The inability of a man to retain penile erection during intercourse is medically termed as erectile dysfunction or ED. This age-independent ailment can cause severe psychological problems in men as it directly affects his confidence and level of self-esteem. Though erectile dysfunction was once considered a natural consequence of aging or the result of some mental distress, doctors know today that the problem has its roots in physical problems more than its link with the psyche of the patient and it is also a fact that men can lead a normal sex life without any erectile dysfunction even in their '80s.

When would a doctor treat erection problems as erectile dysfunction? When a man fails to have an erection during intercourse at least 25% of the time, it would be called that he is suffering from erectile dysfunction. Causes for erectile dysfunction can have both physical and medical origin, over and above psychological factors including depression, anxiety and relationship problems. The medical reasons for this ailment include heart ailments, diabetes, obesity, pelvic and spinal surgeries and other medical conditions like Parkinson's, multiple atherosclerosis, etc. Smokers, alcoholics and drug abusers are also prone to erectile dysfunction. Like the causes, the treatment options for erectile dysfunction are also many ranging from psychological counseling by professional experts, surgery, medications to easy-to-use mechanical devices. The treatment choice would largely depend on the severity of the condition as well as the cause behind the ailment.

Oral medications for treating erectile dysfunction include drugs containing Sildenafil, Tadalafil and Vardenafil. These are the generics and plenty of pharmaceutical companies are marketing different brands of the same molecule. These drugs work by relaxing the penile muscles which enhances the flow of blood into the region. This in turn improves the response to sexual stimulation. Since these drugs can have serious reactions with certain existing medications, it is recommended to consult a physical before ingestion. Alprostadil is an injection therapy for treating erectile dysfunction where a hormone called prostaglandin E is injected to relax the penile muscles. The drug can be injected at the base or side of the penis. Found to be effective in some men, the injection therapy can result in an erection within 5 to 20 minutes which last for about an hour. Side effects include bleeding from the injection site or even prolonged erection. The cost of this therapy is also considered expensive. When the cause behind erectile dysfunction is testosterone deficiency, then testosterone replacement therapy which can be through oral or injection route, work well with some men.

Using penis pumps is yet another therapy option for treating erectile dysfunction. Here the air round the penile area is sucked out which results in blood rushing in to the region. A tension ring is placed at the base of the erect penis to maintain erection, which has to be removed after intercourse. The other treatment options for erectile dysfunction include vascular surgery and penile implants. Surgery is usually for men whose erectile dysfunction is caused by some kind of blood block caused by injury, etc. Implants are inflatable device which is placed on both sides of the penis which allows the user to control his erection in terms of frequency and duration.

As is evident there are plenty of treatment options for treating erectile dysfunction. The options have given men a new leash of life to enjoy life and sex but the options should be exercised with plenty of caution and care.