Diabetes and Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction is the most common disease which many men face in their lifetime. About 40% of men may start feeling some degree of ED or impotence by the age of 40. Almost 70% of men above 70 years get affected by ED. Diabetic men are supposed to be three times more likely to have erectile dysfunction than non-diabetic men. About 40% to 70% of diabetic persons may experience some degree of ED during their lifetime.

In most cases, patients facing ED or impotence feel embarrassed or shy about discussing their problems. The good thing about ED is that it is curable in most cases.

What is ED or erectile dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a sexual disease. It is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection firm enough to have penetrative sex. To have an erection, one needs the followings:

• Healthy blood vessels
• Healthy nerves
• The average level of male hormones
• Sexual stimulation

Causes of erectile dysfunction in diabetic men:

The process of penis erection is somewhat like a balloon. During sexual arousal, nerve messages from the brain cause the muscle of corpora cavernosa to relax. It allows excess blood to flow in the penis, causing a ballooning effect to get an erection. In diabetic persons, the higher glucose level in the bloodstream damages the penis vessel involved in erection. A diabetic person may face ED even if he has normal male hormones, an urge to have sex, or sexual stimulation.

Testosterone level plays a significant role in the sexual function of men. It is found that about 25% of the diabetic patient has a low level of testosterone and may face ED.

Side effects of some ongoing medication may also cause erectile dysfunction.

Psychological issues like depression or neurological issues like the problem with the nerves related to the penis may also cause erectile dysfunction. It is often seen that diabetes can make these symptoms worse. The struggle to maintain one’s diabetes and mental fatigue can cause erectile dysfunction. Anxiety and mental tension may also lead to sleeplessness. Subsequently, this may trigger ED.

Lethargic, inactive lifestyle and unhealthy diet may also be one of the indirect reasons for ED.

Treatments available to cure erectile dysfunction:

There are many cures for ED available, such as:

Oral medication

There are many oral medications available such as sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra), tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis), but no oral medication should not be taken without proper consultation with a specialist.

Intracavernous injection therapy

In this therapy, alprostadil injection is injected directly into the penis. Alprostadil causes blood vessels to expand. Due to increased blood flow in the penis, the patient achieves an erection.

Intra Urethral therapy

These are medicated urethral suppositories that are inserted into the urethra for achieving erection just before intercourse.

Vacuum pump devices

If intracavernous injection or intraurethral therapy doesn’t work, then vacuum erection devices may be used. There are many types of vacuum pumps available in the market or online.

Treatment of low testosterone level

In some cases, having low libido, depression, anxiety, and fatigue may be attributed to testosterone’s low level.

Surgery

In this surgery, surgeons attempt to reconstruct/remove the damaged or leaking penile blood vessels. The success rate in this therapy is significantly less.

Penile prostheses

If no other therapy can give satisfactory results, the option of having penile prostheses can also be considered to cure ED. The penile prostheses are of two types: inflatable and malleable. It is advisable for those cases in which no other therapy has been successful.

Sex therapy

In most cases, a sex therapist can be the most helpful person to cure ED. Lack of intimacy, loss of attraction in a partner, loss of confidence, performance anxiety, and low self-esteem may is the reasons for erectile dysfunction in many cases.

What should a diabetic person with the problem of ED do?

An ED patient may benefit from adopting a healthy lifestyle by incorporating exercise, a balanced diet, meditation, etc., in his daily routine.

If a doctor’s intervention is required, then one should look out for the best general physician or doctor of sexology in the vicinity. Since talking or enquiring about anything related to sex is considered taboo in most cultures or societies, one may search for the best sexologists using the internet. There are many websites and android app available like doctoriduniya.com, practo.com, or DoctoriDuniya app.

There are many excellent online consultation facilities available such as NAINI, to have a personalized medical account. It keeps track of online consultation and online appointment booking schedules with the doctors. The patient can store all records related to health, medical reports of self or family.

Online doctor services give patients control, accessibility, and convenience. With DoctoriDuniya digital healthcare, you receive the same level and range of quality services as with in-clinic consultations — detailed consultation, e-Prescription, referrals, or diagnostic tests, and anything else.

Your digital medical records and history are protected by doctor-patient confidentiality and are accessible to your allowed doctors.

Having erectile dysfunction can be a real challenge. It can leave you and your partner feeling frustrated and discouraged. Take steps to cope with erectile dysfunction — and get your sex life back on track.