Erectile dysfunction (ED), or impotence occurs when a man is unable to get or maintain an erection. Because of the stigma attached to ED, many men shun away from talking about this subject. It is also not uncommon for men that have ED to suffer from self-esteem issues, and this can drive them towards other mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
If you think that you have ED, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it is a rather common problem men have especially when they reach their 40s. It is estimated that 40% of men in their 40’s report having ED, and there are also younger groups of men that get it.
First of all, if you have an intimate partner, you should talk to them about this. There are a variety of treatments you can get to alleviate this problem in London.
Tablets
The most common medication to temporarily treat ED is viagra sildenafil. Fortunately in the UK, you won’t need a doctor’s prescription to purchase this ED medication and they can be bought over-the-counter according to the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Viagra works by relaxing the muscles and blood vessels in the penis, allowing more blood to flow into the penis and making it hard. On average, it takes about 30-60 minutes for viagra to work.
Linear Shockwave Therapy
This method might sound intense, but this is one of the non-invasive treatments that has seen great results. This method has actually been done for patients with kidney stones and joint inflammations.
Shockwave therapy works by targeting the erectile mechanism of the penis, helping men make a proper recovery rather than just temporarily fixing the issue.
This works by directing acoustic waves through the erectile tissue and promoting a process called neovascularization which encourages the formation of new blood vessels.
A study in 2015 found that shockwave therapy has a success rate of 80%. In London, you can find specialized shockwave therapy clinics that will assess your situation and advise you on how you should proceed.
Vacuum Techniques
This is another noninvasive technique that’s highly effective. However, like the viagra, it only has temporary effects. The user would insert his penis inside a cylinder, and a vacuum is created by a battery pump or hand. This rushes blood into the penis and an erection can be formed. Before the cylinder is removed, the user would place a band around the penis to ensure the penis remains erect.
For some men, it does require some practice and getting used to but the success rate is very high for this sort of treatment.
Psychosexual Counselling
There are cases where a person’s ED isn’t caused by physiological problems, but psychological issues instead. If a man was sexually abused as a child or had undergone some sort of trauma, this may negatively affect his ability to get an erection.
The appropriate treatment for this would be seeing a psychosexual therapists, or sometimes known as sex therapist. In general, a therapist’s job is to help their clients understand the source of their mental health, how to cope with various challenges and direct their thinking so that their client’s lives can be improved.
In this case, by overcoming the negative emotions and thought processes, the client can become comfortable enough to engage in sexual activity with his partner.
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