Erectile Dysfunction Q & A
—What Is Erectile Dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction, often referred to as impotence or ED, occurs when you're either unable to achieve or maintain an erection. Erectile dysfunction can also reduce your sexual desire.
This condition is much more prevalent than most men believe it to be. In fact, it affects nearly 30 million men of all ages - it's another common misconception that erectile dysfunction only affects older men.
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—What Causes Erectile Dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction has many causes. Getting an erection is more complicated than having additional blood flow to your penis during sexual arousal. There are a variety of physical, hormonal, and mental factors that contribute to your sex drive and ability to achieve and maintain an erection.
Some of the physical causes of erectile dysfunction include:
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Prostate Cancer or an Enlarged Prostate
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- Diabetes
- High Blood Pressure
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- Peyronie's Disease (Scar Tissue Buildup in Your Penis)
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In addition to these, psychological causes of erectile dysfunction include:
Your lifestyle can also contribute to erectile dysfunction. For example, if you smoke or are overweight, you may have trouble achieving an erection.
—How Is The Cause Of Erectile Dysfunction Diagnosed?
We provide a detailed physical exam and consultation to gauge your overall health while searching for the condition or health issue that's getting in the way of your sexual wellness. Your doctor orders blood tests and may recommend imaging tests like ultrasounds to look for circulation problems that are preventing blood from reaching your penis.
—How Is Erectile Dysfunction Treated?
We customize your treatment plan to address your unique situation. At North Florida Urology Associates, the doctors do more than prescribe medication to help you get an erection. They offer innovative new techniques like shock wave therapy and stem cell therapy to restore and repair the blood vessels and spongy tissue in your penis so you can get an erection without medical assistance.
Shockwave therapy directs acoustic pulse energy to the tissue in your penis. This process applies mechanical stress to the tissue, which triggers your body's healing and regenerative response without causing an injury. Your penis is flooded with white blood cells that carry the nutrient necessary for new cells and blood vessels to grow, reversing tissue atrophy that contributes to erectile dysfunction.
Stem cell therapy also floods your penis with the basic cellular building blocks necessary for new tissue growth. Your doctor harvests stem cells from your body to create a serum rich in growth factors which they then inject into your genitals to stimulate cell growth.
CaverSTIM is a neurostimulator treatment that activates the cavernous nerve to improve your erectile function. The device is implanted in your body and can repair nerve damage caused by prostate surgery or spinal cord injury that inhibits your ability to get an erection. Don't suffer in silence or assume that erectile dysfunction is a natural part of getting older. Call us to discover your treatment possibilities today.
