Once upon a time, you didn’t have to think about erections. They happened spontaneously — and sometimes even when you wished they wouldn’t.
Now, though, they’re not happening at all. Or just half the time. The rest of the time, you and your partner have to get “creative,” and it’s taking a toll on you, both emotionally and physically.
The all-male physicians at At Men's T Clinic® — with locations in Dallas, Frisco, The Colony, Houston, Cypress, Pearland, and Pasadena, and Spring, Texas — understand how complicated erectile dysfunction (ED) can be, both physically and emotionally. It’s estimated that 18 million men in the United States suffer from ED. If you’re among them, more than one factor may be involved in your inconsistent or absent erections, and we outline some common problems here.
When you’re sexually aroused, blood rushes to your penis. When your blood vessels are healthy, they relax so they can accept the inflow of blood. The veins then close, to trap the blood in the penis so it engorges a spongy tissue called the corpus spongiosum, which causes an erection.
If your blood vessels aren’t working well, you can’t achieve or maintain an erection. Some health conditions that compromise the health of your blood vessels include:
Your Men’s T Clinic® doctor helps you get the care you need to resolve your underlying condition. He may prescribe medication or refer you to a specialist. He also recommends quitting smoking and curbing excessive alcohol intake, both of which can affect the health of your blood vessels.
If you had a stroke, have multiple sclerosis, or had pelvic surgery or a spine injury, your nerves may not be firing well enough to achieve an erection. Some of the same conditions that damage your blood vessels, such as diabetes, can also damage your nerves.
Let us know about any health conditions you have, as well as any prior surgery or injury. Also be sure to bring a list of medications or drugs you take, as these can have a negative impact on your erections, too.
When you have ED, you may naturally feel depressed and even anxious about sex. The ED may be causing problems in your relationship that are then increasing your anxiety about sex, which then interferes with your erections.
Sometimes ED is a symptom of past sexual abuse or trauma. If you have ED when with a partner, but have spontaneous nocturnal erections, your doctor may refer you to a counselor so that you can feel good about sex again.
Testosterone (T) is the hormone that jumpstarted your erections in the first place, and was the reason why those erections would sometimes appear at inopportune moments. As you pass the age of 30, your body powers down its production of testosterone.
Normal T levels for men between 19-39 years of age who aren’t obese is 264-916 ng/dL. You lose about 1% of T per year, and more if you smoke, use anabolic steroids, have diabetes, or have another condition or behavior associated with ED.
When you come for an ED evaluation at Men’s T Clinic®, we take a blood test to determine your T levels. However, we also look at your other symptoms. Even if your T levels are still in the normal range, they may be on the lower side of normal and might be one of the factors in your ED. We custom-design testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) based on your needs, and then adjust it periodically during your regular checkups.
Don’t feel ashamed of ED or avoid intimacy because of it. Get an evaluation and treatment at the Men’s T Clinic® nearest you. Contact us by phone or through our online booking form.
