The body is made up of different parts, each of which has a function. The penis is used for sexual contact and reproduction. It is also designed to be a vessel for urine. A man’s penis area is a very sensitive area, but erections are caused by various things:
1. Stimulation of the penis: The British Journal of Urology received a report as far back as 2009, in studies on healthy men that found that the stimulation points, which were general indicators of erections, were quite specific. Men were asked which trigger points helped them get an erection. Most answers were consistent and the glen (or end) of the penis was one of the most sensitive areas for most men. There exists a super sensitive area just below the glans, where foreskin is usually associated with the glans in men who have not been circumcised, but it was also found that this area was also super sensitive in the case of those who were circumcised. It was quite a surprise that what the researchers thought might be good stimulus points were not high on the list. The scrotum area, nipples and neck were not areas that particularly made a man stand out. Thus it can be seen that the penis itself requires stimulation or that thoughts directly related to the penis by the man stimulated by external triggers will direct themselves on the flow of blood to the penis. This does not happen so well in the case of erectile dysfunction.
An erection occurs when a signal is sent from the brain to the penis to indicate that the penile blood vessels need to relax. It is this relaxation of blood vessels that allows blood flow to the penis. This is then trapped within the penis to maintain the erection. From the above definition, you can see that an erection consists of several actions:
● Thought ● Messages from the brain to the penis ● Blood flow ● Trapping excess blood in the penis makes it sound very basic and simple, but it is not. For the mind to send a message to the penis, it must feel aroused. For blood flow to make penis bigger, there is no problem in blood flow. To maintain an erection, the trapping of this excess blood must be efficient. Thus, it all depends on other factors, so it is complicated. We need to break it down into various areas so you can see why you have procrastination in the first place and some of the causes are explored in the following chapters and will include things like:
➢ Prostate problems: Prostate health can be a cause of erectile dysfunction. Specifically, conditions such as prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia, hormonal disorders and prostatitis can be responsible for erectile dysfunction. When a man's penis suddenly becomes hard, it can be a sign of prostate cancer. Like, a doctor could possibly require him to take a prostate-specific antigen test or a PSA test. The doctor may also require a digital rectal exam to further validate this suspicion. Prostate cancer surgery carries the risk of severing the arteries or veins that are responsible for forming a man.
Men who have had their prostate gland removed through a surgical procedure called a prostatectomy have a 25% to 80% chance of being able to enjoy an erection. There are some "nerve-sparing" prostatectomy procedures that try to avoid isolating important erectile nerves, but even with such methods, there is a risk of occurring 50% in erectile defects. Because of this, many factors come into play such as the ability of the surgeon, the age of the man and the location of the tumour. Even if major nerves are not permanently damaged, it will take anywhere from 6 to 18 months for the nerve fibers to fully regenerate for normal erectile function.
Avoiding surgery to treat prostate cancer can still lead to erectile dysfunction. Radiation treatment can damage tissues that are important for experiencing an erection. It is estimated that half of men undergoing radiation treatment for prostate cancer experienced erectile dysfunction due to external radiation beams as well as irradiated seeds implanted in the prostate. Even non-surgical and non-radioactive treatments for cancer that has metastasized beyond the prostate, like some hormone therapy drugs, can cause erectile dysfunction.
Some of these drugs include Gosrelin (a.k.a. zoledex) and Leuprolide (a.k.a lupron). Some hormonebed drugs that can cause erectile dysfunction that don’t get worse include Bicalutamide (a.k.a. Casodex) and Flutamide (a.k.a. Eulexin). Another medical condition affecting the prostate that can cause erectile dysfunction is benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH, which is a form of prostate enlargement that is not cancerous. However, this is not the condition that causes erectile dysfunction, but some methods treat it, like the prescription anti-testosterone drug finasteride (a.k.a. Proscar), which has a side effect of erectile dysfunction and reduced function in 3.7% and 3.3% of men.
Alpha-blockers such as doxazosin (a.k.a. Cardura), tamsulosin (a.k.a. Flomax) and terazosin (a.k.a. hyrtrin) are BPH treatment options that carry a lower risk for erectile dysfunction. Another prostate condition that can cause erectile dysfunction is prostatitis, which is acute or chronic inflammation of the prostate. Some of the symptoms that indicate such a condition include frequent and usually painful urination, penile discharge, and fever. Severe cases of prostatitis can lead to outright erectile dysfunction, while milder ones only make ejaculation painful, which reduces sexual pleasure and, as a result, makes it harder to experience a normal erection.
➢ Hormones: Sexual interest in a man is largely dependent on the level of testosterone in his body. Like, low levels can reduce sexual desire, horniness and ultimately, the ability to enjoy an erection. Some estimates report that up to 20% of men who suffer from erectile dysfunction have hormonal problems, namely, hypogonadism or low testosterone levels.
➢ Stress: When a person is stressed, the body responds by releasing cortisol and adrenaline. For men, being emphasized most of the time, there can be chronically elevated levels of the 2 aforementioned hormones, both of which can cause erectile dysfunction in 2 ways. Indirectly, stress can lead to weaker libido and consequently, less consistently or worse, failure to achieve an erection. In a direct way, 2 stress hormones can significantly affect blood flow and since erections are all about flow, it increases the risk of suffering from erectile dysfunction.
➢ Depression: A man’s libido and depression are, unfortunately, tied together. According to Mark Held, PhD, who is a clinical psychologist in Denver, depression changes a person’s biochemistry and consequently affects libido. He further notes – and I agree – that it’s hard or practically impossible to be horny and sad at the same time. In addition, some medications taken to manage depression also increase the risk of weak libido, especially for men.
➢ Self-Worth: A large part of experiencing has to do with how a person views themselves. The more person a person feels, the more consistent and longer their erections will be. However, a man who looks down on himself may find it really hard to feel sexy and thus, may have a very difficult time. Like, erections can come constantly and until rain in the desert and lines in many supermarkets respectively.
➢ Substance Abuse: A little alcohol never hurt anyone. In fact, a smaller amount can help a man feel more relaxed and confident. However, a lot of it runs the risk of negatively affecting the nervous system as well as increasing the risk of being tired more often, both of which can significantly reduce a man’s libido. Some drugs can also drop your libido such as marijuana, which suppresses testosterone production by inhibiting the pituitary gland.
➢ Sleep: It’s hard to get enough sleep these days, but that’s not an excuse. Adequate and good quality of sleep is essential for optimal health and mental performance, as well as libido. With depression, it is practically impossible for him to be aroused by even the sexiest woman when a man is always tired due to lack of sleep. The desire to get enough sleep always trumps the desire to have sex and as such, the sleep card will almost always trump the horny card and lead to erectile dysfunction.
➢ Medications: Most medications have side effects that vary in kind, duration, and intensity. In particular, certain medications used to manage blood pressure, depression, and prostate problems increase the risk for erectile dysfunction. Most men who are subject to the drug are aware of this risk on top of others such as drowsiness, dry mouth, headache, stomach and skin irritation, among others. One drug that can cause erectile dysfunction is benzodiazepines – a popular drug for treating anxiety, insomnia, and seizures. Specifically, popular benzodiazepines such as Ativan, Xanax, Librium, and Valium exert a sedative effect to reduce anxiety. Seeding benefits are not limited to anxiety though, and often times extend to a man's libido. When libido is also seduced, it is very challenging to experience consistent and lasting erections. As mentioned earlier, depression is a sure ball way to extinguish libido and as a result, prevent a man from experiencing erections. But the treatment for it may not necessarily be the cure – at least for erectile dysfunction.
A popular type of antidepressant called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs for brevity) such as Prozac, Celexa, Lexapro and Zoloft, which are celebrated to affect about 60% of men. Although there is still no clear reason as to how it does this, it is suspected that cases of erectile dysfunction are related to its effects on neurotransmitters called serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. All 3 neurotransmitters affect a person's well-being and as such, can affect libido and ultimately reduce a man's ability to experience his potential. Blood pressure medication—particularly beta-blockers—can also affect a man’s ability to achieve and maintain an erection.
Beta-blockers such as Lopressor, Sectral, Tenormin and Coggard can have similar effects on neurotransmitters as antidepressants specifically epinephrine, which affects a man’s ability to feel euphoric. Some studies also suggest that Betablockers interfere with the part of men’s nervous system responsible for sexual arousal and, consequently, erections. Allergies may have little to do with erectile dysfunction, but the drugs used to treat them have a lot to do with it. Antihistamines such as Dramine and Benadryl were noted to lead to erectile dysfunction, although no clear evidence explains how they do so.
Probably, this is because it affects the same areas of the nervous system responsible for arousal. The good news is that erectile dysfunction side effects are temporary and often disappear often after stopping such a drug. The drugs are used to treat digestive conditions such as heartburn, erosive esophagitis, gastric ulcers and acid reflux – also known as H2 blockers – especially at high doses, both indirectly (low libido) and directly (blamed for breastfeeding) can cause. H2 blockers also run the risk of lowering a man’s sperm count.
➢ Other factors that contribute to procrastination: It’s not time to realize that your virility is in question. It is time to find out why your body is not responding the way you expect it to and it is necessary to get rid of any doubts you have and to adjust things so that you have the maximum possibility of continuing with a love-life that is satisfying for both of you. Just forget the question of finding a solution. This is not the way to approach the problem. The following pages contain very important information that will give you the right approach to solve the problem for good, so that you can maximize your chances of overcoming dysfunction and getting back to a healthy sex life.
