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Options for Erectile Dysfunction
(05/04/2004) by Unknown
There are many options
for men who have difficulty attaining or maintaining an erection. Erection requires
increased blood flow to the penis and restricted blood flow out of the penis:
The "stuffing" technique is an option for
intercourse that does not require any medical intervention. For men who experience reflex
erection from direct or indirect stimulation of the penis, stuffing the penis into the
vagina while your partner uses their muscles to stimulate the penis may cause erection and
help maintain it. Often both partners are satisfied with this sexual activity whether an
erection is attained or maintained or not. There is also a new product on the market
called Rejoyn. Rejoyn is designed to enable a man without an erection to engage in
intercourse.
For men who have no problem attaining an erection but
have difficulty maintaining it, the use of a constriction device (rubber or silicone ring
or adjustable leather strap) can help. It is safest to get a prescription for a custom
fitted device from your urologists so they can thoroughly review the proper use of the
product, however these devices are available "over the counter" in many
magazines or catalogs and marketed as "cock rings." The two biggest concerns are
skin integrity and adequate blood flow. The use of plenty of water-based lubricant such as
KY jelly or AstroGlide
is necessary to avoid skin breakdown when applying and removing the device. A proper fit
that allows some blood flow is important to avoid bruising the penis and damaging erectile
tissue inside the penis. Even with a good fit the device should not be left on more than
30 minutes or permanent damage to the penis may occur. This means set the alarm before
having intercourse or make sure you do not fall asleep with the device on!
Vacuum erection devices have been successful with men
who have difficulty attaining an erection. A cylinder is placed over the penis and a
mechanical or electrical pump is used to create a vacuum and draw blood into the penis.
Then a constriction device as described in #2 is used to trap the blood in the
penis. Vacuum devices were traditionally available through a prescription from your doctor
or urologists. Now
you can the VED(R) Valu(tm) Pump without a prescription.
Delivering
medication directly into the shaft of the penis (Caverject) using a small syringe
has also been effective with men who have difficulty attaining an erection. The quality of
erection attained using this method is sometimes preferred to erections maintained with a
constriction device, however some men are initially uncomfortable with the thought of
injecting medication or anything else into their penis. Risks of this method include
bruising, scarring at the injection site, and priapism (an erection that lasts for many
hours). This method, sometimes referred to as Pharmacological Erection Program (PEP), is
only available through a prescription from your doctor or urologists.
A method of delivering the medication using a suppository inserted into the urethra instead of an injection is also available (MUSE).
Oral medication or a pill to solve erectile
dysfunction is now available. By now most people have heard of Viagra. New oral medications are currently in various stages of research and development and/or are under FDA review.
Surgical implants permanently alter the erectile tissue
in the penis and carry higher risks than other methods mentioned. Therefore surgical
implants should be the option of last resort. Implants involve surgically inserting
semi-rigid rods or inflatable tubes in the shaft of the penis. This procedure involves all
the risks of surgery plus the added risk of long term infection, erosion of the device
through the skin, and malfunction and replacement of the device. This device is only
available through your urologists.
Also, if you are taking prescription or
non-prescription drugs you should ask your doctor or pharmacist about the possible
effects on erectile function and whether another drug can be substituted. This article appears in the following topics:
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