Blog

EverydayHealth.com says the link between depression and sexual dysfunction is clearly established, citing studies that show 35 to 47 percent of all people with depression have problems in their sex lives. Furthermore, antidepressant medications may help to banish the blues, but in doing so they take a toll on sexual satisfaction on up to 40 percent of those taking them.

In looking at the ways in which depression interferes with erectile function, EverydayHealth notes that the sexual urge to get an erection starts in the brain. Erectile dysfunction results when there isn’t a sufficient level of brain chemicals to stimulate blood flow to the penis.

While it’s true that certain antidepressant medications dampen sexual desire and interfere with erectile function, not all drugs cause these reactions. If you’re on an antidepressant and experiencing symptoms of ED, ask your doctor to switch you to a drug less likely to have these effects.

Among the psychological causes of erectile dysfunction, stress and the fatigue induced by stress rank somewhere near the top. Whether caused by marital or money problems or work-related worries, stress can make it difficult to get and keep an erection. In fact, stress can also put a damper on sexual desire, making the ability to get an erection pretty much a moot point.

As part of the body’s reaction to acute stress, the adrenal glands release increased amounts of cortisol, the so-called stress hormone. This cortisol can upset your body’s delicate balance of hormones, among which testosterone is the most important in terms of erectile function.

While it is clearly impossible to remove all of life’s many stressors, you should try to avoid those that you can and adopt a more laid-back attitude when it comes to dealing with those stresses that are unavoidable. If you can act quickly to resolve the issue causing your stress, by all means do it. If not, relax in the sure and certain knowledge that this too shall pass.

Low testosterone can cause a noticeable decrease in sexual drive, as well as erectile dysfunction, according to WebMD. In cases where your ED can be traced to low levels of testosterone, the problem can often be resolved by hormone replacement therapy.

Several forms of testosterone replacement therapy are available. These include transdermal skin patches, such as Androderm; gels such as AndroGel, Axiron, Fortesta, and Testim that are applied directly to the skin; injections and implants; and a mouth patch, such as Striant. Also available are testosterone tablets, which some medical professionals avoid because they can adversely affect the liver.

Although the benefits usually outweigh the risks of testosterone replacement, you and your doctor will have to make the final decision as to whether this form of treatment is advisable for you. One side effect of this therapy is an increase in red blood cell count, which can increase the risk of stroke.

Although the incidence of erectile dysfunction among younger men is much smaller than it is among those over 40, it does occur, according to EverydayHealth.com. In fact, the National Institutes of Health estimates that about 5 percent of men between the ages of 20 and 39 suffer from some form of ED.

The younger the man, the greater the likelihood that his ED can be traced to psychological causes, the most common of which are depression and performance anxiety. Depression-related erectile dysfunction can be difficult to treat because some of the medications prescribed to ease the symptoms of depression may make it difficult to get and keep an erection.

While most ED among young men is psychological in origin, other factors that may be causing erectile problems include heavy drinking, drug abuse, and obesity. Some young men may lose their erections while putting on a condom, because that procedure represents a break from stimulation that can wilt some erections.

Unless you’ve recently experienced irritation or trauma to the penis, erections should not be painful. If they are, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. According to NetWellness.org, the leading causes of erectile pain are the following:

Peyronie’s Disease: Characterized by a lump or plaque that forms on the penis, Peyronie’s can cause painful erections but can be treated.

Penile Mass: Any abnormal growth or lump on the penis should be thoroughly investigated and evaluated by ultrasound or biopsy if indicated.

Priapism: A prolonged erection — lasting more than four hours — is not only painful but also can cause scarring of erectile tissues if left untreated.

Phimosis: This condition involves a tightness of the foreskin that prevents it from retracting over the head of the penis upon erection. This can be a congenital condition or a symptom of infection.

Penile injury: This covers a wide range of possible damage to the penis itself and the blood vessels and nerves that serve it. Seek medical attention immediately if you suffer from such a trauma.

Penile prostheses — surgically implanted — come in two basic types: malleable and inflatable. The cost of the implants varies sharply depending on the type of implant you choose, the surgeon performing the procedure, and the part of the country in which surgery is done. That said, the total cost of penile implant surgery ranges from a low of $10,000 to a high of $20,000. Health insurance plans often cover implant procedures, particularly if the patient is suffering from ED caused by a disease or as a side effect of surgery, such as prostate surgery.

Of the two types of implants, the malleable prosthesis represents older technology and involves somewhat less surgery, making it the cheaper of the two. Because inflatable penile implants consist of additional components that must also be hidden beneath the patient’s skin, they cost more than the malleable type.