In the past, men who suffered from erectile dysfunction often felt embarrassed and had a stigma placed on them. When Viagra came to the market in 1998, it removed the stigma and made it easier for men to seek treatment for their condition.
Some ED medications, including Viagra Jelly, can interact with certain medications, such as nitrates used for heart disease or high blood pressure. A reputable telehealth provider can help you identify potential dangerous interactions and work around them.
What is Erectile Dysfunction (ED)?
Four out of 10 men in their 40s have erectile dysfunction, and it becomes more common as we age. It can lead to poor self-esteem, strained relationships, and low productivity in the workplace. But there are ways to overcome it.
The first step is to talk with your doctor. Your healthcare provider will want to listen to your heart, take your blood pressure, and do other tests to check for underlying health conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease that can contribute to ED.
Treatment options vary depending on the underlying cause of your ED. Some dietary changes may help, such as avoiding high-fat foods that can slow down blood flow to the penis. Exercise might also improve erections, but talk with your doctor before starting a new fitness plan.
Some prescription medications, such as a PDE5 inhibitor, can improve erections by allowing more blood to flow through the penis. A popular treatment is sildenafil, better known as Viagra. Other pills such as vardenafil and tadalafil work similarly but require a lower dose. A newer option is a topical gel called Eroxon StimGel, which isn’t a PDE5 inhibitor but works by cooling and stimulating the penis to encourage an erection.
Stress, anxiety, and depression can worsen ED symptoms, so your doctor might recommend therapy or counseling. If a lack of intimacy is contributing to your ED, your doctor might suggest that you and your partner visit a therapist or counselor together.
What Causes ED?
Occasional inability to get an erection is common and not usually serious, but it may be the first sign of a health condition that can be treated. ED causes are often physical but can also be psychological. Generally, a diagnosis of ED is made when a person can’t sustain an erection at the time of sexual intercourse.
The most common cause of ED is problems with the blood vessels that send blood to the penis for an erection or the valves that keep blood in the penis. The tablet form of Super Kamagra is available for those with erectile dysfunction issues who prefer to take medication. This type of ED is called organic erectile dysfunction. Blood vessel problems are often caused by aging or by controllable risk factors, such as high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, and obesity.
Neurologic problems, such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, can cause ED by interfering with nerve impulses to the penis. Spinal cord injuries and nerve damage due to pelvic surgery can also lead to ED. Anything that decreases a man’s natural supply of testosterone can also cause ED. This includes chemical or surgical castration and hormone therapy for prostate cancer.
Psychological problems, such as sexual performance anxiety, can also cause erectile dysfunction. A mental health evaluation and a discussion of expectations and perceptions regarding sexual intercourse can help reveal these problems. Other medical conditions that are associated with ED include low testosterone, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), depression, and urethral stricture.
How Does Viagra Work?
Viagra (sildenafil citrate) works to help men get and keep an erection by improving blood flow to the penis when they’re sexually aroused. It increases the levels of a chemical called cyclic guanosine monophosphate, or cGMP, which relaxes muscle cells in the penis and allows blood to flow into the area. However, a protein called phosphodiesterase type-5, or PDE-5, usually breaks down cGMP, which causes the erection to go away. Viagra inhibits the action of PDE-5, which improves erections and makes them longer lasting.
The concentration of Viagra in the body peaks within about an hour after taking the drug, so it’s best to take it about 30 minutes before you plan on having sex. If you’re taking a higher dose, it may take longer to start working.
It’s important to know that Viagra only works if you’re sexually aroused. This can happen by having sexual thoughts, looking at sexual images, or engaging in foreplay. You shouldn’t drink grapefruit juice with Viagra, as it can affect the level of the drug in your bloodstream.
Viagra doesn’t increase libido or make you more sexually aroused, but some people find that it does give them more confidence and helps with orgasms. It’s also used to treat other sexual problems, including pelvic inflammatory disease, vaginitis, and some penile deformities, such as Peyronie’s disease.
What Can I Do About Erectile Dysfunction?
From the gas station to the spam folder, many men are exposed to a plethora of “men’s health” products that promise a better erection. Despite the tempting fruit-flavored advertisements, these unlicensed and knockoff products are at best ineffective and at worst dangerous. Men struggling with ED should seek professional help.
During sexual intercourse, a healthy erection depends on the intact nerve and blood vessel systems of the penis, as well as an appropriate level of arousal. However, erectile dysfunction can also be caused by the side effects of certain medications and by several physical conditions. Therefore, a thorough assessment of symptoms is necessary to identify the root cause of ED.
Treatments for ED can include oral medication, such as sildenafil (Viagra(r)), vardenafil (Levitra(r)) or tadalafil (Cialis(r)), which works by increasing blood flow to the penis during sexual stimulation. The effects of these medications take 30-60 minutes to kick in. It is important not to take these medications with a fatty meal, as it will slow the absorption of the medication.
Other treatments for erectile dysfunction include low-intensity focused shockwave therapy, which uses sound waves to improve blood flow; and the use of alprostadil (Caverject(r)), papaverine (Papacon(r)) or phentolamine (Regitine(r)), which are injected into the penis during sexual intercourse. Penile rehabilitation, which involves administering a daily dose of Viagra or similar medications (often along with physical exercise) without the intention of sex, may also be recommended.
