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As men become older, male sexual health becomes an important concern. Male sexual health concerns can be related to erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, delayed ejaculation, pain during sex, decreased sexual desire.
In this blog we will discuss in detail issues related to erectile dysfunction.
Erectile dysfunction is defined as inability to achieve erection sufficient enough for penetration, or the erection may not last long enough for a meaningful sexual encounter.
We are seeing a significant increase in the rate of erectile dysfunction, this is no longer considered a disease of the elderly. Environmental toxicity, excessive stress, highly processed diets, all of these can lead to hormonal disturbances which have been associated with decreased sexual desire, decreased morning time erections which in turn can lead to atrophy of the penile muscle and erections become difficult to achieve and maintain.
Porn induced erectile dysfunction:
Pornography has been associated with increased rate of a sexual dysfunction, if you are interested in learning more about this topic, please click the link below to watch my detailed video on this topic.
Porn Induced Sexual Dysfunction
Role of hormones:
Morning time erections are nature’s Way of keeping the penile muscle healthy by exercising it on a regular basis. When men get an erection in the morning, there is a significant amount of blood flow that is pumped into the penis, replenishing the penile vasculature.
As testosterone levels decline, man may notice a decrease in the frequency of morning time erections . Over time this leads to decrease in blood flow to the penis, which causes a weakening of the penile muscle and erections become hard to maintain.
Optimizing testosterone levels is extremely important to treat erectile dysfunction
Typical workup:
In our office at HEALOR Primary Care, you will have a detailed evaluation by Dr. Raj Singh MD, FACP, FASN which will include lab testing, penile Doppler to assess the blood flow in the arteries and veins.
Treatment options:
Treatment plans are customized based on hormone levels, health of the penile tissue and many other factors.
You may receive supplements with zinc, boron, or zinc injections to raise levels of free testosterone which is important to restore sex drive.
Omega-3 with Co Q10 to reduce inflamma tion in the blood vessels and improve blood flow.
A penile vacuum pump for home use to strengthen the penile muscle.
Platelet rich plasma injection: This is a non FDA approved indication for platelet rich plasma. Blood is drawn, spun in a centrifuge, and this growth factor rich plasma is injected in the penile tissue after numbing.
Shock wave therapy: This is a non FDA approved treatment for erectile dysfunction. A small device used which sends sound waves through the penile tissues causing micro trauma, which may promote formation of new blood vessels and nerve endings and may help improve erectile dysfunction. Sessions are often done weekly and take about 10 minutes to complete. Typically 6-8 sessions are required.
Low-dose sildenafil or tadalafil are used to promote blood flow to the penis.
Prostaglandin injections in extreme cases, induce erection in the penis when injected
Many other treatment options are available
Erectile dysfunction is common, is preventable and treatable. Key to success is to start treatment early before that has been a significant decline in penile health.
If you have concerns regarding erectile dysfunction or are interested in preventing erectile dysfunction in the future, please contact our office by calling 702-362-2273 ors visit our website to schedule a visit with one of our specialists to discuss your treatment options.
