Can over-the-counter (OTC) and/or natural or home remedies treat erectile dysfunction?
So, what are the options for a man with ED? Well, there are a few. Usually the first option we (urologists and primary care doctors) will try are medications like Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, etc. All those medications function by bringing more blood flow to the penis. They are all pretty similar in their action, and if one of them works for you, chances are the others will, too. Some men will experience side effects, most common being facial flushing.
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If nothing else works (or if these other options don't fit into the patient's lifestyle), there is always a penile implant. A penile implant (or Inflatable Penile Prosthesis – IPP, as most urologists call it) is a hydraulic device that gets implanted into the penis and replaces the erectile tissue with two cylinders. There is a little pump that gets placed into the scrotum, next to the testicles (not into the testicles) to inflate and deflate the device.
90% of men with impotence (erectile dysfunction) have at least one underlying physical cause for their problem
Your provider will likely order blood tests and conduct a Doppler ultrasound, which detects poor blood flow through your penis. You may also be asked to conduct a nocturnal erection test, where a device is slipped on your penis overnight to measure if you can get an erection during sleep. Or you may be injected with medicine to cause an erection to determine how full your penis becomes and how long your erection lasts.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men after skin cancer. Risk factors include age, family history, ethnicity, and diet. Prostate cancer is diagnosed by a digital rectal exam, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, and prostate biopsy. Symptoms may include frequent need to urinate, incontinence, pain, blood in the urine, fatigue, and more. Prognosis and treatment depend on cancer staging. Watchful waiting, surgery, radiation, cryotherapy, and other management strategies are available. Research and clinical trials strive to find new and better treatments for prostate cancer.
The surgery for placement of a penile prosthesis is typically an outpatient surgery. Doctors often perform a penile prosthesis through a single incision, and all of the components are hidden under the skin. Health care professionals often give patients antibiotics at the time of surgery and often after the surgery to decrease the risk of developing an infection. Depending on your health history, a health care provider may leave a catheter in your penis to drain your bladder overnight.
Many men are uncomfortable speaking with their physician about erectile dysfunction symptoms; however, it is important to treat your symptoms as ED can be a warning sign of current or future heart disease.
Treatment options for ED have evolved considerably over the past decade to encompass psychological counseling; oral, topical, intraurethral, and intracavernosal vasoactive therapy; oral therapies with other or unknown mechanisms; hormone replacement; vacuum constriction devices; and surgery, including vascular bypass procedures and penile implants. The goal of treatment is to restore satisfactory erections with minimal adverse effects. Men have demonstrated a strong preference for oral treatments even if they have low efficacy.
Injection therapy: The modern age of such drug therapies began in 1993 when the injection of papaverine (Pavabid), an alpha-blocker that produces vasodilatation (widening of the blood vessels), was shown to produce erections when injected directly into the penis. Soon afterward, other vasodilators, such as prostaglandin E1 (PGE 1) monotherapy (Caverject, Edex), PGE1 and phentolamine (Regitine), and Trimix (papaverine, phentolamine and prostaglandin E1), were demonstrated to be effective. The benefit of combination therapy is the decreased dosing of each with less side effects. Most important is the reduction of the prostaglandin PGE1 dosing, which is associated to the localized pain.
Some men choose not to discuss it with anybody or not to go to their doctor because they: Think they have normal erection, so it is unnecessary to take any treatment Assume they can stop their sexual life, so it is unnecessary to take any treatment Are afraid they may have an incurable disease Are worried about a wrong diagnosis Do not have easy access to a doctor Have had a negative experience in the hospital Have friends or relatives who had a negative experience when treated for a similar condition Do not know about possible treatment options Have financial issues Feel isolated because of their age or condition
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT or SGPT) an enzyme found primarily in the liver. Abnormalities may represent liver disease.
Prostate cancer is a malignant tumour in the prostate gland. It is the most common form of cancer in older men. There are various treatment options for localised prostate cancer. Two of the most common ones are radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy. These treatment options can affect sexual health, and men frequently experience erectile dysfunction (ED) after treatment.
This section lists the different tests your doctor may need to assess your situation. It offers general information about the diagnosis of ED. Keep in mind that situations can vary in different countries.
Follow your doctor’s instructions when taking ED medicine. Usually, a man takes 1 tablet 30 minutes to 1 hour before he plans to have sex. Sildenafil works for 4-8 hours; vardenafil works for up to 8 hours; and tadalafil works for up to 36 hours.
A penile prosthesis is a pair of malleable (bendable) rods that are surgically inserted into the penis. It allows erections to happen by a mechanism of compressing on a special part by the device. Men disappointed with other treatments might be fit for penile prosthesis. Medical Author: Stephen W Leslie, MD, FACS Medical Editor: Bradley Fields Schwartz, DO, FACS Medical Editor: Mary L Windle, PharmD Medical Editor: Martin I Resnick, MD What to Expect During Your Doctor Visit Sexual, Medical, and Psychosocial History to Diagnose Erectile Dysfunction Physical Examination to Diagnose Erectile Dysfunction Laboratory Testing to Diagnose Erectile Dysfunction Imaging Studies to Diagnose Erectile Dysfunction Further Testing to Diagnose Erectile Dysfunction Diagnostic Testing Results Diagnosing Erectile Dysfunction Pictures Diagnosing Erectile Dysfunction Topic Guide Men are frequently reluctant to discuss their sexual problems, particularly erectile dysfunction or ED, and often need to be specifically asked.You can assist and initiate this process just by telling your doctor directly that erectile dysfunction is a problem for you. Opening a dialogue allows your doctor to begin the investigation or refer you to a consultant.Scheduling enough time with your doctor to conduct a full interview and physical examination is important.After performing a full interview, physical examination, and laboratory testing, your doctor can then discuss your particular situation, the most likely cause, and reasonable treatment options.
Given that erectile dysfunction can be a sensitive marker of vascular pathology, it is also recommended that all patients with erectile dysfunction undergo an assessment of cardiovascular risk, including assessing risk factors for cardiovascular disease.