There’s little doubt that the problems surrounding erectile dysfunction (ED) impotence, are not at all uncommon especially in the case of men who are over 40. By itself ED is not such a problem especially when it seldom occurs. However, you should pay a visit to you doctor if it continues to happen over a long period of time. In many cases ED itself is usually a side effect of some underlying condition you are suffering which may even be more serious than ED.
Impotence and erectile dysfunction
It’s often the case that medical terms are used to express the same meaning especially for the same condition. For instance the words erectile dysfunction and impotence can be used to name either erectile dysfunction or impotence.
The problem is that even though the two conditions are connected, they are really different from one another. In this article we will try and uncover the differences between impotence and erectile dysfunction and also highlight the likely solutions for them.
Several forms of erectile dysfunction:
Erectile dysfunction can assume several specific forms as described below:
- Lose an erection: Sometimes a man may happen to lose his erection earlier than expected and certainly, earlier than he wanted it to and when this happens, the loss of the erection is called an erectile dysfunction
- Get and keep an erection: Other men on the other hand are unable to achieve and maintain their erections and this condition is called impotence
Differences between impotence and erectile dysfunction
Impotence is more associated with the interference with the act of having sex as well as the natural goal of reproduction. It can also reflect the absence of sexual desire (libido) as well as issues that prevent the reaching of an orgasm or ejaculation.
Erectile dysfunction on the other hand more specifically refers to a man’s failure to achieve and maintain an erection for taking part in sexual activity.
What then are the solutions for both?
The first step to take when you want accurate information on the two conditions is for you to pay a visit to your physician.
In most cases your physician will conduct a physical examination and discuss with you past or present health problems you might have and write a list of medications you are now taking.
For your part It’s important realize that that if you or anyone in your family happen to have these conditions, you or they are not alone in their predicament. It’s all a part of growing older in life.
The good news is that there are numerous types of treatments that can be offered and certainly for you there is a specific treatment for your particular condition.
The underlying cause for your ED
Erectile dysfunction can sometimes be called the side effect of an underlying condition you are suffering with or without your knowledge which triggered the onslaught of your erectile dysfunction.
It’s usually from this cause or causes that several types of medication may be given to you so you can improve the quality of life you’re living. Only a qualified practitioner such as a doctor or your pharmacist can assist in identifying an underlying cause and give you several alternative treatments.
In most cases the causes of your erectile dysfunction consist of your own experiences and habits so they are not difficult to identify.
You may be stressed from your work at the office; you may feel a certain amount of fatigue from you long journey home from work; you may suffer from anxiety because your father is in hospital sick; you may be drinking more alcohol than usual.
If these are the underlying causes, there’s nothing to worry about because you are only one of millions of men suffering from the same condition and are using the same medication you’ll be given to take.
At this stage of your situation, you should go and see your general practitioner or your pharmacist
The time to pay attention
What can happen is that your condition just seems to keep occurring and if it does it means that there’s definitely an underlying health condition that’s triggering its reoccurrence such as diabetes.
Options available to you
When your condition keeps coming back, you can decide between three main options. You can go and visit a doctor, go to a nearly health clinic, or go to your pharmacist. All of them will provide the same treatment for your erectile dysfunction.
What to expect at your appointment
During your appointment the doctor or nurse or pharmacist may or will:
- Carry out basic health checks such as taking your blood pressure.
- Ask about your lifestyle, relationships and any issues you might be experiencing
- Also check your genitals to cancel out any observed physical cause of your ED
- Examine your prostate if you want to urinate more often than normal
In many cases, your doctor or pharmacist will prescribe sildenafil(branded Viagra) which is currently the most used drug for treating erectile dysfunction. Note though that regulations have been changed so there’s no longer any need to have a doctor’s prescription to obtain sildenafil.
Specific treatments for specific ED causes
Most of the time, erectile dysfunction is treated successfully using the standard drug medications but there are some specific treatments that are given for specific causes of erectile dysfunction as explained below:
Probable Cause Treatment given
Hormone problems Hormone replacement (for example, replacing testosterone)
Clogging of blood vessels in the penis medication for lowering blood pressure and statins to
from high blood pressure and high lower cholesterol levels
cholesterol
Side effects of given drug medication consult General Practitioner for a possible change to
an individual’s medication.
It should be stressed again that regulations have now changed that makes it possible to dispense with a prescription to obtain sildenafil.
Nevertheless, you still need to consult your pharmacist to be doubly sure you are safe when you take it.
Three other drug medications that work in a similar way to sildenafil (Viagra) can also be used to treat erectile dysfunction. These are tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil (Levitra) and avanafil (Spedra).
Conclusion
The title for this article is presented as “Erectile Dysfunction (ED) Impotence” to suggest the interchangeable use of the two terms erectile dysfunction and impotence. However it’s obvious that the real difference between them is that erectile dysfunction simply means the inability of a man to achieve and maintain an erection for having sex and impotence means a man’s inability to have sex and ejaculate his sperm for reproduction. The rest of the article explains itself.