Causes of Impotence And Erectile Dysfunction
When the precise sequence of events in the physiology of erection is disrupted, one experiences ED. Damage to nerves, arteries, smooth muscles, and fibrous tissues, often as a result of disease, is the most common cause of ED. Reduced blood flow to the penis and nerve damage are the most common physical causes of ED.
Underlying conditions associated with erectile dysfunction include the following:
Diabetes Mellitus
Chronic high levels of blood sugar associated with diabetes mellitus often damage small blood vessels and nerves throughout the body, which can impair nerve impulses and blood flow necessary for erection. About 60% of men with diabetes experience impotence.
Drugs
Long-term use of alcohol and illicit drugs may affect the vascular and nervous systems and are associated with erectile dysfunction. Over 200 commonly prescribed drugs are known to cause or contribute to impotence, including drugs for high blood pressure, heart medications, antidepressants, tranquilizers, and sedatives. A number of over-the-counter medications also can lead to impotence.
Surgery and Radiation Therapy
Trauma to the pelvic region or spinal cord can damage veins and nerves needed for erection. Surgery of the colon, prostate, bladder, or rectum may damage the nerves and blood vessels involved in erection. Prostate and bladder cancer surgery often require removing tissue and nerves surrounding a tumor, which increases the risk for impotence. Temporary impotence is also associated with these procedures, even those in which nerve-sparing techniques were used.
Vascular Disease
Arteriosclerosis, the hardening and narrowing of the arteries, causes a reduction in blood flow throughout the body and can lead to impotence, is associated with age and accounts for 50% to 60% of impotence in men over 60. Risk factors for arteriosclerosis include Diabetes mellitus, High Blood pressure and High Cholesterol. Smoking, which can lead to any of the above risk factors, is perhaps the most significant risk factor for impotence related to arteriosclerosis.
Hormone Disorders
Hormone disorders accounts for very few cases of impotence. Testosterone deficiency, which occurs rarely, can result in a loss of sexual desire and loss of erection. Among other conditions, an excess of the hormone prolactin, caused by pituitary gland tumor, reduces levels of testosterone.
Nerve Disorders
Nerve disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease, may also result in impotence. Spinal cord and brain injuries can also cause impotence when they interrupt the transfer of nerve impulses from the brain to the penis.
Peyronie's Disease
Peyronie's Disease is a rare inflammatory condition that causes scarring of erectile tissue. Scarring produces curvature of the penis that can interfere with sexual function and cause painful erections.
Venous Leak
This is the condition when the veins in the penis cannot prevent blood from leaving the penis during erection, erection cannot be maintained. Venous leak can be a result of injury, disease, or damage to the veins in the penis.
Psychological Conditions
If a man experiences loss of erection, he may worry that it will happen again. This can produce anxiety associated with performance and may lead to chronic problems during sex. If the cycle continues, it can result in impotence. Depression, guilt, worry, stress, and anxiety all contribute to erectile dysfunction. Psychological factors in impotence work towards magnifying the significance of physical factors leading to ED.