men's health

Coping With Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) impacts 30 million men in the United States alone. Fortunately, there are many effective treatments for ED. In Royal Palm Beach, Advanced Medical Clinic is the place to go to discuss erectile dysfunction confidentially and to get the coping strategies and treatments you need for satisfying sexual health.

What Is Erectile Dysfunction?

Frankly, most men would admit they experience some degree of sexual dysfunction from time to time. However, persistent difficulties in achieving and maintaining an erection sufficient to have intercourse are abnormal. Men who experience this issue need help from their primary care provider.

What Causes Erectile Dysfunction?

Your family medicine provider encounters many patients who struggle with ED. The reasons for the problem vary, but usually, they fall under two categories: physical and psychological.

The physical causes include:

●     Poorly controlled diabetes

●     Injury to the groin, abdomen, or back

●     Obesity

●     Cardiovascular disease

●     Hypertension

●     Prostate issues, such as benign prostatic hypertrophy

●     Neurological problems

●     Certain medications

●     Some surgeries

The psychological causes include:

●     Alcohol or substance abuse

●     Family or work stress

●     Relationship issues between partners

●     Depression

●     Anxiety

Coping With Erectile Dysfunction

The first and best coping mechanism is an open, honest discussion with your primary care provider. They will assess your overall health and ask about your symptoms. They may order blood tests and other lab work to check for diabetes and other problems which could cause ED.

Additionally, your family medicine provider will screen you for emotional health issues, such as depression and anxiety, to determine if you require counseling or other psychological interventions.

To manage your ED, you and your family medicine provider will pursue a treatment plan tailored to your individual needs. Some men benefit from oral medications, such as Viagra and Cialis. There are suppositories and self-injectable medications that help many men, as well.

Other men may need a surgically-inserted penile implant to aid in obtaining and keeping an erection. Plus, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is not just for women. Men with erectile dysfunction may have low-T (testosterone) and can benefit from HRT taken in pill form.

For most men–and this likely includes you–lifestyle changes greatly improve sexual function. Here are some suggestions that really work:

●     Avoid being sedentary, and start exercising. Regular exercise improves your mood, reduces stress, and benefits your vascular function.

●     Stop all smoking, and limit alcohol consumption. Both adversely impact the microcirculation in the lower extremities.

●     Achieve a healthy body weight. The bigger your waistline, the greater your chances of developing ED.

●     Eat fewer processed foods and more vegetables and fruit. Studies show a direct link between junk food and ED.

Don’t Wait for Erectile Dysfunction to Go Away

You can manage sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction, with the help of your primary care provider. So, why not take back control by calling Dr. Ishan Gunawardene? He is board-certified in internal medicine and has expertise and training in many subspecialties, including men’s health.

Contact Advanced Medical Clinic to schedule a consultation. Call us at (561) 434-1935, or request an appointment online.

Causes of Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects up to 30 million men across the United States. It can be a distressing condition, and it can be caused by many different factors such as an underlying health condition or stress.

If erectile dysfunction is regularly interfering with your life, it may be time to seek advice from an internal medicine specialist to get to the root of the issue so it can be successfully treated. Let’s talk about what causes ED and who can help you overcome the condition with treatment.

What Is Erectile Dysfunction?

It is not uncommon for men to fail to get, or keep, an erection from time to time. However, if this issue becomes a more frequent problem, it may be a sign of erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence.

ED occurs when you are unable to achieve an erection, maintain an erection, or ejaculate on a regular basis. This issue can be caused by a number of physical and emotional problems, and the risk of developing erectile dysfunction increases with age. The risk of ED also increases in men who have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.

What Causes Erectile Dysfunction?

Sexual arousal is a complex process involving the brain, hormones, emotions, nerves, muscles, and blood vessels. If there is a problem in one of these areas, such as an underlying heart condition or circulatory problem, it can cause erectile dysfunction.

Lifestyle factors including smoking, drinking alcohol, or using illicit drugs can also have an impact on the ability to achieve or sustain an erection. Some of the other main underlying conditions that can lead to ED include the following:

Cardiac Conditions

Health conditions that affect the heart and blood flow, such as heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension (high blood pressure), and atherosclerosis (clogged blood vessels, or hardening of the arteries), can negatively impact the amount of blood traveling to the penis. If there is not enough blood flow, it can prevent the ability to achieve or maintain an erection. Being overweight or obese can also cause elevated cholesterol levels and damage blood vessels, thereby leading to erectile dysfunction.

Endocrine Disorders

The endocrine system is a network of glands that produce, release, and regulate hormones to help with many important functions within the body. These functions include metabolism, reproduction, sexual function, and mood. Endocrine disorders can cause the body to produce too much or too little of a hormone, thereby leading to a hormone imbalance – and some of these hormonal abnormalities can cause erectile dysfunction.

Neurological and Nerve Disorders

Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, and stroke result from damage to the nervous system. Nerve damage can affect the brain’s ability to communicate with parts of the body, such as the reproductive system, thereby potentially preventing the ability to achieve an erection. Injury, prostate surgery, and surgeries that affect the pelvic or spinal region can also result in nerve damage that lead to erectile dysfunction.

Medications

Some medications, such as those which treat high blood pressure, can decrease blood flow to the penis and make it difficult to achieve an erection. Other medications can affect the hormones or nerves and cause the same effect.

Medicines that can contribute to erectile dysfunction include:

  • Prostate cancer medications
  • Diuretics
  • Antidepressants
  • Beta-blockers
  • Chemotherapy
  • Muscle relaxants
  • Synthetic hormones

Psychological Factors

Psychological issues such as stress, depression, anxiety, and fatigue can all affect your ability to become sexually aroused. This can have an impact on achieving or sustaining an erection.

Comprehensive Medical Care in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach

Here at the Advanced Medical Clinic, we offer a high standard of primary and urgent care for health issues and health maintenance. Our comprehensive treatment options are designed to help you achieve a better quality of life through management of many conditions, such as erectile dysfunction and reproductive issues.

If you are looking for quality healthcare, turn to our board-certified internal medicine specialist Dr. Gunawardene and his team of experienced and compassionate medical providers. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, contact us today by calling us at (561) 434-1935 or request an appointment now via our convenient online form. We look forward to being your healthcare partner.

Signs of Erectile Dysfunction

There are few things in life that can rob a man of his confidence more than sexual problems. If this has happened to you, you were probably alarmed the first time you experienced it.

Before you think that yours is a rare situation, know that erectile dysfunction (ED) is actually a very common sexual problem in men of all ages. The condition affects more than 30 million men in the United States.

Erectile dysfunction is not due to a single occurrence in the body but rather a series of occurrences. When sexually aroused, the nerves in your penis release chemicals that make blood rush to it. Since the penis is made of erection chambers that are made of spongy muscle tissue, they temporarily trap the blood which rushes to it, resulting in an erection. Any interruption or interference in any of these processes can contribute to ED.

Symptoms of ED

With erectile dysfunction, the penis does not function as it should despite being sexually aroused. Here are the major signs of ED:

Trouble Getting an Erection or Keeping an Erection h2

Erectile dysfunction can be any of these scenarios:

  • Being unable to get an erection
  • Being able to get an erection but having trouble keeping it
  • Having an erection that is not sufficient for sex

Having occasional ED can be normal if you are too tired, too stressed, or have had too much to drink. However, a consistent string of ED occurrences is not normal, and you could have a blockage in your penis or a related issue. Therefore, you need to have yourself evaluated and treated by a family medicine provider to get your body working normally again.

Reduced Sexual Desire and Loss of Confidence

Having trouble getting and keeping an erection can dampen sexual desire – creating a vicious cycle. It may be due to a number of embarrassing or disempowering experiences that can kill your natural desire for sex, or it may be due to an underlying health condition.

If you are healthy, you will have a natural desire to have sex. Your ED may be a physical issue or a psychological issue, or a combination of both – with erectile dysfunction, it’s difficult to disentangle the two.

Troubled Relationship

Erectile dysfunction can have serious psychological and emotional repercussions in your romantic relationship, because your partner could misinterpret your ED as indicating their own lack of attractiveness. Therefore, it’s not uncommon for erectile dysfunction to be the source of arguments and dissatisfaction in a relationship.

For this reason, you should see a family medicine provider to find out what is causing the dysfunction. Once the underlying cause is discovered, a solution and treatment can be determined.

Treatment for Erectile Dysfunction in Palm Beach

Erectile dysfunction can be a symptom of an underlying health condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease. Make no mistake: Erectile dysfunction is a valid medical condition that should be treated.

If you are ready to get to the bottom of what’s causing your erectile dysfunction, our skilled family medicine providers here at Advanced Medical Clinic is ready to help. To schedule a consultation, call us at (561) 434-1935 or request an appointment by filling out our online form now. We look forward to being your go-to healthcare provider for a lifetime of health and wellness.