This information has been reprinted courtesy of the Erectile Dysfunction Information Center (www.erectile-dysfunction-treatment.org) for personal use only.

The vacuum erection device

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

Most ED has a physical cause. The treatment of diseases such as diabetes or prostate cancer, physical injury, and the side effects of drugs can reduce or prevent blood flow and nerve impulses to the penis. Only about 10% of impotence has a psychological cause.

Almost all ED can be treated. Most treatments involve improving blood flow to the penis. Among them is the vacuum erection device.

How a vacuum erection device works

The device has three main parts:

• A plastic cylinder that the man places his penis into.

• A pump that draws air from the cylinder and creates a vacuum. The pump may be hand or battery operated. Reduced air pressure within the cylinder allows increased blood flow to the penis, causing an erection.

• One or more tension rings. These rings are placed on the base of the penis after vacuum erection is created. They help maintain the erection by reducing blood flow out of the penis.

A vacuum erection device will generate an erection that lasts for up to 30 minutes aided by the tension ring.

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Who should use a vacuum erection device?

A vacuum erection device can be an alternative for the 30-40% of men who commonly fail with ViagraŽ.

Men who have tried penile injection therapy or suppositories without success, or find these treatments painful or difficult, also are candidates.

The best treatment for erectile dysfunction, however, depends on many things. These include a man's health and personal and physical tolerance for the treatment. Work with your doctor (usually a urologist specializing in the treatment of ED) and your partner to determine the best treatment.

Who should not use a vacuum device?

A vacuum erection device may not be the best treatment for men with sickle cell anemia, leukemia or blood clotting problems.

Some men who experience curvature of the penis (Peyronie's Disease) may have difficulty using a vacuum erection device, or may even experience pain with this treatment.

Also, using a vacuum erection device requires some manual dexterity and average hand strength.

Effectiveness of the vacuum erection device

Various studies and surveys show that vacuum erection devices can be an effective ED therapy. Some report high satisfaction rates. Sexual partners also appear to be satisfied.

While vacuum erection devices are effective at producing an erection, for some they have a significant drawback: the device may dampen or extinguish sexual spontaneity. Maintaining the "mood" can be difficult as the pump does its work.

Vacuum therapy has the fewest reported injuries of physical ED therapies.

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Advantages of the vacuum erection device

• A vacuum erection device is a non-surgical treatment.

• A vacuum erection device is economical. The cost is approximately $100-450.

• No prescription is needed unless the man applies for medical reimbursement.

Disadvantages of the vacuum erection device

• It may take some time to learn to use the vacuum erection device. Some men have reported a learning period of up to two weeks.

• Some side effects are possible:

  
  

  • Reddish pinpoint-size dots may appear on the surface of the penis when negative pressure is applied too rapidly.

  
  

  • Some bruising may occur if the penis is held under pressure too long.

  
  

  • A cold glans (penis tip) is common and uncomfortable, as the device and tension rings limit circulation. These conditions are not painful or serious and can be solved by not using the pump for a short period.

• The vacuum erection device can be cumbersome to use and interfere with romantic spontaneity. Lack of spontaneity bothers many men and their partners. For that reason, a vacuum erection device probably is best suited to a man in a stable relationship with a supportive sexual partner.

• The device may impair ejaculation. This can cause some discomfort and embarrassment.

• The tension ring can be painful to apply around the base of the penis.

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What men say about vacuum erection devices

"I ordered the pump, and when I started to use it, my sex-life returned to normal... and my wife can't believe the change in me and our lives. "

Message posted on a healthcare Website

"They are effective, but a little inconvenient."

Message posted in an online newsgroup

"I'm just getting tired of the whole thing. I have a [vacuum] pump but I really don't use it at all any more. It just seems to be a lot of trouble."

Message posted in an online newsgroup

Take the next step

Erectile dysfunction is treatable. Now that you have researched this website for the causes of ED and its treatments, take the next step. Contact a urologist who specializes in treating impotence. The doctor will be able to diagnose your erectile dysfunction and discuss treatment options with you and your spouse or partner.

Click this link for more information about other erectile dysfunction treatments. By finding effective treatment, hundreds of thousands of men have discovered they do not have to live with ED. Now it is your turn to find the treatment that can help restore your sex life.

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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.