For American men with erectile dysfunction, life can be so challenging and the desire to have a good sex life is difficult. Understanding the basics of erectile dysfunction is the first step to tackle the sexual condition. Here we cover some erectile dysfunction fundamentals and treatments to know and discover more about the condition.
What is Erectile Dysfunction (ED)?
Erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence, is when a man has an inability problem to achieve or keep an erection allowing sexual activity with penetration.
Nowadays, erectile dysfunction is becoming a common issue among American men:
- Affects about 30 million men
- One-quarter to one-third of men in their 20s and 30s
- More men aged 70 and older report about the condition while 5 percent between the ages of 20 to 40
Erectile Dysfunction Symptoms
Male arousal is a complicated process. Overall bodily systems contribute their role from mental, physical, emotional, and psychological aspects. If one is missing, some sign of dysfunction is shown. While there may be occasions when sexual problems are not an erectile dysfunction issue. However, when you experience erectile dysfunction persistently due to symptoms such as:
- less sexual desires
- lacking the ability to maintain an erection
- lacking the ability to get an erection
Erectile Dysfunction Affects Who
The condition is more common to men as they age. Based on Massachusetts Male Aging Study, at the age of 40, approximately 40% of men experience this sexual dysfunction, as compared to age 70 with 70% of men. In addition, the percentage of men experiencing it increases from 5% to 15% as age increases from 40 to 70 years. People who are at risk are:
- Men getting older
- With psychological conditions (stress, anxiety, or depression)
- With heart disease people or diabetic
- Using tobacco, drugs, and alcohol
- Overweight men
- Patients undergoing radiation treatment for cancer
- With damaged nerves or arteries contributing to erections
Erectile Dysfunction Causes
The first step is to reduce risk factors. Before drug treatment, take a look and see which risk factors can you reduce or take action to manage:
- Weight loss – 79% of men with Erectile Dysfunction are overweight
- Stop smoking – Cigarette smoke damages the cells lining of your penile blood vessels
- Move more – Exercise improves the cells lining your penile arteries
- Reduction of alcohol – Excess alcohol negatively affects every aspect of the sexual response
- High blood pressure – The penile arteries are small and especially sensitive to vascular changes
- High cholesterol – Raised cholesterol levels affect muscular relaxation within the penile vessels
- Diabetes – Diabetes has complex effects that can result in Erectile Dysfunction however, improved diabetic control can lead to a marked improvement.
- Importance of mental health – ED, and depression, for example, often co-exist
- Talk to your partner – Partners often suffer and don’t know where to turn. Talk to your partner.
Erectile Dysfunction Effects
Typically, men experiencing ED will have issues like lowering of self-esteem or self-confidence, which can cause stress, low sex life, and contribute to relationship problems, which sometimes for others end in divorce.
Is Erectile Dysfunction Is Curable?
ED is usually treatable with medication or surgery. However, a person may be able to treat the underlying cause and reverse symptoms with no medication. The best treatment may depend on the person. Some find that traditional treatments, such as surgery or medication.
Treating Erectile Dysfunction
There are several different ways that erectile dysfunction can be treated. For some men, making a few healthy lifestyle changes may solve the problem. Your urologist will help determine the most effective course of treatment for your condition.
- Change of Lifestyle- making new changes to lifestyle can improve the sexual condition. Doing regular exercising, weight loss, and stop smoking can contribute to a more improved blood flow.
- Dietary Supplements - with a lot of medicines in the market, these "dietary supplements" are not FDA approved and can put the user at risk of its dangerous effects. Always consult first your doctor before using these supplements.
- Injections - some injectable medicines are also available, which are directly injected into the penis. It widens the blood vessels of the penis and helps sustains a stronger erection.
- Implants – penile implants can return the lost sexual function. It is an inflatable implant that uses two cylinders placed inside the penis. Then, if an erection is desired, it will be pumped to fill in the cylinders with pressurized fluid.
- Medications – Commonly, Viagra is the most popular drug on the market. However, there are also others like Levitra, Cialis, Staxyn, and Stendra.
- Psychotherapy - through psychotherapy counseling, the condition can be treated also. The therapists usually advise the partners with techniques and methods to lessen the performance anxiety and develop more intimacy.
- Surgery – For younger men who have a blockage in an artery leading to the penis, surgery can help restore the flow of blood. While for older men having narrow arteries are not recommendable.
- Hormone replacement therapy
What is Intracavernous Injection (ICI)?
Although oral medications are preferred by some men, intracavernosal injection is still the most popular and effective treatment for ED by many. Intracavernous Injection therapy is a form of injectable treatment where a potency-enhancing medication is injected directly into the penis.
Advantages of Intracavernous Injection
- Effective – in most cases, it is more effective compared to Viagra. Some men don’t respond to PDE5 inhibitors (Viagra) because of poor vascular systems or due to injury. For ICI it’s injected directly into the penis with no need to take it orally and undergo into the system.
- Fast-Acting- erection can be achieved within 5-15 minutes, as compared to pills for an hour
- Non-surgical – no surgeries needed.
- Safe- for thirty-eight years the therapy has been proven and tested as a safe treatment.
- Long-lasting – the effect lasts for almost an hour.
- Self-administered - with proper and correct injection procedure, as taught by physician or nurse you can self-inject the treatment
Erectile Dysfunction Compounding Pharmacy
Intracavernous injection treatment is considered the most effective non-surgical treatment for erectile dysfunction. Myerlee Pharmacy is equipped with state-of-the-art compounding technology to provide intracavernous injections to their patients suffering from erectile dysfunction.
The injection is considered an alternative approach to oral therapy. Compounds can be mixed and injected which includes Phentolamine, Alprostadil, and Papaverine. In addition, Alprostadil, and Papaverine can be used also as monotherapy. However, to increase efficacy and lower the risks of side effects combination therapies are applied.
Sterile Injections In-House For Erectile Dysfunctions:
Quad- Mix: Papaverine plus Alprostadil plus Phentolamine plus Atropine
Bi-Mix: Papaverine plus Phentolamine
Tri-Mix: Papaverine plus Phentolamine plus Alprostadil
Since 1991, Myerlee Pharmacy offers intracavernous injection treatment and customized compounded drug formulations of medications to customers in Fort Myers, Florida, and its surrounding areas. Our intracavernous injection is safe, effective, and fast-acting, and can be done by the individual 5 minutes before sexual activity, and should last for no more than 1 hour.
Our compounded injection formulas are formulated in our certified ISO 7 sterile cleanroom. We have an established reputation among doctors and patients in Southwest Florida and are always ready to help you.
Erectile Dysfunction Service | Myerlee Pharmacy
Learn more about erectile dysfunction and other services with Myerlee Pharmacy at 239-482-3022, or message us online today!