Dealing with ED: Five Things You Need to Know; Top NYC Urologist Offers Advice to Patients and Their Partners
Roughly half of all men over 50 have some degree of erectile dysfunction (ED). ED, which is sometimes called "impotence," is the repeated inability to get or keep an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse. But while ED has been a problem for men for generations, the last ten years have seen enormous strides in the way doctors can treating the condition. Today, there are many more options.
New York, NY (PRWEB) October 26, 2007 -- Roughly half of all men over 50 - as many as 30 million individuals - have some degree of erectile dysfunction (ED). ED, which is sometimes called "impotence," is the repeated inability to get or keep an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse. ED is different from other sexual problems that men might experience, such as low libido and ejaculatory difficulties. ED, as its name suggests, is all about achieving and maintaining erections.
"All men have difficulty with erections at times, and for most, these problems are few and far between," says Robert J. Valenzuela, MD, a leading urologist and ED expert with Gramercy Urology Solutions in NYC. But men with consistent erection problems can experience a host of psychological symptoms, Dr. Valenzuela explains, including low self-esteem, anxiety and depression, all of which can spill over into the rest of the man's life and cause real problems in both his personal and professional life.
But while erectile dysfunction has been a problem for men for generations, the last ten years have seen enormous strides in the way doctors can treating the condition. "Today, we have many more options when dealing with ED," says Dr. Valenzuela. "No man with ED should feel that there's no solution to his problem."
Following are five things that every man (and his partner) should know about ED:
-ED is NOT an unavoidable part of the aging process. While it is common in older men, ED is by no means inevitable, says Dr, Valenzuela.
-ED is often caused by seemingly unrelated conditions or lifestyle factors. For example, erectile dysfunction is a common complication of diabetes. As many as 80 percent of men with diabetes develop ED, and it develops at an earlier age in diabetic men (around age 50 vs. age 65), and men as young as 30 have also experienced diabetes-related ED. ED can be a side-effect of prescription drugs, such as certain depression, heart and blood pressure medications. Obesity, high cholesterol and smoking can also contribute to ED.
-Medications such as Viagra aren't only for men with serious ED. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three medications -- Viagra (sildenafil citrate), Levitra (vardenafil HCI), and Cialis (tadafil) -- which are known as phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) inhibitors. They work for men with all levels of ED by relaxing the muscle cells in the penis' erection chambers, enhancing blood flow and thus helping produce a firm erection.
Moreover, a new study shows that Viagra seems to increase levels of a hormone called Oxytocin, which is involved in arousal, orgasm and sexual pleasure as well as feelings of love.
-Viagra and its chemical cousins aren't your only option. If you're one of the approximately three out of ten men for whom the PDE-5 inhibitors don't work, you've got a few more treatments to consider. For example, your doctor might prescribe a drug such as alprostadil (marketed as Caverject), which you'll inject directly into your penis, which will widen the blood vessels and cause it to become engorged. Your doctor also can instruct you on using a system called Muse, which inserts a pellet of alprostadil into the urethra. Or you can try a mechanical vacuum device, which draws blood into the penis, engorging and expanding it. These devices consist of a plastic cylinder, a pump, and an elastic band, which is placed around the base of the penis to prevent blood from flowing back into the body, thus allowing you to maintain the erection after the cylinder is removed.
Surgery is a viable solution for many men. Depending on the cause of your ED, surgeons might implant a device, or prosthetic, says Dr. Valenzuela. Implanted devices can restore erection in many men with ED, he adds. One surgical option is the insertion of malleable rods. Afterwards, the user manually adjusts the position of the penis and rods in order to create an erection.
Inflatable implants are another option. In this case, the surgeon implants a pair of cylinders, a fluid reservoir and a small pump. The patient inflates the cylinders by pressing on the pump, located under the skin in the scrotum.
"All of these innovations boil down to one truth," says Dr. Valenzuela: "A brighter prognosis for men with erectile dysfunction."
BIO: Robert J. Valenzuela, MD:
Dr. Valenzuela's concentration in urology is male impotency. He is an assistant professor of clinical urology at New York Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and holds attending privileges at Beth Israel Medical Center and Montefiore Medical Center. Dr. Valenzuela is a graduate of the Mount Sinai school of Medicine and did his residency training at Beth Israel Medical Center. Dr. Valenzuela is one of a few doctors who perform Penile Implants on a consistent basis. Dr. Valenzuela performs his penile implant procedures at Gramercy Surgery Center in NYC.
About: Gramercy Urology Solutions:
Gramercy Urology Solutions, PC is an AAAHC Accredited Lithotripsy Center and offers urologists the opportunity to treat their patients in a warm, patient-friendly environment that is often missing in a hospital-based setting. The state-of-the-art facility is equipped with the latest equipment for the treatment of kidney stones and prostate disease. www.gramercyus.com.
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