Erectile Dysfunction can be described as the persistent inability to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient to complete sexual intercourse.
Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is often referred to as Impotence. At some time or another, most men experience erection problems, but for some 30 million men in the United States, impotence is a chronic problem. That’s about 10% of the male population and 35% of men over 60. Even so, fewer than 5% of men with impotence have ever been treated.
How Erection Occurs
Erection occurs when blood is pumped into the penis. The more blood that fills the penis, the firmer the erection. Failure to achieve erection results when the penis does not fill or empty appropriately.
The penis has two chambers called the corpora cavernosa. These chambers run the length of the penis and are filled with a spongy tissue which contains smooth muscles, fibrous tissues, spaces, veins and arteries. The corpora cavernosa are surrounded by a membrane called the tunica albuginea. The urethra, which is the pathway for both urine and semen, runs along the underside of the corpora cavernosa.
Erection begins when a man receives sensory and mental stimulation. Impulses from the brain and nerves around the penis cause the muscles of the corpora cavernosa to relax, allowing blood to flow in and fill the open spaces. This blood creates pressure in the corpora cavernosa, which makes the penis expand. By helping to trap the blood in the corpora cavernosa, the tunica albuginea sustains the erection. Erection is reversed when the muscles in the penis contract, stopping the blood from flowing in and opening the channels that allow the blood to flow out.
There are different levels of erectile dysfunction:
- A total inability to achieve erection
- An irregular ability to achieve erection
- Brief erections — an inability to maintain erections
The most important thing to remember is that impotence is a treatable problem, and not an inevitable consequence of aging.
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