of Ongoing Erectile Dysfunction
If you have ongoing erectile dysfunction, have it investigated by a doctor. While occasional erectile dysfunction is normal, ongoing erectile dysfunction can be a symptom of a serious physical illness. Your doctor can fully investigate any ongoing problems to check for any underlying medical cause that may also need treatment. This may include heart and blood vessel diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
Tests can determine if the blood flow to your penis is affected. Blood tests can also help to determine if hormone problems, such as low testosterone, are causing the erectile dysfunction.Once you find out whether your erectile dysfunction has a physical or psychological cause, you can get the proper course of treatment.
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The Takeaway: Stress And Anxiety Can Both Lead To Ed And They Can Also Be A Symptom Of Ed Untangling Anxiety And Ed Can Be Complex But With Improved Habits And Stress
Stress and anxiety can be difficult to live with, but erectile dysfunction doesnt have to be. Rex MD helps guys get the assistance of a licensed physician for ED treatment from the comfort of their own home.
It begins with an online medical questionnaire, which a licensed physician uses to evaluate your situation and determine if ED medications are a good fit. If approved, the physician writes you a prescription for that medication, and it’s sent with free 2-day shipping in discreet packaging right to your door.
Rex MD helps guys deal with sensitive topics from the comfort of home, but with the safety of a licensed physician. Get started today for as little as $2/pill, if prescribed, and see how easy ED treatment can be.
When To See A Doctor
If you arent sure whats causing your ED, and if it keeps happening, its a good idea to see your GP. It may be that the cause is stress, however erectile dysfunction is often caused by a physical health condition that requires treatment.
Visiting your GP to get some tests will help you rule out serious conditions like diabetes and heart disease. As a bonus, youll be able to get some advice from your doctor about coping with your stress.
For more information about erectile dysfunction and ED tablets, visit our advice hub.
References
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Mens Health In Concord And Charlotte
ED affects a mans sexual health, and sexual health is part of your overall health. If you are concerned about your ED symptoms, make an appointment with a skilled urologist who specializes in mens health. It may be due to an underlying health condition that should be addressed, in which case the ED will be resolved naturally.
Dr. Richard Natale is a board-certified urologist specializing in mens health issues here in Charlotte and Concord. He treats patients with erectile dysfunction, low testosterone , enlarged prostate , urinary incontinence, and beyond. Dr. Natale has advanced training in specialized treatments for a broad range of urological conditions, and he knows how to make his patients feel comfortable even when discussing uncomfortable subjects.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Natale, call our urology clinic today at 786-5131 or complete our easy-to-use appointment request form. We look forward to being your healthcare partner.
How Does Stress And Anxiety Cause Erectile Dysfunction
While there are many physical conditions that can cause or are pointed to by ED, we cant ignore the enormous role that stress plays into it.
When you feel stress, your body makes adrenaline increases in your heart rate to move more oxygenated blood to your muscles, lungs and brains to make you faster, stronger and creates the flight fight and freeze response. Problems happen when your body processes constant stress as you move through the flight, fight and freeze response.
Mental health conditions like stress and anxiety affect how the brain signals your bodys physical response. Stress and anxiety interrupt how the brain sends messages to the penis to allow extra blood flow, affecting your sexual performance. So, can stress cause erectile dysfunction?
Having erectile dysfunction can also lead to stress and anxiety and is a vicious cycle. Stress and anxiety cause erectile dysfunction and having erectile dysfunction causes stress and anxiety. You could say that, in a sense, impotence becomes a self-perpetuating sexual dysfunction.
Stress and anxiety may lead to certain lifestyle factors that contribute to or cause ED, including:
-
Illicit drugs use
-
A sedentary lifestyle
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Impact On The Patient
Erectile dysfunction can have a substantial negative effect on a mans quality of life . Many men with erectile dysfunction experience depressive symptoms and anxiety related to sexual performance and avoid engaging in sexual relations. Many men also avoid seeking treatment for their sexual dysfunction. The association between the condition and depression is considered to be bidirectional, with the two conditions reinforcing each other in a downward spiral. Importantly, men with depression and erectile dysfunction have lower libidos than men with erectile dysfunction alone, and are less likely to discuss their erectile dysfunction with their partners,.
Stress The Performance Anxiety Cycle And Ed
People with sexual performance anxiety have excessive worries about their ability to perform sexually. At times, a single occurrence of erectile dysfunction which may be triggered by stress is enough to set in motion a vicious cycle.
When this happens, you become increasinglyanxious about your ability to perform. This, in turn, creates a self-fulfillingprophecy in which your anxiety makes it harder to achieve an erection, whichthen makes you more anxious!
Picture this: youve had a long and tiring day atwork. Your boss is giving you slack and youre not meeting your quotas. Thatnight, your partner wants to have sex. But youre lost in your thoughts andfind that you lose your erection quickly. As soon as you realize whatshappened, youre humiliated. Try as you might, you cant get your erection back.You worry that theres something seriously wrong with you. The following night,youre nervous that the same thing will happen again. Lo and behold it does.Whats going on!?
Sexual performance anxiety is different from everyday stress and it has the power to lead to psychological erectile dysfunction or other sexual issues, such as premature ejaculation.
If you would like to learn more about how to overcome sexual performance anxiety and erectile dysfunction, you can follow this link to a more comprehensive article that we wrote on the topic.
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How Are Depression And Erectile Dysfunction Related
For some men, depression can accompany the condition of erectile dysfunction . It is common for men with ED to feel angry, frustrated, sad, unsure of themselves, or even less âmanly.â Such feelings may lead to a lack of self-esteem and, in severe cases, to depression.
Depression that accompanies ED is treatable. The first step in addressing your concerns about ED-related depression is to be honest with yourself, your partner, and your doctor. After depression has been brought out into the open, coping with it will be easier and less stressful.
What Are Some Common Sources Of Stress That Can Cause Ed
Stress can be caused by anything good and bad. Your body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses. Sometimes we dont realize how many things contribute to stress, and how issues that stress causes in turn.
These are only some of the common sources of stress that cause sexual dysfunctions for men of all ages:
- Parenting
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Concentrate On Being In The Moment
If you are not fully present in the here-and-now, it takes away from the sexual experience for both you and your partner. Trying to be present and fully participate without being distracted often helps couples have an enjoyable time together. Meditation and other relaxation techniques have also been shown to help in this case.
What Happens At Your Appointment
The doctor or nurse will ask about your lifestyle and relationships, and any problems you might be having.
They’ll carry out basic health checks, such as taking your blood pressure.
They’ll also examine your genitals to rule out any obvious physical cause.
If you have symptoms like needing to pee more often, you may also need to have an examination of your prostate.
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Is My Erectile Dysfunctiontemporary
Temporary erectile dysfunction is an occasional inability to attain or maintain a penile erection. Healthy men may experience difficulty with sexual performance as much as one in four times! Its a natural part of life and nothing to worry about.
Itsessential that men understand how their bodies work so they dont get overlyalarmed or even depressed if they lose an erection. Temporary erectiledysfunction tends to occur suddenly, and may be accompanied with a low sexdrive. Affected men will often notice that they still get spontaneous nighttimeerections. In some cases, such as with performance anxiety, they may still havean erection while masturbating.
Normal malesexual response has four stages1:
- DesireBefore getting a physical erection, psychological or physical stimulation causes excitement and makes men receptive to sex.
- Excitement or arousalPhysical erection occurs and reaches its peak . Men will notice an increased heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing.
- OrgasmThis is the height of sexual pleasure and often includes ejaculation.
- ResolutionThe body and penis return to their normal state. Men also have a normal refractory period that makes getting another erection impossible.
A problem in any step can cause sudden erectile dysfunction. By understanding the different stages, men can take control of their physical and mental health to learn to manage situational erectile dysfunction.
Why Does Stress Lead To Erectile Dysfunction
The first thing to understand about stress is that its effects are just as physical as they are psychological. Experiencing ongoing stress can cause a long list of symptoms that can combine to cause problems in and out of the bedroom, including:
- Irritability
- Constipation or diarrhoea
Another thing to understand is that you need to be sexually aroused to get an erection. If youre feeling very stressed, you might find that you lose your sex drive, and therefore find it harder than usual get excited enough for sex. Even if you do manage to get an erection, you might struggle to maintain it.
Stress can also create a negative spiral of worsening symptoms. Experiencing ED due to stress can actually lead to more stress, as you worry about failing to perform. This performance anxiety may end up worsening your symptoms, and making it hard for you to break out of the cycle.
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Common Causes Of Stress
People often find themselves in heightened states of stress as a result of careers, interpersonal issues, relationships, finances, or unexpected life circumstances. A breakup, a complicated project at work, the loss of a loved one, or unexpected financial circumstances can place a heavy burden on anyone.
Its normal to be stressed for brief periods of time until a situation reaches an inevitable satisfactory conclusion. But when a situation is more complicated or constantly evolving, this can lead to chronic stress.
