Signs, causes, prevention and treatment of erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction or ED as it’s commonly known is one condition that scares men just at the mention of it. If you ask a man, he might even tell you that they would rather have premature ejaculation (PE) than have to deal with the dreaded erectile dysfunction.

As per a study published on Science Direct, erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation are the most common male sexual dysfunctions. The study goes on to state that, “ED is highly prevalent, and 5–20% of men have moderate to severe ED.”

To understand more about this condition that people only speak about in hushed tones, we spoke to an expert in the area. Dr. Edward Mugalo who is a urologist, as well as a lecturer at Moi University, gave us answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about erectile dysfunction.

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What is erectile dysfunction?

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He tells that, “one is said to have erectile dysfunction when he cannot attain and/or maintain a penile erection for sexual satisfaction”.

You might already be wondering, ‘how on earth am I supposed to know that I have erectile dysfunction?’ Well, this expert tells us that if a man is unable to achieve an erection or they lose it during sexual intercourse, then they could be having the condition. Another sign to watch out for is night time erection. If you no longer wake up with an erection or you get them less often than normal, trouble might be looming.

Causes of erectile dysfunction

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Some men are usually at a higher risk of erectile dysfunction than others. As Dr. Mugalo tells us, “some chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and their predisposing factors like a sedentary lifestyle, tobacco use, poor dietary habits, your psychological state, and some medication you may be using puts you at a higher risk of erectile dysfunction”.

As you can see, the risk factors are things that you can easily avoid. Generally, leading a healthy lifestyle, exercising, eating the right foods and seeking treatment for chronic diseases will help in reducing the risk of erectile dysfunction.

Prevention and treatment of erectile dysfunction

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Dr. Mugalo advises that as soon as you notice the signs and symptoms of erectile dysfunction, you should seek help from a medical facility. The doctor may then use an assessment tool to objectively ascertain whether you have erectile dysfunction or not.

On treatment, he tells us that it’s treated depending on the specific cause.

“The doctor will assess you for the cause and offer you a solution depending on the cause. Some may be treated by counseling, with medication, and others may need to undergo surgery.” He tells us.

We bet your questions have been answered, right?