Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a man's inability to get an erection and/or an inability to keep an erection until he finishes having sex.

Men older than 65 usually suffer from ED but age is not the only risk factor linked to this condition and ED is not a normal part of the aging process.

There are 3 basic mechanisms leading to ED: failure to initiate, failure to fill and failure to store enough blood volume to sustain an erection.

Multiple factors contribute in failure to initiate. It can be due to psychogenic (stress-related), neurogenic (problems in the sacral spinal cord and autonomic nervous system) and endocrinologic (hormone-related) causes.

In failure to fill, there is a disturbance in the blood flow to and from the penis.

In failure to store, excessive outflow of blood through the veins, despite adequate inflow through the arteries, may diminish filling pressures and contribute to ED. All things considered, ED in older men is mostly caused by diabetes, atherosclerosis and drugs.

In order to determine which mechanism is in trouble, several questions need to be answered.

The presence of nocturnal or early morning erections points to a psychogenic cause. Absence of this, on the other hand, points to an organic cause.

It also helps to know if there is a decrease in sexual drive as this directs us to endocrine abnormalities (hormonal imbalance). Laboratory tests can be ordered by your doctor to determine the levels of testosterone.

There are several relevant risk factors that predispose a person to develop erectile dysfunction (ED).

These risk factors are the following: diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, smoking, alcoholism, endocrine and neurologic problems.

Intake of certain medications has also been implicated in E.D.

Natural Cures for Erectile Dysfunction (ED):

Exercise:

Aerobic exercise has been shown to be an effective home remedy for erectile dysfunctions.

It encourages improved blood flow, and it is found to be good for the heart, too.

Penis Pumps:

These are one of the more "exotic" home remedies available and function by the principles of hydraulics.

Some vacuum pumps are available and supplied with a compression ring that effectively helps initiate and maintain an erection.

Counseling:

This may be effective for the psychogenic causes of ED, and provides a simple natural cure for it.

Sharing your thoughts, feelings and fears through counseling is an effective way on how to get rid of psychogenic erectile dysfunctions.

Oral Medications:

Phosphodiesterase inhibitors like sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), and vardenafil (Levitra) are available as prescription medications and are usually taken before intercourse.

Patients with heart conditions and who may be taking nitrates are not supposed to take these medications.

Make sure to consult your doctor before taking any of these medications as it may be life-threatening.

Ginseng:

Some studies have shown that this can be a natural cure and a home remedy since there is an improvement of erectile dysfunctions with the intake of ginseng.

MACA:

This taproot found in the Andes region has been said to increase libido (sexual drive) and can be a natural cure for the psychogenic erectile dysfunction.

Other Alternative Medications:

Other alternative treatments on how to remove erectile dysfunction from the lives of many men are widely available.

These natural cures for erectile dysfunction have no definitive proof. Despite this, their popularity still remains.

Most of these alternative treatments are considered by the FDA as food supplements, thus, there is no harm in taking them as home remedies.

Some of these are: Korean red ginseng, pine bark, ginkgo, zinc, niacin, copper, and saw palmetto.