A healthcare professional may suggest making lifestyle changes or taking medication to help relieve ED symptoms. Below are 14 options those looking to get harder erections can try. Go to your nearest emergency room if you’re taking medication for erectile dysfunction and have a painful erection that lasts longer than two to four hours. This may be a sign of priapism, which can cause permanent damage to your penis without treatment.
- Alcohol and erectile dysfunction are quite closely connected, and often excessive alcohol will cause ED.
- This substance may not be safe for people with vascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, or liver cirrhosis, among other conditions.
- Regular exercise can improve your sexual health while preventing obesity and cardiovascular disease.
- As with PDE-5 inhibitors, NHS prescriptions for alprostadil may only be available for men with particular health conditions or those receiving some types of medical treatments.
- Don’t use these medications if you’re also taking nitrates or medications for chest pain.
These exercises target the muscles at the bottom of the pelvis, and particularly one called the pubococcygeus. This loops from the pubic bone to the tailbone and supports the pelvic organs. The muscles do this by putting pressure on the penile veins. The pressure prevents blood from leaving the area, making an erection possible.
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For example, if you have diabetes, it may be difficult for you to get an erection, which may cause you to become anxious about the situation. The combination of diabetes and anxiety may lead to an episode of erectile dysfunction. Penis injuries or surgical treatment of the penis, pelvis or surrounding areas can sometimes lead to erectile dysfunction. When a man becomes sexually excited (aroused), his brain sends signals to the nerves in his penis.
Prescription Drug Options
Anything that affects the level of sexual desire (libido) can also cause erectile dysfunction because a reduced libido makes it more difficult for the brain to trigger an erection. Psychological conditions, such as depression, can reduce libido, as can changes in hormone levels (chemicals produced by the body). You’ve probably heard of sildenafil (Viagra), but it isn’t the only pill for ED. This class of drugs also includes avanafil (Stendra), tadalafil (Cialis), and vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn). All work by improving blood flow to the penis during arousal. They’re generally taken minutes before sexual activity and should not be used more than once a day.
Why Men Should Avoid Over-the-Counter Viagra & ED Drugs
Therefore, a person should always speak with a doctor before consuming anything to treat ED. Various physical devices can also help people get and maintain an erection. For instance, vacuum devices are mechanical pumps that create an erection by drawing blood into the penis. Alternatively, people can try ED rings, which are bands that alcoholism recovery stages a person places around the base of their penis to maintain an erection. Prescription ED drugs are not safe for everybody, including people with very low blood pressure, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or liver or kidney disease. Ginkgo biloba may increase blood flow to the penis, which could improve sexual desire and counter ED.
A healthy sex life can increase your confidence, reduce stress, and help you sleep better at night. But problems with stamina, premature ejaculation, or other sexual performance issues can be frustrating and embarrassing. Some people may use natural treatments, home remedies, or lifestyle changes to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). These include ginkgo biloba, ginseng, acupuncture, and yoga. However, medical treatments may be necessary to address an underlying cause. But treating ED doesn’t have to begin and end with oral medications — which can come with unwanted side effects.
Citrulline is converted into arginine which increases blood flow to your penis, resulting in longer-lasting and harder erections. PLUS, the latest news on medical choosing an alcohol rehab treatment program advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts. Diabetes can damage the nerves and blood vessels needed to achieve and maintain an erection.
These products often contain undisclosed ingredients, inappropriate doses of prescription drugs, or different doses of ingredients than the label suggests. Make your erections last, get help managing premature ejaculation, or get tested for an STI. If you still have problems getting to sleep or staying asleep, get medical advice from a healthcare provider. They may offer additional sleep hygiene tips or may screen you for a sleep disorder like sleep apnea. Poor sleep and sleep disorders have been linked to erectile dysfunction. Not getting enough sleep can also cause you to develop plaque in your arteries (atherosclerosis).
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Depending on its severity, you can experience less sex drive and in general a decreased mood. Alcohol and erectile dysfunction are quite closely connected, and often excessive alcohol will cause ED. As you probably know, alcohol is a so-called nerve depressant.
Mental health interventions may also be effective, but more research is needed. Sometimes it is as simple as the side effect of a particular medication. Job stress, relationship problems, or depression can also contribute to ED. Erectile dysfunction, or ED, is trouble attaining and sustaining an erection sufficient for satisfying sexual intercourse.
