Knowing Erectile Dysfunction. PART 2: Management and Treatment

Erectile dysfunction: part 2

How to manage it effectively?

There are enough options available which can keep every man sexually active regardless of the cause of erectile dysfunction (ed). Here's how therapy can take place.

Counselling sessions:

As with an electrical circuit, if there are any breaks in the system it will not function as a unit. Part of the process of psychosexual therapy would be to think about the actual emotional and/or psychological issues behind ed, and to attend to these with weekly counselling sessions. This realisation is an important first step for you to begin and resolve your erection problem. The patient normally implements the therapy advice at home, either alone or with a partner, between therapy sessions. This may help you maintain an erection for once, gradually building confidence.

Relieving sexual anxiety:

Telling your partner before you make love that you have this anxiety, and the feelings it causes. As a result, your partner will understand, and the two of you can work on it together.

You can reduce some worries by being more giving with foreplay, even if your sexual performance isn't what you or your partner wanted, your partner will still be satisfied.

Consider regular exercise which brings confidence in your body as your energy is also an important part of overcoming sexual anxiety.

Non-medical therapies

Watermelon juice (nature's viagra) and ginseng (herbal viagra): l-citrulline, an amino acid, present in watermelon can bring about significant improvement in blood flow to the penis, showing an improvement in erectile function. Another herb called ginseng, specifically 'red ginseng,' is known as the 'herbal viagra' that can improve sexual performance. Several research studies provide evidence for the effectiveness of these herbs in ed treatment.

Kegel exercises: pelvic exercises, involving the portion of the body between your waist and thighs, are commonly known as kegel exercises. Three months of kegel exercises twice daily can help to significantly improve your erection ability which strengthens the penile muscle. They also promote urinary control.

Acupuncture therapy: the acupuncture needles are placed in the wall of the abdomen. By stimulating specific acupoints, the practitioner aims to restore the proper flow of energy in the body resolving ed.

Eat right: scientific study at Massachusetts on male aging has found that eating a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, fish with fewer red and processed meat, whole and refined grains decreased the likelihood of having ed. Intake of a daily multivitamin and fortified foods is the best remedies for treating ed.

Walking: just 30 minutes of walking a day is linked to 41% drop in risk for ed. Moderate exercise can help restore sexual performance in obese middle-aged men with ed.

Attention towards vascular health and making body slim: high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and high triglycerides can all damage arteries in the penis along with heart and brain thereby leading to ed. Maintaining a trim waistline is a good defence for ed, as men with a 42-inch waist are 50% more likely to develop ed in comparison to 32-inch waist people.

Avoid excessive alcohol: chronic heavy drinking of alcohol can cause liver damage, nerve damage, and other conditions, interfering with the normal balance of male sex hormone (androgens) levels ultimately leading to ed.

Intake of l-arginine: l-arginine, an amino acid, which is naturally present in the body and helps make nitric oxide, supports a successful erection. Nitric oxide is responsible for making the blood vessels relax, which helps sustain an erection for men.

Medical therapy:

Ed can also be treated with oral medications, drugs insertions or injections into the penis. Oral medications that are normally prescribed to treat the dysfunction work for about 80% of men. They work by boosting the natural signals, which are generated during sexual activity so as to help you sustain an erection. Alprostadil is a type of medicine that causes blood vessels to expand, increasing blood flow to the penis, thus facilitate an erection. Cialis, Levitra, staxyn and viagra work by a similar mechanism to cause erections. There are subtle differences in how long the drug works and how quickly it works. A vacuum erection device is a plastic tube that slips over the penis, making a seal with the skin of the body. A pump at the other end of the tube creates a low-pressure vacuum around the erectile tissue, which results in an erection.

Ayurvedic medications:

Klaibya in Ayurveda is defined as the inability to attain and keep sufficient rigid (firm) erection which is very essential during sexual intercourse for the sexual needs or the needs of his female partner. Also vajikarana in Ayurveda means producing a horse's vigor. Some of the herbs used in vajikarana include:

Bulb of allium sativum (garlic)

Root of asparagus recemosus (shatavari)

Root of boerhavia diffusa (punarnava)

Whole part of Cocculus cardifoli (guduchi)

Root of panax ginseng (ginseng)

Seeds of myristica fragraus (nutmeg)

Leaf and root of withania somnifera (ashwagandha)

Leaf and seeds of ginkgo bioloba (ginkgo)

Pitch of asphaltum bitumen (shilajit)

Dried root of lepidium meyenii (maca)

'consult'.

Related Tip: Knowing Erectile Dysfunction. PART 1: Don't Get Carried Away by Misconceptions