What is Erectile Dysfunction or Male Impotence.
First know – How does an erection occur?
A sensory stimulation due to touch or sight or a mental stimulation due to a thought, or both, cause the brain to send an impulse through the spinal cord, and then through the concerned local nerves to the corpora cavernosa in the penis, causing it to expand. As a result, the corpora cavernosa gets filled with blood and due this pressure of the blood, an erection occurs. Note here therefore, that an erect penis is a vascular organ filled with blood.
I cannot resist but mention here that:
“The lightest thing in the world is the penis. Why? Because even a thought can raise it”.
The purpose to mention this here is that, it is the brain that is responsible for the penile erection and that it is not just a local reaction.
What is Erectile dysfunction or Male Impotence?
Impotence or Erectile dysfunction (ED, in short) is a condition wherein there is inability to have an erection of the penis, or there is inability to have a sustained erection.
In which conditions Erectile Dysfunction occurs?
This function fails when there is damage to the body tissues required for a proper penile erection, such as the nerves, arteries, smooth muscles, and the fibrous tissue of the penis. Erectile Dysfunction in young men can occur due to these causes.
Causes of Erectile Dysfunction (ED): Causes of Impotence:
1) Nerve Diseases such as Diabetic neuropathyand Multiple Sclerosis give rise to neuritis, whereby the impulses are not properly transmitted by the nerves.
2) Vascular diseases such as occurring in Diabetes and Atherosclerosis, which result in improper blood flow to the penis due to clogging of the arteries..
3) Kidney Diseases cause imbalance in the functioning of the hypothalamus-pituitary gland- gonadal axis resulting in suppression of the gonadotrophin hormone which is essential for reproduction.
4) Certain lifestyle habits cause erectile dysfunction, such as smoking, obesity and a sedentary life style all contribute to diabetes and atherosclerosis.
5) Certain medicines which cause erectile dysfunction or impotence are those given for hypertension, depression, peptic ulcer, allergy and for suppressing appetite.
6) Stress and erectile dysfunction. Anxiety and a feeling of guilt or a fear of inability to perform sex can cause clouding of the mind which prevents the brain from sending out that signal or impulse.
7) Surgical trauma, to the concerned nerves or arteries or tissues around the penis during surgery on prostrate or the urinary bladder, can occur and give rise to ED.
Chronic alcoholism causes myositis ( inflammation of muscles) and neuritis which result in impotence.
It was Shakespeare, if yours truly, is not mistaken who once said: ” Alcohol provoketh the desire, but destroyeth the performance”.
9) And of course, old age where Erectile dysfunction sets in.
Next: Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction.
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