Another well-known psychotherapist Sigmund Freud called potency disorders the most common failure in any man's life. And what is surprising is that it has been many, many years since then, and this statement still holds true.
Modern medicine has learned to solve problems with potency, there are many diagnostic and therapeutic technologies. But to this day, for a man, any difficulties in the intimate sphere have a strong blow to pride and self-confidence.
Causes of a decrease in potency in men
To dispel a number of myths related to this problem, let's first talk a little bit about statistics.
Do you know that:
- 20% of men suffer from erectile dysfunction;
- 10% of men go to a specialist with sexual problems;
- 80% of men note a decrease in potency associated with physiological disorders of the body;
- In 90% of cases, erectile dysfunction is completely treatable.
- Agree, on the one hand - not everything is as scary as it seemed, on the other - the presence of physiological causes of erectile dysfunction is a good reason to suspect any disease.
- Hence, the organic causes of impotence can be the following.
- Vascular. Damage to the vascular walls leads to disruption of the blood supply to the penis and, consequently, to a decrease in potency. Diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and other diseases lead to vascular problems.
- Hormonal. Lack of testosterone (hypogonadism) is often seen in middle-aged and elderly men. Testosterone production can also be hindered by an excess of its antagonist, prolactin.
- Iatrogen. Slow potency develops against the background of a man taking prescribed drugs, for example, for peptic ulcers, cardiovascular diseases and gout. Canceling the drugs or replacing them with analogues will help solve the problem.
- Neurogenic. Erectile dysfunction occurs due to previous illnesses, strokes, lesions of the central nervous system and peripheral nerves. In ¾ of cases, the reasons for the decrease in potency are spinal cord injuries, ¼ - intervertebral hernia, neoplasms, multiple sclerosis and other diseases. The erection weakens due to the difficult passage into the corpora cavernosa or the complete absence of nerve impulses.
Disorders of lifestyle and potency
Quite often, men forget that sexual strength is largely affected by how a person takes care of himself and her overall health.
It is no secret that smoking and regular alcohol consumption are a major cause of sexual failure. In addition, men's health is affected by the presence of stress, frequent visits to the bathroom, improper diet. By eating an excessive amount of fatty foods (and also along with alcohol intake), a man causes an increase in body weight and an increase in the production of female sex hormones. Consequently, this lifestyle can lead not only to erectile dysfunction, but also to infertility.
Psychological causes of weak potency
It is worth considering this type of primary source of problems with erectile function separately. Young people are more likely to suffer from such ailments, in most cases, those who are just starting to lead a sex life.
The reasons for the low power in this case may lie:
- in the presence of psychological traumas of childhood or adolescence, when parents have inspired their child that sex is something shameful, unworthy;
- in experiences due to the lack of one's own experience, and therefore in the fear of being ridiculed;
- for fear of contracting sexually transmitted diseases;
- in fears associated with an unwanted pregnancy of a partner, etc.
According to experts, an adult man who has sufficient sexual experience behind him is quite capable of solving the psychological problems of erectile dysfunction. But young people often can't do without professional help.
Surprisingly, relationships with a partner can become both a cause of problems (if they are not close enough) and a means of getting rid of impotence (if they are cordial, sincere).
Another important fact. If psychological factors can in themselves be the cause of weak potency, then organic erectile dysfunction is always accompanied by a psychogenic component. As a result, after eliminating the root cause of the problems, psychological difficulties emerge and interfere with a man's normal sex life.
How to identify the cause of erectile dysfunction
- Urogenital diseases are diagnosed by an andrologist or urologist. You will need to take a blood test, semen and biological smears and undergo an ultrasound.
- Hormonal disturbances will be detected by an endocrinologist. The doctor will recommend to undergo an ultrasound and computed tomography examination of the endocrine glands, donate blood for hormones.
- Vascular disorders will be determined by a vascular surgeon. Studies are done using Doppler ultrasound and functional tests that show the level of blood supply to the penis.
- Diseases of the brain and spinal cord, the peripheral nervous system will help identify a neurologist. You will be assigned electroencephalography, tomography of the spinal cord and brain, reoencephalography, electromyography.
- The psychological causes of sexual disorders can only be found by a psychotherapist, psychiatrist or sexologist. Diagnostic methods in this case are psychological tests, conversations with the patient.
5 main causes of problems with potency: age has nothing to do with it!
Age, fatigue, lack of sleep, stress. Forget those words! None of these conditions affect potency and libido if the man is physically healthy.
If you decide to try various erection stimulants (in the drugstore or otherwise), don't be too lazy to start figuring out what actually causes "misfires".
Hormonal imbalance or where do men get female hormones from?
What are we talking about?Reduced levels of male hormones and / or increased levels of female hormones.
Who is the culprit?Normally, a man's body produces a large amount of male hormones and a small amount of female hormones. Alcohol, smoking, malnutrition, irregular sex life, beriberi, liver disease - all this (and more! ) Sooner or later leads to:
- the production of male sex hormones is reduced,
- and female production, on the contrary, can increase.
Of course, this is not good.
What to do?
- Pass special tests. Find out exactly which hormones are missing and which ones are "going crazy".
- Determine the extent of the problem.
- Replenish your body with missing hormones.
- Suppress the production of excessive amounts of female hormones.
- Restores the body's ability to produce hormones in the right amount (no more, no less).
What kind of tests should be done?Donating biomaterials for everything is an unpleasant and expensive occupation. Ask a urologist. It will conduct an exam, analyze your complaints and tell you which tests to pass.
Then he will select the preparations containing hormones that are suitable for you. Or it will prescribe a treatment so that the body "remembers" how many hormones need to be produced.
What is the prognosis?With a properly selected course of treatment and the implementation of the doctor's recommendations, the prognosis is positive: potency, as a rule, is restored. Any age.
Infections of various origins
What are we talking about?Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), or infections that are in the body "in a dormant state", which wake up under certain conditions.
Who is the culprit?Infections and harmful bacteria can appear mainly for two reasons:
- Doubtful "contacts" without means of protection.
- The reproduction of microorganisms that constantly live inside any person in small quantities. Typically, such microorganisms awaken in diseases of internal organs, when the immune system is weakened.
What to do?Both must be identified and destroyed. The sooner the better.
What exams to take?There are many types of infectious diseases. Testing for all types is a waste of time and money. Visit a urologist, list all your symptoms, tell him in detail about your feelings during urination, during or after intercourse, undergo an examination and an ultrasound.
An experienced urologist will gather all this information and make a list of the necessary laboratory tests. Then, based on their findings, she will establish a diagnosis and prescribe medications and procedures.
What is the prognosis?Today, the vast majority of infectious lesions are perfectly treatable.
Inflammation: from pain to impotence - 1 step!
What are we talking about?Prostatitis, epididymitis, urethritis, vesiculitis, cystitis and others - all, as you noted, with the suffix "-IT". Conditions that lead men to suffer from pain, cramps, burning, high fever, and other unpleasant sensations.
These sensations can occur during or after urination, during sexual intercourse or in the ejaculation process, while walking, lifting weights and even at rest.
Who is the culprit?Very often the fault lies with the man himself. Hypothermia and, on the contrary, overheating, ignoring the first symptoms of diseases (not only urological, the cause of inflammation can also be untreated dental caries), unhealthy habits, casual relationships, infections, attempts to self-medicate, uncontrolled intake of antibiotics and other drugs.
All this gradually builds up, until a focus of inflammation is formed in one of the organs.
What to do?Diagnose and treat. Earlier, less damage will be done to the body. Inflammations cause problems not only with potency, but can lead to infertility. The ideal option is to have time to recover in the acute phase. But this is not always the case: often people come to the doctor already with a chronic form.
What is the prognosis?Acute inflammation can be treated fairly quickly. And if you take care of yourself and do not neglect the doctor's recommendations, relapses (repeated exacerbations) may not occur.
Chronic inflammation is also treatable. But the treatment takes a little longer. And there is a high probability of repeated exacerbations due to colds or stress.
Vascular problems: no blood - no erection!
What are we talking about?Partial or complete blockage of the vessels of the penis due to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.
What is happening?A normal erection requires rapid blood flow to the penis. If there are atherosclerotic plaques or blood clots in the blood vessels, the movement of the blood slows down and the potency worsens. Complete blockage of blood vessels leads to absolute impotence.
Who is the culprit?Incorrect diet, sedentary lifestyle, bad habits, too frequent sexual contacts or vice versa too rare, diseases of the cardiovascular system, pressure changes, etc.
What to do?Look for the reason. Together with the urologist. Usually, special hardware studies are performed for this:
- Dopplerography of the vessels
- Erectile function test
- Biothesiometry
What is the prognosis?Depending on the condition of your vessels, they must be cleared of atherosclerotic plaques or new vessels must be grown. Which method is most suitable in your case, the doctor will determine.
Comprehensive treatment of the apparatus is required: vacuum LOD therapy, shock wave therapy, magneto-laser therapy. A good effect is achieved when these techniques are combined with PRP therapy and intravenous injections.
The first positive results appear almost immediately. It is important not to stop at this stage, otherwise everything will return to normal very quickly. Do not be lazy, fully follow the course of treatment to consolidate the effect for a long time.
Diseases of the lumbosacral spine
What are we talking about?Diseases of the spine in the lumbar and / or sacral regions directly affect the health of the pelvic organs in men.
What is happening?Due to osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, displacement of the vertebrae, disturbed blood circulation, nerve endings can be violated. This causes pain and numbness. And as a result - violations of potency.
What to do?Undergo a course of treatment together with a urologist and a neurologist - here you need medicines, massage, acupuncture, specially designed exercises and physiotherapy (magnet, UVT, laser). Such therapy quickly relieves pain, helps restore normal urination, improves blood circulation and restores lost sensitivity.
What is the prognosis?If you haven't gotten to the point where you need spinal surgery, the prognosis is very comforting. With simultaneous treatment by a neurologist and a urologist, a fairly rapid recovery and restoration of potency is possible.
If you are shown spinal surgery, the recovery will be much longer and rather complicated. Do not lead to the operation - consult a doctor in time!
Examination by a urologist for problems with potency
Primary appointment with a urologist-andrologist
- Inspection
- prostate ultrasound
- bladder ultrasound
- Doppler study of blood vessels - for problems with potency
- Erectile function test - for problems with potency
- Biothesiometry - for problems with potency and premature ejaculation
- Consultation of the doctor, evaluation of the results of the examination
Erectile dysfunction: types, causes and methods of treatment
Men of any nationality, no matter where they live and no matter what age they are, are worried about problems with their penis. They are especially scared when the erect penis is not hard enough, not "workable" and it is impossible to have sexual intercourse. This disorder is called erectile dysfunction or impotence.
It should be noted that almost all representatives of the strong half of humanity aged 20 and over face poor-quality erections. But it is possible to assume the presence of this disorder of sexual function only if 25% of cases of intimate communication are defective (every fourth sexual intercourse occurs with a "misfire").
Erectile dysfunction becomes a real tragedy for a man, he suffers from it physically and psychologically, so it should be treated immediately.
Characteristics and symptoms of impotence
There are such signs of erectile dysfunction:
- lack of sexual desire. Reluctance of intimacy, that is, a violation of libido, occurs with a decrease in the production of testosterone (male hormone), depression due to stress, frequent fatigue, poor state after a quarrel with a sexual partner;
- slow erection, as a result of vascular diseases, etc. ;
- lack of ejaculation due to psychological factors;
- anorgasmia - the absence of orgasm, as a rule, is also associated with psychology.
The types of ailment are determined by its causes:
- organic - autoimmune diseases, hypertension, diabetes and a number of other serious diseases;
- psychogenic: problems with a partner, overload, stress;
- mixed.
According to statistics, nearly 80% of erectile dysfunction cases are associated with organic problems.
Each of the above types has its own characteristics. Psychological impotence appears suddenly, immediately, but the erection in the morning remains at the correct level and the arousal of the penis persists throughout the entire sexual intercourse.
Organic erectile dysfunction occurs gradually. Sexual desire is present, orgasm occurs, but the penis loses its hardness in the process of intimacy. Every day the erection weakens. This indicates the presence of a disease.
With the mixed nature of the disorder, the two aforementioned factors appear simultaneously for appropriate reasons.
Causes of impotence
It is advisable to list the most common causes of this male sexual function disorder:
- Taking medications or other substances. We are talking about the use of drugs that reduce the activity of the cerebral cortex and thus reduce the production of testosterone, antidepressants, anti-allergens, etc. This also includes alcohol and drugs.
- Psychological factors are standard: depression, constant stress, severe neurosis. Incongruities in addictions and desires in sex with a partner or a bad relationship with her, fear of failure in sexual relations, trivial fatigue at work. Much depends on the partner: his excessive persistence or the "wrong" word that has flown out can contribute to weaken the erection.
- Various neurological diseases, circulatory disorders, injuries of the penis, pelvis or perineum, etc.
- Abnormal function of the endocrine system implies a violation of the production of the male hormone, which is caused by genetic breakdowns, tumors, infections and old age. Obesity also changes the hormonal background, and since this problem has now also affected young representatives of the strong half of humanity, doctors fear that impotence is increasingly being diagnosed in this part of the population.
In addition to the above, epilepsy, penile trauma and vascular sclerosis can contribute to the onset of impotence. The latter interrupts the blood flow to the genitals through the arteries, which is necessary for an erection, so it is weak or completely absent. In addition, problems with the veins lead to rapid arousal of the penis, but it quickly disappears and intercourse cannot be completed normally.
Difficulties with blood vessels are generally dangerous for the male population of the Earth. Violation of their inner shell is common for people suffering from autoimmune diseases, as well as for those who smoke a lot. There is also a disease called penile angiospasm, which is characterized by impaired blood circulation in the vessels of the penis.
Be careful with manhood
The cause of impotence is sometimes congenital anomalies of the penis. Such is the rare Peyronie's disease: the opening of the urethra is located incorrectly.
Another natural violation is a defect in the frenulum, a longitudinal skin fold. It is located between the head of the penis and the foreskin and has the following purpose: when aroused, it opens the head, regulates its curve and prevents it from moving. If the frenulum is short, the man will experience pain during intercourse, spots may also appear.
Also, such a defect leads to premature ejaculation, so a man gets used to holding back during sex to prolong it. As a result, this is fraught with erectile dysfunction in a stable form. Everything can be corrected very quickly and easily by surgically dissecting the frenulum. The operation is simple, takes little time and is well practiced.
Separately, it should be said about the injuries of the genital organ (bruises, burns, gunshot and stab wounds, accidents) that lead to impotence. If you get them, you should immediately see a doctor for help and the sooner this is done, the more likely you are to avoid complete irreversible erectile dysfunction.
- fracture of the penis during violent intercourse, bumping or bending. There is a dangerous rupture of the cavernous bodies for potency, there is severe pain, a hematoma, the organ swells. Depending on the severity of the situation, compresses or surgery may be prescribed as a treatment;
- injury from a fall, exercise, in a fight. Such a closed lesion violates the urethra, is manifested by a hematoma, pain when walking. Treatment - non-steroidal analgesics, compresses, rarely - surgery;
- burns from chemicals, boiling water, ultraviolet rays;
- subcutaneous hemorrhage, in which blood vessels are damaged, swelling occurs. It is dangerous because scars can form during healing, which can become an obstacle to blood flow, without which an erection is impossible. A cold compress can help.
Impotence can be caused by a combination of anatomical and psychological factors: a person has had sexual intercourse after an injury and experienced very intense pain. In the future, on a subconscious level, he will be afraid of having sexual intercourse, which, sooner or later, will generally lead to the impossibility of an erection.
Hypothetically dangerous and some operations. Then, the famous composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, author of the world famous musicals "Cats" and "The Phantom of the Opera", publicly declared: he is impotent and has become after the operation - he has had a prostate tumor removed. . Such a surgery can really cause impotence, but in this case, doctors save a person's life. However, if you undergo regular examinations by a urologist, prostate cancer or adenoma can be detected at an early stage and its treatment can be started on time. Then such an operation, which leads to the loss of sexual function, will not be necessary.
Treatment
Any modern man, from young to old, is inevitably subject to stress in the cycle of life. Some have bad habits, malnourished and inactive due to the specificities of the job. All this leads to a deterioration in health, including in the sexual sphere. Modesty does not allow a man to go to the doctor and confess his helplessness, but this is a false idea.
In any case, whatever the causes and manifestations of erectile dysfunction, you should immediately contact a specialist. Currently, sexologists are able to help in the fight against various cases of impotence, as they have a huge arsenal of tools for this.
Warning: Self-treatment for this sexual disorder is dangerous, as the pills and erection support devices advertised everywhere help for a while and can even harm. Their use will lead to the loss of precious time, during which the problem will only get worse.
It should be noted that very rarely treatment involves the use of a single method that eliminates the pathological factor. As a rule, an integrated approach is much more effective, especially if the case (and this often happens) is neglected. This method of dealing with erectile dysfunction quickly restores sexual function by eliminating the factors that led to the disorder and helps the patient cope with the uncertainty that developed when impotence occurred.
Of course, erectile dysfunction is not a fatal problem, but because of it, a man's quality of life worsens, his health and his mood worsen, and families collapse. Therefore, getting rid of it is essential.
Impotence has long ceased to be a sentence. If a man has the first signs, symptoms, he just needs to seek help from a urologist. Early impotence most often develops against the background of inflammatory processes, sexually transmitted diseases: their treatment has long been quick and successful with timely access to specialists.