Urology
Urological Conditions
Erectile Dysfunction
Causes and Risk Factors
The process of erection involves a complex set of coordinated
physical and mental events. Therefore, a problem with any one
of these events, with the parts of the body or brain involved
in them, or with the coordination between them, can result
in erectile dysfunction. In other words, ED can be caused by
a number of mental and/or physical conditions.
Physical Causes
The most common physical causes of erectile dysfunction are
conditions that lead to reduced blood flow into the penis
and inability
of the penis to retain blood during erection (blood leaking
out of the penis through the veins), and nerve damage that
prevents
the proper signals from reaching the organs involved in erection.
These conditions include:
Psychological Causes
At one time, the main cause of erectile dysfunction was thought
to be emotional and/or psychological problems. Today we know
that many physical conditions can cause ED. However, emotional
and psychological issues – including almost any form of
stress, worry and anxiety – are also major causes of erectile
dysfunction. Their importance should not be ignored. Dealing
with them can definitely improve a man’s ability to have
an erection. They include:
Perhaps the most important thing to remember about the causes
of erectile dysfunction is that the physical and psychological
causes can interact. For example, a simple, treatable physical
problem may cause a man to have ED. But because he isn’t
aware of this cause, he worries about his ED, which, of course,
only makes it worse. That’s why it’s so important
to get medical help if you have chronic erectile dysfunction.
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