There are two types of erectile dysfunction. Rare as it is, primary impotence means that a male has never had an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. Secondary impotence, a more common loss of erectile ability after a normal function, usually develops gradually unless brought on by an injury or sudden disease. People once thought that male sexual dysfunction was usually triggered by psychological problems. But nowadays we are aware that factors such as stress, depression and fear of poor performance in bed are at the causes of only 10% to 20% of ED. In most cases it is caused by physical factors, such as vascular disorders, nerve damage, penile abnormalities. Male sexual disorder can also be a side effect of certain prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs. Still, whatever the causes are, it is common for men who experience ED to have feelings of guilt, anxiety and low self-esteem. There are only 3 oral medicines approved by the FDA to treat erectile dysfunction: Cialis, Levitra, and Viagra. The medicines relax and widen the penile walls allowing more blood to flow to the organ, so that when a man is sexually aroused, he can attain an erection. The medicines work by a similar mechanism to cause an erection. There are subtle differences in how long and how promptly the drug works. Levitra works a bit longer than Viagra. They both take effect in around thirty minutes. With Levitra, the effects last for about 5 hours. With Viagra, the effects last about 4 hours. Cialis works a bit quicker (within about 15 minutes), and the effects last much longer - up to 36 hours in some cases. Although each medicine has proven efficacious, none is cure-all. Moreover they can bring on health problems if interact with other medications. Note that drug-to-drug interactions with nitrates or nitroglycerin cardiac drugs can trigger a dangerous drop in blood pressure, which can be lethal. More general side effects, such as bad headaches and - in case of Viagra - visual changes can be observed. Along with drugs, there are other treatment methods, such as vacuum therapy, penile injections, urethral pellets and penile implants for severe cases of ED. The type of treatment, consequently, is dependent on the severity of ED. |
