Erectile dysfunction: What you need to discuss with your doctor

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This article is expertly consulted by MSc Vo Thien Ngon - Urologist, Department of General Surgery, Vinmec International Hospital Da Nang.
Erectile dysfunction is mainly caused by unhealthy lifestyle, food pollution, penile trauma. Whether erectile dysfunction is curable and whether it will go away on its own are issues that need to be discussed in detail with your doctor.

1. What is Erectile Dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction is a very common condition in men, occurring when the penis is not able to or cannot maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. If this happens only occasionally, there is no need to worry. However, if this problem is repeated many times, causing great influence on sex, it is considered as erectile dysfunction.

2. Causes of male erectile dysfunction

Causes of erectile dysfunction include:
Disorders that reduce blood flow or damage the nerves in the penis; Effects of pelvic or abdominal surgery (most commonly prostate surgery), radiation therapy, spinal disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or peripheral neuropathy; Hormonal disorders (such as low testosterone) are also causes of erectile dysfunction. Some other factors include: stroke, tobacco habits, alcohol consumption and substance use. Drug side effects that can also contribute to erectile dysfunction (especially in older men) include certain antihypertensive drugs, antidepressants, sedatives, diuretics, or other medications. banned substances.
In addition, psychological factors, such as fatigue, stress, and anxiety can have a significant impact, making it difficult for men to have an erection during sex.

3. Can erectile dysfunction be cured?

Erectile dysfunction is completely treatable. Sometimes, the treatment of a disease is as simple as following a medication regimen exactly as directed in the doctor's prescription. There are medications that are only intended to treat erectile dysfunction in men. In addition, the doctor can choose a number of other options, including:
Injections; Suppository; Penile implant surgery; Using special devices, like vacuum pumps, help increase blood flow to the penis. When detecting symptoms of erectile dysfunction, patients should go to a medical facility to be examined and diagnosed to find out the exact cause, to avoid self-medication. Many cases of men having problems with erection stem from something more serious, such as:
High blood pressure ; Hardening of the arteries; Diabetes. In addition, erectile dysfunction can also be caused by other treatments, including:
Prostate surgery; Radiotherapy. Thus, to answer the question "Does erectile dysfunction go away on its own? “First of all, the patient needs to go to the doctor to find out exactly what is the cause of the disease. Depending on the condition of each patient, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate treatment. In some cases, it is only necessary to change the lifestyle and exercise actively, the symptoms of the disease will be resolved.
On the other hand, if the cause of the illness is stress, anxiety or depression, the patient needs to visit and talk to a psychologist to overcome the causative agent.

4. Notes during medical examination

When detecting symptoms of erectile dysfunction, men need to go to a medical facility for examination. If the patient does not want to tell the receptionist the reason for his visit, the patient can simply say that he is having a problem related to men's health.
Patients should prepare the following information in advance to aid in the examination and diagnosis, including:
All medications being taken: Including prescription and non-prescription drugs, herbal remedies , food supplements and vitamins; Detailed information about the condition: What are the specific symptoms? When do symptoms appear, fast or slow? Do the symptoms just appear randomly, from time to time? Does the disease only happen under certain circumstances? Some personal information: Is the patient experiencing any stress? Has there been any significant change at home or work recently? Habits related to erectile problems: Do you drink a lot of alcohol, use cocaine, tobacco or drugs? Men should be frank with their partners about their medical conditions and may even bring her with them to their medical visits to add some symptoms the patient may forget or not think about.

5. Need to talk to a doctor to understand erectile dysfunction

Patients with erectile dysfunction as well as male physiological problems in general often have many questions about their disease. Be prepared with questions and concerns before coming to the doctor:
What is the cause of this condition? Are these symptoms permanent or just temporary? Can erectile dysfunction be cured? What do treatment options include? What if the treatment doesn't work? Need to see a gynecologist? Is the treatment fee covered by health insurance? Can erectile dysfunction go away on its own? How to change lifestyle? How do I find out more information?

6. How is the disease diagnosed?

If it is difficult to talk about their symptoms, the patient can say, "I think I have an erection problem." With this statement, most doctors will understand what the patient is experiencing, but still need to clarify some more information.
In case the doctor is not convenient to discuss the disease, they will suggest to refer the patient to a urologist.
In the process of asking the patient, the doctor will need to know some sensitive information related to the individual patient to serve the diagnosis. Patients should answer all of these questions fully and honestly. In addition, men presenting for erectile dysfunction may need to undergo a physical examination, involving the genitals and prostate. In addition, the doctor may also order the patient to have blood tests and some other tests to identify related underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease.
The process of examining and discussing with a doctor about erectile dysfunction can sometimes make a patient feel uncomfortable at first visit. However, this is extremely necessary for the patient himself, to help the doctor accurately diagnose the cause, thereby choosing the most appropriate treatment method.

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Reference source: webmd.com