The hard truth – Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction is a very intimate and often intimidating condition. Because of its personal nature, it is often left untreated and misunderstood, causing great emotional distress. This makes it even more important to understand that erectile dysfunction does not necessarily happen because of age and that it is most likely the result of a heart-health issue, not a psychological one.

As many as 30 million men in the United States are affected by ED with 64 percent of those men over the age of 60, according to the National Institutes of Health. But while incidences increase with age, it is not an inevitable part of aging, rather a signal that your vascular health needs some serious attention.

Vascular disease is a broad term for any disease that affects the circulatory system. The circulatory system is made up of arteries and veins that spread from the heart through the body to the tips of our extremities. The heart pumps blood away from itself through the body by way of our arteries and our veins are responsible for returning the blood back to our heart. It might also help to know that the main artery that branches off into the pelvis is called the internal iliac artery, which extends into the penis as the internal pudendal artery. If any artery in the vascular system is compromised, the pudendal artery may not receive the necessary blood flow required for creating and sustaining an erection. For example, men with coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels are at an increased risk for erectile dysfunction.

Rest assured. Erectile dysfunction can be treated at any age. Treatment options vary from exercise and a healthy diet, smoking cessation and medication, to surgical procedures. But the first and often-dreaded step is to have a serious and open conversation with a doctor who can help identify the root of erectile dysfunction and provide comfort and clarity while helping to solve it.

Source: “Erectile dysfunction: A sign of heart disease?”: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/erectile-dysfunction/ HB00074/NSECTIONGROUP=2

Source: “Erectile Dysfunction – Your Choices”: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/erectiledysfunctionyourchoices/ur029205.pdf