Can kegel exercises help my erectile dysfunction?

When someone says “kegel exercises” the first image to pop into your head is a bunch of pregnant women, huffing and puffing as they do the ridiculous looking exercise. But kegel exercises aren’t solely for the pregnant crowd. In fact, if you struggle with erectile dysfunction, kegel exercises could be the solution you’ve been looking for.

Pregnant women are advised to do kegel workouts to control the urinary incontinence that typically comes with having a human being living in your stomach. This is because kegel exercises work and tone the pelvic floor muscles, which can lead to greater control in the pelvic area. When utilized by men, kegel exercises can help the bladder, the bowels, and, most importantly, sexual function.

Kegel exercises target the network of muscles located in the pelvis, which help to regulate the flow of urine and blood to the penis. By toning this area, you can improve urinary flow (no more after-completion dribble!) and increase blood flow to the penis, which could equate in stronger erections.

To begin doing kegels, first you need to find the right muscles. While urinating, try and stop the urine midstream. That tightening you feel is your pelvic floor muscles. Once you’ve identified the muscle group, the exercise is easy: Simply tighten this muscle group for three seconds, and then relax for three seconds. Try a few reps, but don’t overdo it.

Kegel exercises are incredibly easy to do, and can be done practically anywhere. Once you’ve got the exercise down to a science, you can easily knock out reps while standing around waiting for the elevator or while sitting in a meeting.

Kegel exercises aren’t guaranteed to eliminate your erectile dysfunction completely, but it could certainly put you on the right path.

Most Asked Questions: What are the Common Side Effects of Viagra

Learn Answers to the Most Asked Questions About What are the Common Side Effects of Viagra by Dr. Williams of ED Questions.

Hi I’m Dr. Daniel Williams of the Men’s Podcast for EDQuestions. Today I am here to discuss the side effects of Viagra. They are very similar to the other Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, so lets discuss them in length. The most common ones are that are fairly mild, things like headache, feeling like you have an upset in your stomach, flushing in the face.

Extremely rare are some reports of temporary sudden loss of vision or hearing. That sounds like it could be pretty dangerous, most of the reports were in the very elderly say 65 and older. I am not trying to be insulting, but that was the report so much so the FDA has to put a black box label warning on these medications and the whole class of medications that was a possibility.

And if you were taking Nitrates or Alpha Blockers for chest pain because you have Angina or your Coronary Arteries aren’t very big and you have to take some medications to open them up, then you don’t want to take Viagra or the other Phosphodiesterase inhibitors such as Levitra or Cialis. The reason is because if you take them at them both at same time, they can work together to cause an uncontrolled dilation of your vessels, so it’s important to tell all of your doctors all of your medications.

Don’t leave anything out, I find it best if you will write down all your medication history and any diseases that you have into a short form or report, keep a copy with you or in your car and if you have to go to your doctor, take a copy with you. If your ever in the emergency department, make sure you tell them you are on Viagra or Nitrates or Alpha Blockers. You don’t want to run into this serious complication.

Other than that, the side effects are generally mild, it’s only something like 2% of people that take Viagra that actually quit it because of side effects, so 98% of people don’t experience these type of things at all, so I would take that as a comfort. Most advertisements for medications that come direct to consumer on television have long, very long crazy lists of side effects and some of them sound terrible. Buy they are forced by law, they are required to report every side effect that was ever recorded. And occasionally some of those side effects may not have anything to do with that drug, but they are required to report that.

So discuss that with your doctor, I am always going to say that, I am not practicing telemedicine here with you, you need a prescription for these medications, so I hope that this answers the questions about the side effects of Viagra.

Could stress be causing my erectile dysfunction?

Your boss expects your latest report on his desk by Wednesday, a coworker has just pawned his work off on you, your partner is asking for more time together, and you just realized you forgot to pick up the kids from school.

When a man is stressed, it can be difficult to focus on anything else. The stress can be all consuming, and can begin to creep into other aspects of life. Things that used to be fun simply feel like distractions from your mounting obligations. Loved ones become annoyances, friends become hindrances; stress will begin to consume you.

And stress doesn’t only affect your headspace. It can begin to affect you physically, in ways you might not expect. Your blood pressure will rise, your heart may struggle to keep up, and your erection may pay the toll.

Your erection depends upon steady blood flow to work properly. When the body can’t dependably get blood to the penis, you’ll find it difficult to achieve an erection. With your blood pressure increased due to stress, your body will struggle to keep up with the demands of the brain, and blood flow will suffer. With blood flow affected, your body won’t be able to get blood to the penis, which means missed erections.

Stress-related erectile dysfunction can be a vicious circle. When you’re stressed, you can’t achieve an erection. When you can’t achieve an erection, this adds to your stress and makes the problem worse.

If stress is keeping you from getting down to business between the sheets, it’s important to find a way to ease the stress. Pinpoint what is causing stress and figure out a way to manage it. Make plans to prevent worrying, and work to find a way to lessen the stress in your daily life.

Could my weight gain be responsible for my erectile dysfunction?

As your waistline grows, other aspects of your body may begin to pay the price. Your heart may struggle to deal with this newfound weight, which could lead to slowed blood flow. When your weight, heart problems, and slowed blood flow stack up, it all points to erectile dysfunction.

Yes, opting for another burger and a lazy day laying around could be the death knell for your erection. Weight gain can drastically affect sexual function, so as your weight grows, you may find your erection paying the price.

This is due to the fact that excess weight gain- excess belly fat specifically- can play a vital part in your erectile health. All the excess weight can affect the body’s ability to supply blood to the penis, and it can also lead to your body’s ability to produce testosterone slowing.

But that’s not to say that weight gain is the end of your erection. Studies have found that eating well, getting active, and working to shed your excess weight can drastically improve your erectile health.

A recently concluded study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine revealed that shedding 5% to 10% of excess weight can improve erectile function in men who are afflicted with weight-associated erectile dysfunction.

So, if you’re noticing that your erection isn’t quite as reliable as it used to be since you started putting on weight, it’s time to make some positive lifestyle choices. Eat healthy, get active, and lose that weight, and you should see your erection return to normal.

Could my medication be causing my erectile dysfunction?

In commercials for medication, after showing the generic happy older couple having a picnic or riding a paddleboat, a voiceover quickly lists all of the potential side effects that this particular drug can cause. While this voiceover sometimes goes too fast to catch every side effect, this fast-talking voice could be warning you that this medication could lead to the loss of your erection.

Be it prescribed or over-the-counter, just about everyone seems to have a pill or two they pop every morning. In fact, a recent study found that 70 percent of Americans take prescription drugs. While these drugs certainly help in their intended usage, they can sometimes lead to issues elsewhere in the body. Some may cause lower blood pressure, or aching of the joints, or your daily little pill could be spelling the end of your erection.

The list of drugs that can cause erectile dysfunction is varied, so it would be wise to consult our list to see if you’re taking one of the following medications.

  • Diuretics and high blood pressure drugs
  • Antidepressant, anti-anxiety, and antiepileptic drugs
  • Antihistamines
  • Anti-inflammatory drugs
  • Parkinson’s Disease medication
  • Antiarrythmics
  • Muscle relaxants
  • Prostate cancer medication
  • Chemotherapy drugs

If you find yourself struggling to regularly achieve an erection and you take any of the aforementioned drugs, consult your doctor about this issue and determine your best course of action. Your doctor may say the medication isn’t to blame, but it’s good to be safe. If your medication is the culprit for your poor erectile health, determine a safe alternative medication that will keep you, and your erection, healthy.

What is the proper way to take Viagra?

Viagra, like any medication, works best when taken under specific conditions. If you opt to take Viagra whenever you feel it is needed, you may find yourself dealing with mixed results. If not taken properly, you could find yourself waiting hours for the effects to kick in, or you may find it not kicking in at all.

If you’re looking to get the best bang for your buck with Viagra, follow these tips and you should see the results of Viagra quickly.

Be Ready: While most men seem to think that popping a Viagra will result in an instantaneous erection, this isn’t the case. Viagra simply helps your erection to spring to life, but it still needs some encouragement to kick in. Get sexually stimulated and Viagra will do the rest.

Time It: If you down your Viagra fill minutes before you’re set to get down to business, you’ll find yourself disappointed. Viagra takes time to take hold. It is advised that you take Viagra about an hour before sexual activity. If you’re a long-term planner, you can take Viagra up to four hours ahead of sexual activity and still be ready to go.

Don’t Fill Up: When the Viagra reaches your stomach, it must be digested and dispersed throughout your body. But if your erection has to wait in line to be digested, you could be left waiting around for the drug to take hold. Don’t eat a high fat meal before ingesting Viagra or it will take longer to start working.

So remember: Be sexually stimulated, time it, and don’t eat too much. If you follow these tips, you’ll get better results from Viagra, and you’ll be ready to get down to business.

How can I help my partner deal with his premature ejaculation?

When your lovemaking sessions go for hour-long workouts to over within seconds, it can be frustrating. This sudden absence of physicality can put a strain on any relationship, and feelings of resentment can begin to grow. But if your partner is dealing with premature ejaculation, it’s important to remember that this isn’t a time to point fingers. Premature ejaculation is deeply embarrassing, and can lead a man to question his very manhood. Put aside the “he said, she said” and help your partner to get through this problem.

The first thing to do is remind your partner that you are in this together. The man may feel as though this is a personal problem that must be overcome on his own, but relationships are all about having each other’s backs.

Next, don’t give up on sex. While it may feel like sex is difficult when a partner is suffering from premature ejaculation, there are plenty of workarounds that can help him to last longer. Do some research and find a method that works. If you cut out sex entirely, the feelings of frustration will simply get worse. Treat premature ejaculation is a problem that can be beaten.

It is also important to remind your partner that not all pleasure is tied to sex. Find a way to connect with your partner that isn’t sexual, such as a massage. It’s important to establish that you still want to be intimate with your partner, but there are plenty of other ways to establish a connection that aren’t sexual.

Ultimately, just be there for him. Work together to find a solution to his problem, don’t drop sex, and establish a connection. Premature ejaculation can be a difficult problem for a man, and it’s important for him to know that he’s got someone helping him through it.

Can erectile dysfunction affect young men?

When most men think “erectile dysfunction,” they tend to think of old men, unable to get it up while dealing with back pains, memory loss, and the inability to stay awake. While it is true that erectile dysfunction becomes increasingly prevalent in older men, the truth is that erectile dysfunction affects men of all ages. So whether you’re 22 or 82, it’s possible that ED could strike at any moment.

“But that’s impossible!” You may think to yourself. “I’m young, and I’ve never heard of anyone my age experiencing erectile dysfunction!”

More and more young men are experiencing erectile dysfunction, with a recent study finding that 26% of men under 40 had been affected by ED. But the key difference between young men experiencing ED and older men experiencing ED is the root causes.

In older men, the cause of erectile dysfunction is mostly physical in nature, with the heart slowing, reducing blood flow, and making erection difficulty. However, in younger men, the causes of erectile dysfunction tend to by psychological in nature.

Stress at work, relationship problems, depression, and anxiety are all common causes of erectile dysfunction amongst young men.

Furthermore, drinking to excess and casual drug use is prevalent amongst young men. Alcohol and drugs have been found to constrict the blood vessels, greatly decreasing blood flow, which can make it difficult to achieve an erection.

So ED can strike at any time, at any age. To ensure you don’t have to worry about erectile dysfunction until you’re older, make good life choices, eat well, be active, and live a happy, full life.

Is erectile dysfunction inevitable?

As a man gets older, there are some inevitabilities: Your joints are going to creak, your hearing will get worse, you’ll slow down. But is losing your erection one of those inevitabilities?

Unfortunately, yes. The day is going to come when you won’t be able to achieve an erection like you used to. But depending on how you live your life, when this inevitability strikes isn’t entirely set in stone.

Erectile dysfunction becomes increasingly common as you grow older, with a recent study from the National Institute of Health finding that 17% of men in their 60’s experience erectile dysfunction. So most men seem to think that erectile dysfunction will become a serious issue as they enter their 60’s, but the truth is that your lifestyle choices can drastically affect when it happens to you.

If you live a life of fast food, no exercise, smoking, and drinking to excess, erectile dysfunction could strike when you’re young. But if you look after your body, stay active, and eat well, it could be well into your golden years before your erection kicks the bucket.

That’s not to say a lifetime of neglect to your body can’t be undone. Making serious positive lifestyle changes later in life could help your chances at saving your erection. But the key is starting these lifestyle choices sooner rather than later; if you decide to make these changes in your 80’s, it will already be too late for your erection.

So, yes, ED is going to strike eventually. But it is entirely up to you when exactly it does strike.

How can I determine if I have erectile dysfunction?

Every man is going to have the occasional missed erection. Maybe you’re tired, or your mind is preoccupied, or you’re just not in the mood. It happens. But when you begin to see consistent missed erections, it can be easy to panic. You’ll run through the mental list of causes, combing through your memory to determine what recent events lead to this issue.

But it’s important to determine if you truly have erectile dysfunction or you’re just having an off day.

Thankfully, you don’t need to pay a costly doctor’s bill to determine if you have erectile dysfunction. There is a simple test that can be performed in the safety of your own home that can help to determine your erectile health.

Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Pick up some stamps: Stop by your local post office and grab a roll of stamps, the kind with dry glue on the back.
  2. Get ready: Before you go to bed, pull your flaccid penis through the fly in your underwear. Make sure your pubic hair is out of the way, and check to make sure the shaft of your penis is exposed and easily accessible.
  3. Apply the stamps: Moisten the stamps on the roll, and then wrap them around your penis. Make sure the stamps overlap, with no break in the chain. Once the stamps are secured, put your penis back in your sheets and go to bed.
  4. Check the results: When you awake, check to see if the ring of stamps have been broken. If the stamps are broken, that indicates that you had an erection in your sleep, and are capable of achieving an erection. If the stamps are unbroken, that indicates that you are unable to achieve an erection.

Once you’ve performed this test, you can then determine how best to address the issue. If you did not achieve an erection, that could indicate something is wrong physically with your erection, and a doctor should be consulted.