What causes impotence in men?

A man without potency problems

Another famous psychotherapist, Sigmund Freud, called the potential disorder the most common failure in anyone's life. And surprisingly, many, many years have passed since then, and this statement is still relevant.

Modern medicine has learned to solve potency problems, there are many diagnostic and treatment technologies. But to this day, for a man, any difficulty in the intimate sphere deals a strong blow to pride and self-confidence.

Causes of impotence in men

To dispel many myths related to this problem, let's first talk about some statistics.

Know that:

  • 20% of men experience erectile dysfunction;
  • 10% of men refer to a specialist with sexual problems;
  • 80% of men report a decrease in potency, which is related to physiological disorders of the body;
  • In 90% of cases, erectile dysfunction is completely curable.
  • You will agree, on the one hand - everything is not as terrible as it seemed, on the other hand - the presence of physiological causes of erectile dysfunction is a reason to suspect any disease.
  • So, organic causes of impotence can be as follows.
  • vascular. Damage to the vascular walls leads to a violation of the blood supply to the penis and, therefore, to a decrease in potency. Diabetes, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular and other diseases cause vascular problems.
  • Hormonal. Testosterone deficiency (hypogonadism) is often seen in middle-aged and older men. Testosterone production can also be hindered by excess amounts of its antagonist, prolactin.
  • iatrogenic. Sluggish potency develops against the background when a man takes medications that are prescribed, for example, for peptic ulcers, cardiovascular diseases and gout. Canceling the drugs or replacing them with analogues will help to solve the problem.
  • Neurogenic. Erectile dysfunction occurs as a result of previous diseases, stroke, damage to the central nervous system and peripheral nerves. In ¾ of the cases, the cause of potency reduction is spinal cord injuries, ¼ - intervertebral hernia, neoplasms, multiple sclerosis and other diseases. Erection weakens due to difficult passage in cavernous bodies or complete absence of nerve impulses.

Lifestyle and potency disorders

Very often, men forget that sexual strength has a great influence on how a person takes care of himself and his health.

It's no secret that smoking and regular alcohol consumption are one of the main causes of sexual dysfunction. Men's health is also affected by stress, frequent visits to the bathroom, and improper nutrition. By eating an excessive amount of fatty foods (and even with alcohol intake), men cause an increase in body weight and an increase in the production of female sex hormones. As a result, this lifestyle can lead not only to erectile dysfunction, but also to infertility.

Psychological causes of weak potency

This type of primary source of erectile function problems is worth a separate discussion. Young people suffer from such disorders more often, in most cases - those who are just starting their sexual life.

In this case, the reasons for poor potential can be:

  • In the presence of childhood or adolescent psychological trauma, when parents inspired the child that sex is something shameful, unworthy;
  • due to his own lack of experience in the experience and, therefore, fear of ridicule;
  • fear of sexually transmitted diseases;
  • in fears related to unwanted pregnancy of the partner, etc. Sh.

According to experts, an adult man with enough sexual experience is quite capable of solving the psychological problems of erectile dysfunction. But young people often cannot do without professional help.

It is worth noting that the relationship with a partner can become both a cause of problems (if they are not close enough) and a way to get rid of impotence (if they are warm, sincere).

Another important fact. If psychological factors themselves can 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 come to the fore and interfere with a man's normal sexual life.

How to identify the cause of erectile dysfunction

  • Diseases of the urogenital system are treated by an andrologist or urologist. You must undergo a blood test, sperm and biological smear and undergo an ultrasound.
  • Hormonal disorders will be detected by an endocrinologist. The doctor advises you to undergo an ultrasound examination and a computerized tomography of the endocrine glands, to donate blood for hormones.
  • Vascular disorders are determined by a vascular surgeon. Studies are performed with Doppler ultrasound and functional tests that show the level of blood supply to the penis.
  • Diseases of the brain and spinal cord, peripheral nervous system will help to identify the neurologist. We will prescribe electroencephalography, tomography of the spinal cord and brain, rheoencephalography, electromyography.
  • Only a psychotherapist, psychiatrist or sexologist can find the psychological causes of sexual disorders. Diagnostic methods in this case are psychological testing, conversation with the patient.

5 main reasons for potency problems: Age has nothing to do with it!

Age, fatigue, lack of sleep, stress. Forget these words! None of these conditions affect potency and libido if the man is physically healthy.

If you decide to try different erection stimulants (pharmacy and not), don't hesitate to start to find out what actually causes "wrong".

Hormonal imbalance, or where do men get female hormones?

what are we talking aboutDecreased levels of male hormones and/or increased levels of female hormones.

who is to blameNormally, a man's body produces a large amount of male hormones and a small amount of female hormones. Alcohol, smoking, poor nutrition, irregular sex life, beriberi, liver disease - all of these (and not only! ) sooner or later cause:

  • The production of male sex hormones decreases.
  • And the production of women, on the contrary, can increase.

Of course, this is not good.

What should I do?

  1. Pass special tests. Find out exactly which hormones are missing and which will "go bad".
  2. Determine the scope of the problem.
  3. Replenish your body with the missing hormones.
  4. Suppresses the production of excessive amounts of female hormones.
  5. Restores the body's ability to produce the right amount of hormones (neither more nor less).

What types of tests should be performed?For everything, donating biomaterial is an unpleasant and expensive occupation. Ask your urologist. He will conduct an examination, analyze your complaints and tell you what tests you should take.

He will then select hormone-containing drugs that are suitable for you. Or he will prescribe a treatment so that the body "remembers" how much hormone it should produce.

what is the forecastWith a correctly selected course of treatment and implementation of the doctor's recommendations, the prognosis is positive - potency is usually restored. of any age.

Infections of various origins

what are we talking aboutSexually transmitted diseases (STDs), or infections that are "dormant" in the body, are awakened under certain conditions.

who is to blameInfections and harmful bacteria can appear mainly for two reasons:

  1. Suspicious "contacts" without means of protection.
  2. Reproduction of microorganisms that live permanently inside any person in small quantities. As a rule, such microorganisms wake up in diseases of internal organs when the immune system is weakened.

What should I do?Both need to be identified and destroyed. The sooner the better.

What tests should be done?There are many types of infectious diseases. Conducting all types of tests is a waste of time and money. Visit a urologist, list all your symptoms, tell in detail about your feelings during urination, during or after intercourse, undergo an examination and ultrasound.

An experienced urologist will collect all this information and make a list of necessary laboratory tests. Then, based on their results, he will make a diagnosis and prescribe drugs and procedures.

what is the forecastToday, the vast majority of infectious injuries are completely curable.

Inflammation: from pain to impotence - 1 step!

what are we talking aboutProstatitis, epididymitis, urethritis, vesiculitis, cystitis and more - all, as you noticed, with the suffix "-IT". Conditions that men suffer from pain, cramps, burning, high temperature and other unpleasant sensations.

These sensations can occur during or after urination, during intercourse or ejaculation, while walking, lifting weights, and even while resting.

who is to blameOften the man himself is to blame. Hypothermia and, on the contrary, overheating, ignoring the first symptoms of the disease (not only urological, the cause of inflammation can be untreated dental caries), unhealthy habits, casual relationships, infections, attempts to self-medicate, uncontrolled intake of antibiotics and others. drugs.

All this accumulates gradually - until a focus of inflammation is formed in one of the organs.

What should I do?diagnosis and treatment. The sooner, the less damage will be done to the body. Inflammations cause not only potency - they can cause infertility. The ideal option is the recovery time in the acute stage. But this is not always the case - often people go to the doctor in a chronic form.

what is the forecastAcute inflammation can heal quite quickly. And if you take care of yourself and do not ignore the doctor's recommendations, then 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!

Potency problems due to blood vessels

what are we talking aboutPartial or complete blockage of penile vessels 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 blood flow slows down and potency worsens. Complete blockage of blood vessels leads to absolute impotence.

who is to blameImproper nutrition, sedentary lifestyle, bad habits, very frequent or vice versa, very rare sexual contacts, diseases of the cardiovascular system, increased blood pressure, etc. Sh.

What should I do?Look for a reason. with a urologist. Usually, special technical studies are carried out for this:

  1. Dopplerography of vessels
  2. Erectile function test
  3. Biothesiometry

what is the forecastDepending on the condition of your vessels, they must either be freed from atherosclerotic plaques or new vessels must be grown. The doctor will determine which method is more suitable in your case.

Comprehensive hardware treatment is required - vacuum LOD therapy, shock wave therapy, magneto-laser therapy. A good effect is achieved when this technique is combined with PRP therapy and intravenous injections.

The first positive results will appear almost immediately. It is important not to stop at this stage, otherwise everything will return to normal very quickly. Do not be lazy, go through the entire course of treatment to strengthen the effect for a long time.

Diseases of the lumbosacral spine

Diseases of the lumbosacral spine cause impotence

what are we talking aboutDiseases 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 spine, blood circulation is disturbed, nerve endings may be damaged. This causes pain and numbness. And as a result - violation of potency.

What should I do?Take a course of treatment with a urologist and a neurologist - here you will need medicines and massage and acupuncture and 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 forecastUnless it gets you to the point where you need spinal surgery, then the prognosis is very encouraging. With the simultaneous treatment of a neurologist and a urologist, it is possible to recover quite quickly and restore potency.

If you have surgery on your spine, then recovery will be much longer and more difficult. Do not take it to surgery - consult a doctor in time!

Examination of a urologist for potency problems

Initial visit to urologist and andrologist

  • It is checked
  • Ultrasound of the prostate
  • Ultrasound of the bladder
  • Doppler study of blood vessels - for potency problems
  • Erectile function test - for problems related to potency
  • Biothesiometry - for potency and early ejaculation problems
  • Doctor's consultation, assessment of examination results

Erectile dysfunction: types, causes and treatment methods

Men of any nationality, no matter where they live and no matter what age they are, suffer from problems with their penis. They are especially afraid when the erect penis is not strong enough, does not "work" and sexual intercourse is impossible. This disorder is called erectile dysfunction or impotence.

A married couple without potency problems

It should be noted that almost all representatives of the strong half of humanity from the age of 20 and older are at risk of erection. But it is possible to assume the presence of this violation of sexual function only if 25% of the cases of intimate communication are defective (every fourth sexual act occurs "by mistake").

Erectile dysfunction becomes a real tragedy for a man, he suffers physically and psychologically, so he should be treated immediately.

Characteristics and symptoms of impotence

Signs of erectile dysfunction include:

  • Lack of sexual desire. The desire for intimacy, i. e. the violation of libido, occurs due to a decrease in the production of testosterone (male hormone), depression due to stress, frequent fatigue, bad condition after a fight with a sexual partner;
  • Sluggish erection, as a result of vascular disease, etc. Sh.
  • lack of ejaculation due to psychological factors;
  • Anorgasmia - the absence of orgasm is usually associated with psychology.

Types of disorders are determined by their causes:

  • Organic - autoimmune diseases, hypertension, diabetes and a number of other serious diseases;
  • Psychogenic - problems with a partner, overload, stress;
  • mixed.

According to statistics, almost 80% of erectile dysfunction cases are related to organic problems.

Each of the above types has its own characteristics. Psychological impotence appears suddenly, immediately, but in the morning the erection remains at an appropriate level, and the arousal of the penis continues throughout the intercourse.

Organic erectile dysfunction appears gradually. There is a sexual desire, an orgasm occurs, but the penis loses its hardness during intercourse. Every day the erection becomes weaker. This indicates the presence of disease.

Due to the mixed nature of the disorder, the above two factors appear simultaneously for their respective reasons.

Causes of impotence

It is appropriate to list the most common causes of this disorder of male sexual function:

  1. Taking medications or certain other substances. We are talking about the use of drugs that reduce the activity of the cerebral cortex and thereby reduce the effects of testosterone, antidepressants, anti-allergens, etc. Sh. This also includes alcohol and drugs.
  2. Psychological factors are standard - depression, constant stress, severe neurosis. Inconsistency of attitudes and desires in sex with a partner or bad relationship with him, fear of failure of a sexual act, banal fatigue at work. A lot depends on the partner - his excessive patience or the "wrong" word that flew can contribute to the weakening of the erection.
  3. Various neurological diseases, blood circulation disorders, penis, pelvis or perineum injuries, etc. Sh.
  4. Abnormal functioning of the endocrine system refers to the disruption of male hormone production, which is caused by genetic defects, 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 are concerned that the diagnosis of impotence is becoming more frequent in this part of the population.

In addition to the above, epilepsy, penile trauma, and vascular sclerosis can contribute to impotence. The latter disrupts blood flow through the arteries to the genitals, which is necessary for an erection, so it is either weak or completely absent. In addition, problems with the veins cause a quick arousal of the penis, but it quickly disappears and sexual intercourse cannot be completed normally.

Difficulties related to blood vessels are generally dangerous for the male population of the earth. Disruption of their inner membrane is common both in people with autoimmune diseases and in those who smoke a lot. There is also a disease called penile angiospasm, which is characterized by impaired blood flow in the blood vessels of the penis.

Be careful with masculinity

Impotence is sometimes caused by congenital anomalies of the penis. Such is the rare Peyronie's disease - the opening of the urethra is incorrectly located.

Another natural defect is a defect in the frenulum, a longitudinal fold of the skin. It is located between the head of the penis and the forehead and has the following purpose: during arousal, open the head, adjust its curvature and prevent movement. If the frenulum is short, then the man will have pain during sexual intercourse, spots may even appear.

Improving potency with pills

In addition, such a defect causes early ejaculation, so the man gets used to holding back during sex in order to prolong it. As a result, it is full of erectile dysfunction in a stable form. All can be corrected very quickly and easily by surgical excision of the frenulum. The operation is simple, takes little time and is well practiced.

It should be said separately about genital injuries (bruises, burns, gunshot and knife wounds, accidents) that cause impotence. If you take them, you should immediately seek medical help, and the sooner this is done, the more likely you are to avoid complete irreversible erectile dysfunction.

  • Fracture of the penis during a rough act, blow or bending. There is a dangerous rupture of the cavernous bodies for potency, severe pain, hematoma, swelling of the organ. Depending on the severity of the situation, compresses or surgery may be prescribed for treatment;
  • Injury during a fall, exercise, fight. Such a closed lesion violates the urethra, manifests itself with a hematoma, pain when walking. Treatment - non-steroidal analgesics, compresses, rarely - surgical intervention;
  • burns from chemicals, boiling water, ultraviolet rays;
  • Subcutaneous bleeding, during which blood vessels are damaged, edema appears. It is dangerous, because during healing, scars can form, which can become an obstacle to blood circulation, without which an erection is impossible. A cold compress may help.

Impotence can be caused by a combination of anatomical and psychological factors: after the injury, the person had sex and experienced very severe pain. In the future, at the subconscious level, he will be afraid of intercourse, which, sooner or later, will lead to the impossibility of an erection in general.

Hypothetically dangerous and some operations. So, the famous composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, the author of the world-famous musicals "Cats" and "Phantom of the Opera" publicly stated: he is impotent and became so after the operation - he had a prostate tumor removed. Such a surgical intervention can indeed cause impotence, but in this case, doctors save a person's life. However, if you have regular examinations with a urologist, then prostate cancer or adenoma can be detected at an early stage and its treatment can be started in time. Then such an operation, which causes the loss of sexual function, will not be necessary.

treatment

Any modern person, from the young to the old, is definitely exposed to stress in the life cycle. Some have bad habits, depending on the specifics of underpaid and inactive work. All this leads to health deterioration, including in the sexual area. Modesty does not allow a person to go to the doctor and admit weakness, but this is a wrong idea.

In any case, whatever the causes and manifestations of erectile dysfunction, you should immediately consult a specialist. Currently, sexologists can help in the fight against various cases of impotence, because they have a huge arsenal of tools for this.

Warning: Self-treatment of this sexual disorder is dangerous, because the pills and devices to help erections that are advertised everywhere help for a while and can even cause harm. Using them will waste valuable time, during which the problem will only get worse.

Men and women without potency problems

It should be noted that very rarely treatment is the use of one method that excludes the pathological factor. As a rule, an integrated approach is much more effective, especially if the case (and it often happens) is neglected. This method of dealing with erectile dysfunction quickly restores sexual function by eliminating the factors that caused the disorder and helps the patient deal with the uncertainty that developed during impotence.

Of course, erectile dysfunction is not a fatal problem, but because of it, the quality of a man's life decreases, his health and mood deteriorate, and the family breaks up. Therefore, it is necessary to get rid of it.

Impotence is no longer a punishment. If a man has the first signs, symptoms, then he only needs the help of a urologist. Early impotence most often develops against the background of inflammatory processes, STDs - their treatment has long been fast and successful with timely access to specialists.