First of all it’s important to know that the occasional inability to have an erection sufficiently strong for sexual activity is not erectile dysfunction. It really does “happen to everyone once in a while.” Erectile dysfunction is persistent and occurs in multiple contexts. In other words, men with erectile dysfunction not only have difficulty engaging in sexual activity with their partner, they also have difficulty achieving erections through masturbation, and don’t have nocturnal erections or have nocturnal erections that are not very strong.
If you think you may have erectile dysfunction, your first step to treating the problem is having it “officially” diagnosed by a physician. This is typically done through simple questions and answers about your sexual functioning, so it’s essential that you be honest with your healthcare provider about what you have experienced.
Your doctor will diagnose you with erectile dysfunction largely based on medical and sexual history. Therefore, it’s essential that you be honest.