Causes of erectile dysfunction

In order to best understand the causes of erectile dysfunction, it is best to begin with an explanation of what causes an erection.

Hormones, blood vessels, nerves, and muscles must all work together to make an erection. Your brain starts an erection by sending nerve signals to the penis when it senses sexual stimulation.

Touching may cause this arousal. Another trigger may be something you see, smell, or hear. It may be a sexual thought or dream.

The nerve signals cause the muscles enclosed by the penis to relax and consent to blood flow into the spongy tissue inside the penis. Blood collects in this tissue like water filling a sponge. The penis becomes larger and firmer, like an inflated balloon. The veins subsequently get shut off to keep blood from flowing out.

After a climax, or after the sexual arousal has passed, the veins open back up and blood flows back into the body.

The principal causes of erectile dysfunction are health problems; many of which necessitate treatment to help avert complications more important than ED itself.

Damage to nerves, arteries, smooth muscles, and fibrous tissues, often as a result of disease, is the main cause of erectile dysfunction.

Diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease, chronic alcoholism, multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis, vascular disease, and neurologic disease account for about 70 percent of ED cases.

Lifestyle choices that contribute to heart disease and vascular problems additionally raise the risk of ED. Smoking, obesity, and lack of exercise is furthermore a possible cause of erectile dysfunction.

Other causes of erectile dysfunction ( ED ) may include the following:

High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage the arteries that supply blood to the penis.
Diabetes injures blood vessels and the nerves that control erections. Between 35 and 50 percent of men with diabetes experience ED.
Many prescription drugs such as antidepressants or even high blood pressure medicines may be amongst the causes of erectile dysfunction. Your doctor may be able to change your drug treatment. Never stop taking a prescribed drug without talking to your doctor.
Unhealthy habits like smoking, which affects blood flow in veins and arteries, overeating, and lack of exercise can also be one of the causes of erectile dysfunction.
A general guideline, anything that's bad for your heart is also bad for your sexual health.
An injury to the spinal cord can cause ED by interfering with nerve signals.
Treatments for prostate cancer, involving radiation and prostate removal, can damage the nerves that control erections.
Diseases that affect the nerves, like multiple sclerosis, can also lead to erection problems.
A small number of ED cases result from a diminished level of the male hormone testosterone.
Doctors used to believe that most cases of ED culminated from mental or emotional problems. We currently understand that most ED has a physical cause. However, depression, worry, and anxiety can still cause ED. And ED from physical causes can lead to depression and worry, making physical ED worse.
Specialists conceive that psychological factors such as stress, anxiety, guilt, depression, low self esteem, and fear of sexual failure cause 10 to 20 percent of ED cases.
A person should not assume that ED is part of the normal aging process. There is likely an underlying health challenge that is the cause of erectile dysfunction.