What Triggers Erectile Dysfunction?

To say that erectile dysfunction (ED) is common would be an understatement. One study found that 40% of men around the age of 40 have problems with ED, which increases to 70% of men in their 70s. One of the primary frustrations with ED is that there are many roads that lead to the problem, so the first order of business is identifying the root cause.

At our practice, Dr. Robert Cornell specializes in men’s health, and we routinely help our patients who suffer from erectile dysfunction. To help you gain a better understanding of the potential triggers of ED, we’ve outlined some of the more common ones here along with our approaches to remedying the issue.

The makings of an erection

The reason why there are so many potential causes of ED is the complex chain of events that leads to an erection, which involves a number of areas, including your:

• Circulatory health
• Hormone levels
• Mental health issues
• Pre-existing health conditions, such as diabetes
• Neurological health

Under normal circumstances, an erection begins with your nervous system, with either direct contact or mental stimulation. Your nerves then cause the muscles in your penis to relax, which allows blood to flood the organ, creating an erection. As you can see in this scenario, there are many areas that need to be functioning properly to achieve and maintain an erection.

Roadblocks to an erection

As we mentioned, there are many reasons why men struggle with ED, and chief among them are:

• Poor circulation
• Aging
• Mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression
• Low testosterone levels
• Nerve damage
• Prostate treatments

The problem with ED is that the condition often leads to a vicious cycle in which several factors are at play. As an example, perhaps poor circulation is hampering your ability to achieve and maintain an erection. This inability can then create stress or anxiety, which further interferes with your sexual health as you get caught between both physical and psychological influences.

Addressing your ED

If you’re struggling with ED, our goal is to find the precipitating trigger and address that first. To do this, we perform a thorough evaluation in which we check your cardiovascular, metabolic, and general health. If we find that everything checks out physically, we may switch approaches and look to your psychological health for clues, such as high levels of stress.

If we identify a problem in any one of these areas, we work quickly to find the best solution, which may include:

• Medications
• Hormone therapy
• Self-injections
• Vacuum erection devices
• Penile implants

There are many lifestyle changes that we may recommend, such as losing weight if obesity is a problem or quitting smoking to improve your circulation.

The bottom line is that we leave no stone unturned when it comes to addressing ED, and we work with you until we find a solution. The first step is yours to make — simply contact our office in Houston, Texas, to set up an appointment. If you prefer not to call, you can schedule your visit while you’re here on the website by clicking the “book online” button.