One of the best ways to tackle any health condition you might have at present is to take the time to know and fully understand it. If you’ve been recently diagnosed with erectile dysfunction, this should certainly be your preliminary step.
There are, at best, plenty of facts that you need to know, and it’s best to know each one so you’ll be able to handle – and subsequently treat - this condition better. This should also enlighten you regarding the usual myths surrounding ED, so you can dispel for good. For your easy reference, we’ve outlined them point-by-point in this article.
Age plays a significant role in your chances of getting erectile dysfunction [1]. You are more prone to have it if you’re past the age of 40 and this only increases with age. Nonetheless, this does not necessarily mean that younger men should be complacent. In fact, as much as 85% of men between the ages of 20 to 39 experience it at some point in their sex lives. This is why you should be aware of this risk early on.
Though there are a lot of causes attributed to erectile dysfunction, the primary culprit of the condition is poor overall health, particularly cardiovascular issues [2]. If you haven’t been checking your blood pressure, it’s high time to pay attention to it. Don’t forget about cholesterol and blood sugar levels [3] as well. Get yourself tested for any potential heart condition too if you’ve been having more frequent bouts of ED.
Your mental health is also a prime factor to consider. If you’ve been feeling depressed [4] lately, know that erectile dysfunction can actually stem from it. Psychological stress has been found to be a potent obstacle for men in the bedroom. The more it builds up, the more frustrated you tend to become, making sex virtually impossible. If this is your case, talking to a therapist, particularly one who specializes in sex [5], may be the right course of action.
There has always been an unverified belief among men that the tighter your underwear [6] is, the more prone you’ll be on getting ED. While studies can really confirm that tight underwear may cause infertility, it hinges more on the fact that it raises the temperature in your penile area rather than the actual tightness of the garment. Wearing looser shorts and pants can increase sperm count, though.
Although conventional ED medications like Viagra [7] are deemed safe, almost half of men who rely on the said drug actually experience one side effect during their course of intake. Headaches are the most common complaints by users.
Medical practitioners also caution erectile dysfunction sufferers who rely on drugs as it could inevitably lead to dependency [8], especially if they only get their preferred erection quality while in the influence of the said drugs.
Consistent watching of pornography [9] has been found to have a link to erectile dysfunction, but it’s more on a wholly psychological level. This is because men tend to watch porn that they’ve found to be sexually arousing every time. This conditions their brain to respond only to those specific stimuli, to the point that they’ll fail to get erections every time they intend to have sex with their partners, as mentioned on
Brad Reviews website.
That being said, experts actually encourage couples to engage in actual sexual more, as studies have found that those who do tend to decrease the likelihood of ED.
Did you know that morning erection [10] is also a tell-tale sign of your chances of getting erectile dysfunction? Research conducted on the subject can confirm that men who get fewer morning erections in a week tend to have a higher risk of getting ED.
Paying attention to your dental health could potentially shield you from having to deal with ED in the future. This is because men who suffer from periodontal ailments have a higher likelihood to suffer from erection issues as well.
The US is one of the top countries with the highest incidences of erectile dysfunction.
Stress and anxiety aren’t the only mental causes of erectile dysfunction. If you’ve done something that has left you guilty, this can actually contribute to your ED as well. Men who have very low self-esteem are far more likely to get it too.
Low self-esteem could be due to poor sexual performance or from repeated episodes of ED itself. This is why men who have this condition because of this shouldn’t hesitate to start talking to a therapist to prevent such mental stress from accumulating.
References:
[1]
https://www.webmd.com/erectile-dysfunction/news/20030804/erectile-dysfunction-common-with-age
[2]
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs317/en/
[3]
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/erectile-dysfunction/in-depth/erectile-dysfunction/art-20043927
[4]
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml
[5]
https://www.everydayhealth.com/sexual-health/sex-therapy.aspx
[6]
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2017/09/quiz-yourself-does-tight-underwear-cause-erectile-dysfunction-other-questions/
[7]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sildenafil
[8]
https://www.emedicinehealth.com/drug_dependence_and_abuse/article_em.htm
[9]
http://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/health/are-you-watching-too-much-porn-20130821
[10]
https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/what-is-morning-wood