How Stressful Situations Can Cause Erectile Dysfunction

Understanding the Link Between Stress and Erectile Dysfunction

Without doubt, you will merely be stating the obvious by saying erectile dysfunction is an embarrassing condition for men. But it is one problem that many find themselves having to deal with at some point in their life. Millions are affected in the United States and the numbers appear to be increasing. This rising trend is not unconnected with greater stress that men, or people generally, are confronted by these days.

Erectile Dysfunction and Causes

Erectile dysfunction describes the inability of a man to achieve hard erections on exposure to sexual stimulus. Ordinarily, a man should start feeling an erection coming on, say, when looking at the naked body of a lady. But an ED patient is never quite able to get an erection under such a situation – at least, not hard enough for intimacy. Another name for the condition is impotence.

Experts say the risk of developing ED increases as a man gets older. This explains why the condition is more common from middle age upwards. Some estimate shows that roughly 18 million men have it in the United States. Some even think that the number may be significantly higher due to the fact that some men feel too embarrassed to talk about it.

Different factors may be responsible for erectile dysfunction. These are broadly categorized under physical and psychological causes. The latter group is mostly to blame for the inability to achieve firm erections. Notable among these psychological factors is stress.

Causes of Stress and Warning Signs

Stress is part of life. You may not live long, if at all, if you do not experience it. Think of stress as a way of keeping your body alert in readiness for danger. In other words, it is how your body responds to stressful event. Your body switches into a “fight or flight” mode when you are under stress. The response to a stressor can be physical or psychological.

It then means that stress is not necessarily a bad thing. The real problem is when it is ever-present or chronic. In this case, significant damage can be done to the body. This leads to a plethora of medical conditions.

The death of a loved one is a common cause of stress. This is capable of making you feel like the world is crumbling around you. Other situations that can possibly lead to this condition include:

Loss of job and income
Divorce
Persistent health issues
Beating deadlines
Marital problems
Lawsuits

More than one of these stressful situations may be present at a time. It is possible that you may not realize or may refuse to admit you are under stress from these situations. But certain signs can serve as pointers to the presence of the problem.

Erectile dysfunction is just one of these warning signs, which are physical and psychological in nature. Among the others are:

Constant fatigue
High blood pressure
Frequent mood swings
Poor focus and concentration
Eating disorders
Substance abuse
Irrational fears
Sleep problems
Withdrawal from relationships
Suicidal thoughts

How Stress Contributes to Erectile Dysfunction

In all of this, the question remains how exactly stress plays a role in erectile dysfunction. This response to situations, when it becomes chronic, can disrupt different processes by which erections are attained. It upsets your body’s ability to respond to visual, mental and physical sexual stimuli. Stress can also hinder morning erection, which is known as nocturnal penile tumescence.

Stress impedes efficient functioning of the nervous system and causes hormonal imbalances. It also affects muscles and emotions adversely. The effect on blood vessels can make it harder for you to achieve firm erections as well.

Under normal conditions, the brain sets off a process that facilitates proper response to sexual stimulus. This is not the case when you are under significant stress. It inhibits adequate blood flow to the penis. It alters the levels of certain hormones in the body, among which is the male hormone testosterone.

How to Combat Erectile Dysfunction Caused by Stress

There are diverse approaches for tackling erectile dysfunction. But since stress is psychological, it is clear that measures to deal with mental and emotional problems will likely be more beneficial. The following are some of the important means of treating ED that has link to stress.

Counseling – Once your doctor is able to tell your ED is the result of stress, he will most likely refer you to a psychologist or counselor. Such a professional is in a better position to help you pin down the main issue and fashion a way to overcome the challenge. You may need to go along with your partner, especially when relationship issues are to blame.

Sex therapy – This approach is a preferred choice when there is no apparent physiological cause. A sex therapist can not only work with you to overcome ED, but also low libido and other sexual health issues. The aim of treatment is to help deal with stress that can impede a great sex life.

Sexual anxiety therapy – The aim of this treatment is to fight sexual performance anxiety which can result from excessive stress. Sexual anxiety therapy helps to reduce the pressure some men feel in trying to impress their partners. Your therapists will guide you different techniques to help you feel relaxed and be better able to impress your partner.

Exercise – This is physical in nature. But the effects of exercise extend to mental and emotional health. It is a good way to fight stress and so achieve firmer erections. Researchers have found that regular exercise can improve erectile dysfunction. You can even lower your risk of having the male health issue with less strenuous workouts.

Other Popular ED Treatments

The following are some additional options your doctor may recommend for dealing with ED. But note that not every one is likely to be advised by your health practitioner, although they are potentially beneficial.

Medications – When talking about ED treatment, drugs such as Viagra, Cialis or Levitra come to the mind of many. These are probably the only remedy some men know about. They amplify the effects of nitric oxide. In turn, muscles in the penis relax to enhance blood flow.

In addition to oral medications, there are other types that are used to promote erections. Among these are alprostadil injection and alprostadil urethra suppository. Testosterone replacement may be helpful as well.

Devices – Some men with erectile dysfunction make use of penis pumps to achieve erection. Also known as vacuum erection devices, these create a vacuum around the penis, pulling in blood. A user places a tension ring around the bottom of the penis to prevent blood from flowing out. The erection you achieve will usually last long enough for intimacy with your partner.

Surgical procedure – In some cases, this may be the ultimate resort when other forms of intervention might have failed. This, in most instances, comes as penile implants. It involves surgical insertion of prosthesis into your penis.

The implant may be an inflatable or malleable type. In the case of the former, you only get erection when and as long as you need it. Malleable implants, on the other hand, make the penis hard but bendable.

Herbs and supplements – It is not very likely that some doctors will recommend these. But herbs and natural supplements have been found to be helpful for fighting ED. Panax ginseng and chamomile are examples of herbs thought to be beneficial.

A good number of these potentially useful herbs are available as supplements. VigRX Plus is a great example of male enhancement products that contain herbal extracts and other natural ingredients. There is a claim that it not only enhances erections, like Viagra, but also boosts sexual desire. Interestingly, its maker provides bits of clinical research to back its efficacy. The supplement includes BioPerine, an ingredient that enhances the absorption and efficacy of other ingredients.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) appears to be wary of herbs and supplements that supposedly help with ED. It notes that many contain harmful substances that you won't find on their labels. This simply means every offering you come across may not be of the same quality as VigRX Plus.

By being proactive, you can hold off or better control stress and so prevent erectile dysfunction. It helps to express your upsetting emotions in an asserting but non-aggressive manner rather than bottling them up. Make effort to relax more and keep away from the sources of your stress, if possible. Do not shy away from assuming responsibility when you need to.

Putting a halt to smoking and excessive alcohol intake is among the steps to take to fight stress and ED. You should also work to shed some pounds, if you are obese or overweight. It helps to discuss with your doctor if you are considering herbs and supplements.

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