Erectile dysfunction (ED) is when a
man has persistent problems sustaining an erection. ED can make sexual
intercourse impossible without treatment. ED can first emerge in a man as early
as 40 according to the Massachusetts Male Aging Study on sexual dysfunction.
They also found that an estimated 18 to 30 million men are affected by ED.
Does ED Mean Poor Libido?
ED refers specifically to problems achieving or maintaining an erection.
Other forms of male sexual dysfunction include poor libido and problems with
ejaculation. Men with ED often have a healthy libido, but their bodies fail to
respond in the sexual encounter by producing an erection. Usually there is a
physical basis for the problem.
ED Symptoms
Symptoms of ED include erections that are too soft for sexual intercourse,
erections that last only briefly, and an inability to achieve erections. Men
who cannot have or maintain an erection at least 75% of the time that they
attempt sex are considered to have ED.
Who Can Get ED?
Sexual dysfunction is more common as men age. According to the Massachusetts
Male Aging Study, about 40% of men experience some degree of inability to have
or maintain an erection at age 40 compared with 70% of men at age 70. And the
percentage of men with ED increases from 5% to 15% as age increases from 40 to
70 years. ED can be treated at any age.
The Mechanics Behind ED
When blood fills two chambers in the penis (known as the corpora cavernosa)
an erection occurs. This causes the penis to expand and stiffen, much like a
balloon as it is filled with water. The process is triggered by nerve impulses
from the brain and genital area. Anything that interferes with these impulses
or restricts blood flow to the penis can result in ED.
Men often come up with a wrong definition for ED. The inability to get an erection every now and then due to stress or fatigue is not defined medically as ED.
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