edquestions, Author at EDQuestions

Erectile DysfunctionNovember 29, 2017byedquestions

What lifestyle factors can I change to improve erectile health as I get older?

You might be surprised at how much influence your lifestyle has on erection health. With around 20 years of history with drugs like Viagra, doctors now know far more about what causes erectile dysfunction, and in most cases, it’s a matter of simple hydraulics: blood flow to the penis becomes insufficient for erections hard enough for sexual activity.

All kinds of lifestyle habits influence how well your circulatory system operates. Smoking is a big one. Smoking narrows blood vessels throughout the body, including the blood vessels that supply your reproductive organs. Quitting helps those blood vessels heal to some extent, and if nothing else, helps keep the problem from getting worse.

Likewise, a fatty diet that clogs up the arteries of your heart clogs up arteries everywhere, and adopting a heart-healthy diet with whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean protein can help bring your blood lipid profile in line with what it should be. Exercise too improves circulation, and you don’t have to run marathons. Consistency is essential, however.

If you have diabetes, tighter regulation of your blood glucose can stave off damages to small blood vessels that contribute to erectile dysfunction and helps you feel better overall. In short, all those things your doctor recommends that you do to remain healthy: not smoking, eating healthy, exercising, and closely monitoring chronic health conditions are better for erectile health as well.

A healthy diet and regular physical activity benefit erection health.

Viagra

ViagraNovember 27, 2017byedquestions

I have used Viagra in the past, but I’ve been told that it’s unwise to take more than one Viagra in a 24-hour period. Why is that?

The effects of Viagra last from four to six hours, during which period you should be able to get and keep an erection hard enough for penetration. The recommended starting dose for Viagra is 50 milligrams, but some men may need as much as 100 milligrams to achieve the desired results. After the four- to six-hour period of optimal effectiveness, traces of the drug remain in your system.

Taking another dose within a 24-hour period could combine with this residual amount and result in dangerously low blood pressure, much as one might see from taking Viagra with a nitrate-based drug. For this reason, it’s wise to follow the directions and limit yourself to one dose per day.

Viagra

ViagraNovember 27, 2017byedquestions

I have used Viagra in the past, but I’ve been told that it’s unwise to take more than one Viagra in a 24-hour period. Why is that?

Cialis

CialisNovember 27, 2017byedquestions

Does Cialis work better with or without food?

Cialis lasts significantly longer than Viagra and Levitra – up to 36 hours. Doctors recommend taking Cialis an hour or two before you want to have sex. You can take Cialis with or without food, and you probably won’t notice any difference in its effectiveness.

One thing you should be aware of with Cialis, however, is the effect of alcohol. While a beer or a glass of wine is unlikely to cause problems, heavier drinking while taking Cialis increases your risk of something called orthostatic hypotension, which is a fast drop in blood pressure when you stand up. As a result, you could experience dizziness, headache, and even fainting, along with a faster heartbeat. Furthermore, if you drink heavily while taking Cialis and then stop drinking, your blood pressure can rise very quickly.

These problems are more likely to occur with Cialis than with other drugs for erectile dysfunction, and researchers believe it has something to do with the drug’s long half-life (which is a major selling point for Cialis, by the way).

Cialis, Cialis for Daily Use

Cialis, Cialis for Daily UseNovember 25, 2017byedquestions

What are the Differences Between Cialis 36-Hour and Daily Cialis

Cialis was the third of the “big three” erectile dysfunction medications to enter the market, making its debut in 2003. But Cialis wasn’t just an also-ran: in a way, it revolutionized the treatment of erectile dysfunction all over again due to its significantly longer half-life than competitors Levitra and Viagra.

Cialis had something more to offer than its competitors for men with erectile dysfunction.

With a half-life of around 18 hours (compared to 4 to 6 hours for its competitors), a man could take Cialis on a Friday night, and possibly still feel the drug’s effects on Sunday. Cialis, quite naturally, capitalized on this, nicknaming it the “Weekend Pill,” indicating users of the drug could get a weekend’s worth of sexual intimacy from a single Cialis pill.

Sure, the company took some grief over its iconic couple of side-by-side bathtubs watching the sunset, but they laughed all the way to the bank. Cialis became the top-selling erectile dysfunction drug, and even in 2017, on the brink of losing patent protection in the United States and Europe, it remains a blockbuster drug (defined as a drug that brings in $1 billion or more per year in revenue).

Several years ago, Cialis started offering the option of daily Cialis therapy. Instead of taking 5 mg, 10 mg, or 20 mg of Cialis on an as-needed basis, men could take 2.5 mg to 5 mg of Cialis at approximately the same time every day, with the goal being a steady enough level of the drug that sexual spontaneity becomes a real possibility. Here are some frequently asked questions about Cialis daily therapy versus Cialis taken on the traditional as-needed basis.

Viagra

ViagraNovember 24, 2017byedquestions

Does Viagra have side effects and, if so, how serious are they?

Rare is the prescription medication that doesn’t have at least a few adverse side effects, and Viagra is no exception. However, its side effects are generally mild and tend to disappear the longer you take the drug. The most common of these side effects include back pain, diarrhea, dizziness, flushing, headache, muscle ache, nausea, runny or stuffy nose, and upset stomach.

The little blue pill has been known to cause some more serious side effects, but these, fortunately, are rare. Some men have experienced a sudden decrease or total loss of hearing or vision after taking Viagra. Others have reported an erection that lasted for four or more hours. If you should experience any of these more serious side effects, you should seek medical attention immediately.

Premature Ejaculation

Premature EjaculationNovember 23, 2017byedquestions

What are some other methods for lasting longer during sex?

Numbing creams are not your only option if your goal is to last longer during sex. Your other options range from the simple to the more drastic, though all are worth considering if you consider premature ejaculation to be problematic for you and your partner. Here are some of the most popular remedies:

• Ordinary condoms. For some men, this is the simplest, most straightforward solution, and is enough to help them last long enough to enjoy sex more. The main problem with this method is with couples who are trying to conceive. Men in this situation may choose to do without a condom on his partner’s fertile days and wear a condom on non-fertile days for prolonged enjoyment those times.

• Special condoms. You can actually buy condoms (known as “performance enhancing” condoms) that are lined with a numbing agent like lidocaine or benzocaine. These condoms can be more effective at delaying ejaculation than ordinary condoms, but for men who have difficulty having an erection, they may not be a good choice. Men who want to try these are advised to try one during masturbation to get an idea of its effects before trying it with a partner.

Some condoms are specially made to decrease sensation and prolong sexual activity.

• Special techniques during sex. The so-called “start-stop technique” and “squeeze technique” are recommended by sex therapists for building up endurance during sexual activity. Another exercise doctors and sex therapists recommend is Kegel exercises, which are purported to give men more control over orgasm. These exercises, of course, take time to learn to use, but many men consider them a worthwhile investment of time and effort.

• SSRI Antidepressants. You may have heard about people taking serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants and having difficulty with orgasm. For the man with premature ejaculation, however, SSRIs can be a practical solution for making sex last longer. But SSRIs are nothing to play around with. If you are interested in this option, you need to speak to your healthcare advisor and be candid about why you want the medications, so they can calibrate your dosage correctly to minimize side effects while addressing premature ejaculation.

• Attitude Adjustment. Sometimes what men consider a problem for their partner, their partner doesn’t mind at all. Women aren’t necessarily interested in marathon sexual sessions because face it, prolonged sex is demanding for them as well. Talk to your partner about your concerns. You may be pleasantly surprised that you’re upset about something that doesn’t bother her, and that alone may help you relax and enjoy sex more.

• Solo first. Some men find that a masturbation session an hour or so before sex with a partner helps them last longer. This is a simple solution that costs nothing and is worth a try. Numbing creams, numbing sprays, ordinary condoms, and specially designed condoms are all available to help men who experience premature ejaculation enjoy sex longer. It’s important for men to keep in mind that the occasional experience of premature ejaculation is usually just “one of those things,” and it is the men who regularly experience it, and in whom it causes distress, who would be officially diagnosed with premature ejaculation.

The creams and sprays are worth a try as long as you follow directions. They may be worth trying out solo before trying them out with a partner, so you’ll know what to expect. If these products don’t help or are more annoying than they’re worth, then talk to your physician about it. Your doctor has encountered enough truly bizarre medical cases that premature ejaculation won’t even raise an eyebrow, and it’s the first step to getting help and getting your great sex life back.

Viagra

ViagraNovember 21, 2017byedquestions

What underlying medical conditions or disorders are most likely to lead to ED?

Men with certain underlying medical conditions face a significantly higher risk of developing erectile dysfunction. Cardiovascular disease, which includes atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque on the inner wall of arteries, is perhaps the most closely connected to ED. Also closely related to the cardiovascular disease is high blood pressure, a condition characterized by reduced blood flow due to constricted arteries. However, a number of other diseases and disorders can put a man on the fast track to ED.

Diabetes, a disease in which the body is unable to produce or respond to insulin naturally, takes a serious toll on both blood vessels and the nervous system, both of which play a key role in erectile function.

Although the connection might seem very tenuous, obstructive sleep apnea is also likely to increase a man’s risk of ED. In OSA, the tissue at the back of the throat collapses, blocking the airway. This leads to a start-stop pattern in breathing, which in turn makes it difficult to get a good night’s sleep.

Although the link between OSA and impotence is not fully understood, some medical scientists have theorized that insufficient sleep decreases the body’s production of testosterone, leading to a decrease in the sex drive and difficulty in getting an erection.

Premature Ejaculation

Premature EjaculationNovember 21, 2017byedquestions

Does lidocaine spray help delay ejaculation?

A few years ago, the FDA approved an over-the-counter topical spray specifically for helping sex last longer for men. The active ingredient is lidocaine, which is the same stuff doctors use for local anesthesia? And apparently, it works. But the right amount of use varies from person to person, and will probably require a certain amount of trial and error, just as with numbing creams. In fact, one danger of the numbing spray is that it can work so well (particularly if the man also uses a condom) that sex begins to feel like a chore, which is hardly great for your relationship. Many men will find it ultimately more satisfying to use too little of this stuff than too much of it.

Premature Ejaculation

Premature EjaculationNovember 20, 2017byedquestions

How is numbing cream used for best results?

Though specific user instructions may vary, typically the creams should be applied to an already-erect penis. After waiting five to 10 minutes, you should take a tissue or washcloth and wipe away the excess before actually engaging in sex. Ideally, the sensation will be less intense, and you’ll last longer than you would otherwise.

The thing is, these products don’t “know” the difference between you and your partner and will work on any tissue it comes into contact with. Therefore, it’s especially important to wipe off any excess cream before commencing sexual activity so as to avoid transferring any of it to your partner, on whom it would have the same numbing effect.

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