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What is impotence? Is impotence different from erectile dysfunction? What, exactly is the definition of impotence?
Impotence – otherwise known as erectile dysfunction – is a condition when a penis is unable to get or keep an erection for sexual intercourse. This is not to be confused with premature ejaculation where a male reaches an orgasm far too quickly during sex.
What makes a man impotent?
This health condition usually affects older males but can also affect younger men especially if they have an underlying medical condition that causes an inability to maintain erections. There are also psychological factors that can affect a man’s ability to get an erection.
What Causes Impotence?
In most cases, erectile dysfunction (impotence) occurs when blood flow to the penis is restricted. Several health conditions are linked to erectile dysfunction. These include:
- Diabetes
- Kidney diseases
- Multiple sclerosis
- Spinal cord injury
- Trauma
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Obesity
Other causes of impotence also include psychological factors like stress, anxiety, and depression. Having low testosterone levels can also lead to impotence and may require hormone replacement therapy.
Studies show that approximately 40% of men are affected by impotence at age 40 and nearly 70% of men are affected at age 70. If you feel like you’re suffering from erectile dysfunction and you’re not sure what’s triggering it, it’s best if you seek medical advice from sexual health professionals so they can provide health information and discuss the right treatment options for you.
Risk Factors: What Causes Male Impotence in Younger People?
For younger folks, there are risk factors that increase the likelihood of suffering from impotence. Drinking too much alcohol makes it harder to maintain an erection regardless of age. And you might want to stop smoking because that’s one of the main causes of impotence.
Being overweight also affects your blood vessels’ ability to circulate blood throughout your body, especially to your penis. And so does substance abuse (drugs).
If you have cardiovascular disease or neurologic disorders, head to a clinic and talk to a doctor to get proper treatment and medications that can help you have pleasurable sexual intercourse again.
What Can Cause Impotence in Physically Fit Men?
Impotence impacts a large number of men for a wide variety of reasons, with global erectile dysfunction expected to increase to 322 million men by 2025.
It’s difficult to provide a one-size-fits-all answer for this reason. However, if you’re physically fit and still have a hard time getting an erection, the problem could be psychological in nature.
Do you have relationship problems? Do you have depression? Stress and related issues can contribute to your inability to stay erect during intercourse. If this is the case, you might benefit from making lifestyle changes to stay mentally happy. Booking an appointment with a mental health professional can lead you to answers to your sexual problems.
You can also talk to your partner or partners about making changes to how you have sex. If you’re not getting turned on by the usual moves, spicing things up in the bedroom can improve your chances of getting an erection.
Your penis might respond better to different positions. The inclusion of sex toys might also introduce a new dimension to your sex life.
At What Age Do Men Become Impotent?
Does impotence impact all men at some point in their life? And if so, at what age do men become impotent?
The majority (74%) of men will start seeing physical changes to their bodies around 53 to 59 years old. This is also the time when most of them will suffer from impotence. But some people only get impotent at age 60 and above.
At some point, a man will inevitably see erectile dysfunction become a part of his life as blood flow won’t be strong enough to last long enough for sex. But they can always go to a doctor to seek medical advice and get prescribed medications.
What Treatments Are Available for Erectile Dysfunction?
Even if you find yourself with impotence, there are several things you could do so that you get an erection again.
The first step is to go to a clinic and seek medical advice from an erectile dysfunction doctor. Doing so will give you a better idea of the root cause of the problem and the available treatments.
There are oral medications that you can take like Sildenafil (Viagra), Tadalafil (Cialis, Adcirca), Vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn), and Avanafil (Stendra). These medications relax the muscles in your penis so that there’s an increase in blood flow. When you’re sexually stimulated while on these meds, you will get an erection.
But you can’t get these medications on your own. They can be dangerous especially if you have heart disease, a history of heart failure, or have low blood pressure (hypotension).
If you have low testosterone, then testosterone replacement therapy might be the way to go to get rid of the symptoms.
How to Address the Causes of Impotence for Men That Don’t Like Taking Medications
There are treatments available for those that don’t like taking medications. Penis pumps (also referred to as vacuum erection devices) are hand- or battery-powered devices that you insert your penis into.
Once you’re ready, you operate the pump so that all the air is sucked out. The vacuum created will force blood to rush to your penis which leads to an erection. You then slip on a tension ring which will keep the blood in place before removing the pump.
You can also achieve an erect penis by undergoing surgery and getting a penile implant. These are either inflatable or bendable rods that go into your penis. While there are pros and cons to each of these devices, they are both effective in giving impotent men erections when they’re ready for intercourse.
Also, you can try talking to your partner to remove some of the anxiety that you have about your inability to get an erection and how it can affect you. Addressing your anxiety might lift some of the burdens off of you, making you more relaxed.
It’s also important to talk about your options like getting surgery in a clinic or taking medications.
If relationship problems are the cause of your erectile dysfunction, you should talk to your partners about your inability to have sexual relations and how they can help.
Frequently Asked Questions About Erectile Dysfunction (Impotence)
What is the main cause of impotence?
Impotence is usually caused by the lack of blood flow to the vascular region of the body. Sometimes, it’s caused by psychological factors, alcohol, smoking, obesity, and other related health conditions.
What are the signs of impotence in a man?
A man is impotent if he is unable to get or sustain an erection consistently. Do note that there are times when men have problems getting an erection. If you still can have sex on most occasions, it’s very likely that you don’t have erectile dysfunction and don’t need medicine for it.
Can impotence be cured?
Curing impotence depends on the cause of the symptoms. If it’s psychological, you can treat it by talking to a health professional. If it’s due to a disease like diabetes, a doctor might give you medicine to address the symptoms or may recommend exercises such as kegels. If it’s due to old age, the doctor might recommend surgery or oral medications to help you manage your problems.
What does impotence mean?
Erectile dysfunction (impotence) is a condition where males are unable to get an erection or keep them long enough for sexual intercourse. There are a lot of causes of impotence so you’ll need to go to a clinic for medical advice to find out what’s causing the issue.
If you’re having issues with impotence and may benefit from erectile dysfunction medical treatment, call the team at Priority Men’s Medical Center in Atlanta now to schedule an appointment to have a consultation with our experienced and specially trained medical staff.
