Erectile dysfunction can refer to 3 different types of scenarios:

1. The inability to achieve an erection
2. An inconsistent ability to achieve an erection
3. The ability to only sustain brief erections

There are anywhere from 15 million to 30 million men who suffer from erectile dysfunction in just America alone.

Older men usually have a physical cause for erectile dysfunction (ED) instead of a emotional or psychological one.

The occurrences of ED increase with the age of the man: 5% of men have experienced ED by the age of 40, 15 to 25% of men have experienced it by age 65. It is not, however a for sure thing that an older man will inevitably experience ED, only that the chance increases with age.

Erectile dysfunction itself, can be a symptom of a health problem.

An erection can be initiated with a smell, sight, sexual thought, dream, touch, or something you hear.

The number one cause of erectile dysfunction is health related problems (diseases or conditions).

Other causes of ED are damage due to injury or surgery, physical deformity of the penis, emotional or psychological explanations.

High blood pressure and high cholesterol can both cause injury to the arteries that supply blood to the penis and can therefore cause ED.

Lifestyle choices can contribute to the occurrence of erectile dysfunction such as smoking, drinking, being overweight, and also choosing a sedentary lifestyle.

An injury to the spinal cord can damage nerves that control the erection.

Diseases or conditions that affect the nerves such as multiple sclerosis, can contribute to ED.

Males suffering from diabetes are three times as likely to experience ED than those who do not have the disease.

Hispanic and Latino ethnic background increases the rate of ED to twice as much as Caucasian or African American men.

Snoring and/or sleep apnea increases the risk for erectile dysfunction according to a study done at Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

Impotence is not the same as erectile dysfunction. Impotence refers to the male not being able to reproduce. Impotence specifically means not being able to have an erection, lost all desire to have sex, or has weakened or degenerated sperm. The main idea is that the man cannot make a baby. Erectile dysfunction centers only on the inability to achieve an erection or to maintain one.

Prolonged bicycle riding can cause temporary erectile dysfunction.

Bicycle seats without the protruding noses reduce pressure that can cause erectile dysfunction.

Studies conducted concerning the use of acupuncture to cure erectile dysfunction have had mixed results. These studies have been done in China and have not met Western rigorous scientific standards. It is thought that acupuncture may alter the brain's chemistry by changing the release of neurotransmitters and neurohormones, thus, affecting the parts of the central nervous system (CNS) that relates to both sensation and involuntary body functions, such as those that regulate blood pressure and blood flow needed to achieve an erection.

It is not surprising at all to discover that the unwillingness to communicate, and the misunderstandings surrounding erectile dysfunction can put a huge stress on a marital relationship.

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