Men's Sexual Health Treatment
Male sexual health includes infertility problems, sexually transmitted diseases and erectile dysfunction. This article will focus on sexual dysfunction. Remedies include prescription or non-prescription drugs, surgery and psychological counseling. Treatment often depends on the cause of the dysfunction.
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Causes
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Sexual dysfunction can result from heart and vascular disease; neurological disorders; glucose and hormonal imbalances; chronic diseases such as kidney or liver failure; smoking; alcoholism; and drug abuse. Additionally, decreased sexual desire and function can be a side effect of prescription drugs such as antidepressants and beta-blockers.
Psychological causes include post-traumatic stress, anxiety about sexual performance, loss of confidence, work-related stress, relationship problems and depression. Physical causes of dysfunction may have psychological origins.
Middle age and older men are usually prescribed Viagra as a treatment due to age. Where age is not a factor, a younger man with sexual dysfunction may be psychological in origin.
Symptoms
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Major erectile dysfunction symptoms are lack of desire, difficulty achieving erection, diminishing erection before completion and partial erections.
Blood flow to the penis restricted by an underlying physical problem results in no erection.
Premature ejaculation, reduced hardness and low volume of sperm are symptoms, but do not necessarily indicate a physical problem.
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Treatment
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Hormonal replacement therapy is offered via testosterone injections, pills, skin patches and gels. The most effective are the injections, but the levels should be monitored to achieve an effective level and to manage safety.
The FDA has approved three prescription medications for ED: Viagra, Levitra and Cialis.
Vascular surgery is done to restore sperm count and erection issues.
Penile implants are used in cases of physical trauma resulting from prostate nerve damage or accident. The surgically inserted implant is inflated with a penile pump.
Potency wood is an herbal treatment that may be effective in treating erectile dysfunction or impaired sex drive, according to Physicians' Desktop Reference.
When the problem isn't purely physical, psychological counseling and sex therapy may be beneficial.
Side effects
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Possible side effects of Viagra and similar prescription drugs include headaches, dyspepsia, back pain and flu-like symptoms. An extreme reaction could be prolonged erection.
Rashes and skin irritation are sometimes associated with testosterone gels and skin patches.
The penile prosthesis has had incidences of infection at the connecting point.
The natural medicine listed above pose no serious risk.
Common activity
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Viagra is the leader and the most researched of the FDA approved prescription variety. Viagra, Levitra and Cialis dilate blood vessels leading to erection of the penis. However, they do little to directly increase libido or sexual arousal.
Viagra starts working in about an hour. Over the following 12 hours erections come easily.
Levira and Cialis have very similar effective durations and time to response.
Advantages
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Viagra, although not for everyone, does provide benefit for a man's sexual health.
The hormone therapy is great when done with the guidance and monitoring of a physician.
Even when there is physical damage limiting ability to achieve erection, there is still help with implants.
Sometimes the sexual health of a man may be enhanced with counseling.
As always, check with your physician and don't be coy about recruiting the advice from other medical professionals.
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References
Resources
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