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There are many impotence treatments

When a man has erectile dysfunction (ED), he cannot achieve or maintain a firm erection. ED also is called "impotence." About one in every ten men has impotence or some degree of impotence.

Male impotence has many causes and treatments. Most causes are physical, such as disease, injury, or drug side effects. Here are some leading risk factors for impotence:

• Prostate cancer treatments (surgery and radiation)
• Heart disease
• Diabetes (a leading cause of impotence)
• Hardening of the arteries
• High blood pressure
• Smoking
• Side affects of other drug therapy
• Alcoholism
• Liver failure
• Neurological disorders, such as spinal cord injuries or multiple sclerosis
• Hormone imbalance

In most cases, physical causes of impotence reduce or prevent blood flow or nerve impulses to the penis.

Only about 10% of impotence cases have a psychological cause. Many cases with a physical cause also involve psychological issues. Men with impotence can feel anxious, guilty, or depressed. This anxiety can often make the impotence worse.

Summary of impotence treatments

Impotence can be treated and often cured. The American Medical Association estimates that doctors can effectively treat 95% of impotence cases with one of the following impotence treatments:

• Drug therapy. Drugs work to increase blood flow to the penis. Viagra® is one of the major impotence treatments today. Other drugs with similar phosphodiesterase inhibitors (PDE5) are Levitra® and Cialis®. Some drugs even work on the mental or nerve-transmitting part of impotence, which helps the brain communicate to the penis.

• Penile implants. A surgeon places a small, saline-filled medical device that recreates the erectile function. The device transfers fluid to the penis when an erection is desired. The device is totally concealed. This procedure has one of the highest patient satisfaction rates of all impotence treatments.

• Vacuum erection device. The man puts a plastic tube over his penis and creates a vacuum by pumping the air out. The vacuum draws blood to his penis. This makes it erect. He then places an elastic band around the base of his penis to maintain blood in the penis and keep it firm.

• Injection therapy. The man injects medication into the side of his penis. The medication makes the blood vessels widen. As blood vessels widen or "dilate," blood flow increases to create an erection.

• Urethral suppository. The man inserts a soft pellet of medication into his urethra. His penis absorbs the medication. Blood flow increases, creating an erection (similar to injection therapy but without the needle).

• Psychotherapy. Whether ED has a physical cause or not, a man may benefit from therapy that teaches him how to reduce his anxiety about sex.

Impotence treatments all have different complications and side effects. However, the best treatment for impotence depends on many things. These include a man's health and relationship, as well as personal and physical tolerance for the treatment.

Contact a urologist who specializes in impotence treatments. The doctor will be able to diagnose your impotence and discuss various treatments with you and your spouse or partner.

Get more information about impotence treatments

Click on the links on this page for more information about each of these impotence treatments (not including psychotherapy).

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This page revised March 2005

Copyright 2005 Erectile Dysfunction Information Center. All rights reserved. This site contains information about erectile dysfunction (impotence) for men with ED and their partners. Nothing in this site may be reproduced without written authorization from the Erectile Dysfunction Information Center.