Alternative Medicine Guide

Endocrine disorders may cause ED and, in some cases, may be one of the few etiologies whose resolution might lead to a ‘cure’. Consequently, such disorders should be routinely sought out in the assessment of men with ED. However, as ED is multifactorial in origin, an endocrine disorder might be only a contributory factor to the problem. Endocrine disorders commonly seen in ED patients include diabetes, thyroid disease, androgen deficiency, and hyperprolactinemia.
Diabetes: Diabetes is the most common endocrine abnormality associated as a risk factor for ED. The prevalence of ED is almost three times higher in diabetic men (28%) than in the nondiabetic population (9.6%). Read the rest of this entry »

Hypertension, coronary heart disease and ED frequently coexist.
Around 4 0% or more of ED patients may have some type of cardiovascular disease. Apart from representing a potential causative factor, the presence of underlying cardio’ vascular disease should be taken into consideration in patient management [10].
Hypertension: There is a strong association between hyperteu’ sion and ED. Around 17% of men with mitreated hypertension and 2 4% of men with treated hypertension have ED. It is not only antihypertensive therapy that causes ED, but hypertension itself. Read the rest of this entry »

ED is frequently described by its presumed etiology; for example, ‘vasculogenic’, ‘diabetogenic’, and’psychogenic’. Thesedescrip’ tions can be very misleading and it is better always to think of ED as a health problem with multifactorial etiology. This is illustrated in the following two examples.
Originally, psychological factors were considered to be the most common cause of ED. However, it is now apparent that psychological factors alone account for a minority of cases of ED, particularly in older men. It is far more common for psychological and organic factors to co-exist. Read the rest of this entry »

As normal erectile function depends on the delicate balance between vasorelaxation and vasoconstriction of the corporal smooth muscle, disruption of this equilibrium can result in
ED. If this critical level of smooth muscle relaxation is not achieved, there vvill be incomplete resistance to the venous outflow of blood from the corpora and full penile tumescence will be compromised. This is described as veno’occlusive dysfunction and can result from deficiency of the various systems that support the normal integrated response for penile erection. Vascular factors: Probably the most frequent causes of organic ED are endothelial dysfunction and disturbance of smooth muscle responsiveness within the corporal tissue of the penis. Read the rest of this entry »

Penile erection is the most obvious feature of the male body’s response to sexual excitement. It is a complex neurovascular response, influenced by cognitive inputs and facilitated by testosterone. Other features of that response include increases in skin temperature, blood pressure, heart and breathing rates, facial and bodily flushing, dilation of the pupils, and nipple erection. There are also changes in skin’s sensitivity to touch. These changes are similar in both men and women.
Erection response to sexual interest is the result of interplay between tactile, visual, auditory, and olfactory signals, combined with cognitive inputs, such as fantasy and memory. Read the rest of this entry »

Although ED is considered to be a benign disorder it can have a dramatic effect on the QoL of many men, as well as their partners. Questionnaire instruments are now available to measure the impact on an individual’s QpL. HoAvever, of equal interest to the physician as the number of patients suffering, is the number presenting and, increasingly, what can be done to identify those non presenters with ED who have other significant undiagnosed health problems that would benefit from therapy. Increasingly, epidemiologists are trying to assess the magnitude, at least numerically, of the problem and the impact of potential risk factors. Armed with questionnaires such as the Brief Sexual Function Inventory, and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and its derivatives, we have begun to quantify ED prevalence.
A major problem with the assessment of the prevalence is whether the patient in the surgery or conmiunity will truthfully disclose the extent of his ED or even want to discuss it at all. In today’s post’sildenafil era, many couples will still accept impaired sexual function as being an inevitable consequence of the aging process. In general, recent surveys have only served to confirm the data of the Massachusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS), 1987-1989. This community-based survey undertook a random sampling of health status in men between the ages of 40 and 70 years. Although the sampling was confined to the Boston area, more recent surveys have shown that it is probably representative of America’s diverse populations, and East and Western Europe. There is no evidence to suggest that the epidemiology of ED is radically different in Latin America, the Pacific Rim, or Japan. The MMAS shows that over 50% of men in that age range will experience some degree of ED. Read the rest of this entry »

Improving ‘Men’s Health’ should be a major concern for all physicians. On average, a man’s life expectancy is 7 years less than that of a woman. They will often prematurely die, or become disabled by preventable diseases. This difference has traditionally been attributed to some unchangeable genetic susceptibility. However, the gap is slowly narrowing and the validity of this assumption is now highly questionable. In the developed world, women have frequent contact with healthcare services throughout their lives, from the cradle to the grave. ‘Women’s Health’ is perceived as a priority and access to it is considered an inviolable right for all women. After completing childhood health surveillance procedures, they will see a family physician regularly to obtain contraception, for ante” , peri’ and post-natal care, for cervical cytology screening, for advice about the menopause and hormone replacement therapy, and for mammographic screening. They will also bring along their children and grandchildren for advice, providing further opportunities for health screening and advice.
Some men will not see a doctor from the time of their last childhood health surveillance consultation until they have their first heart attack, or worse. They often consider themselves ‘immortal’ and unable to spare the time for health maintenance. Any opportunity to encourage men to participate in health screening and maintenance activities should be enthusiastically developed by primary care teams. Read the rest of this entry »

Intimate relationships are central to the hmnan experience. We are, by nature, social creatures and, aside from a small minority of ascetics and hermits, we need each other’s company. Without the ability to share intimate relationships, most of us will become isolated, lonely, anxious, and depressed.
Most people would not consider their life complete without sharing intimate relationships. Sexuality and sexual behavior are very important within the vast majority of those relationships. The frequency of sexual feelings and behavior usually varies during the course of a relationship. Early on in a relationship, sex is relatively frequent, irrespective of whether the partners are young or old. This is may be a major concern for older men, in their 60s and 70s, when they begin a new relationship. Read the rest of this entry »

“You never know a man until you know how he loves.”
Sigmund Freud
Stimulated by the hormone testosterone, men have been driven to populate the earth, planting their seed wherever they could at every opportunity. No small part of this drive is the intense sensation of pleasure derived from the simple act of ejaculating. Reaching a peak of sexual excitement, spewing ejaculate from the tip of their wand of light, and collapsing in a swoon of energy and tension release commonly takes only a matter of minutes for most men. As the simple diagram illustrates, this experience is a little bit like stepping off a precipice and flying into an abyss. The urge to do this repeatedly seems to be almost irresistible and becomes an obsession with many men. A typical male between the ages of fifteen and thirty can scarcely think of anything else day and night. Read the rest of this entry »

When the Prince of Wales, later to be King Edward VII, said to his mistress, Lily Langtry, during a quarrel, that “I’ve spent enough on you to buy a battleship,” she replied, “And you’ve spent enough in me to float one.”
Ejaculation Orgasm
You have probably been regularly experiencing the pleasure of ejaculation since early adolescence. During an orgasm accompanied by ejaculation, a man’s whole body tenses while contractions of the prostate gland vigorously propel semen out the tip of the penis in a forceful shooting stream. For a few seconds there is intense pleasure, restricted almost exclusively to the genitals. Almost immediately (usually within one or two minutes) the erection subsides and a refractory (recovery) period sets in. The entire body relaxes (not just the penis) and most men experience a complete loss of interest in further sexual activity. Sleepiness also commonly follows an ejaculation. How long it takes before energy (capacity for another erection) and libido (sexual desire) are restored depends on the man’s age, health, and frequency of ejaculation. Some younger, stronger men are able to retain an erection in spite of ejaculation by maintaining rapid, continuous thrusting. Read the rest of this entry »