Erectile dysfunction and ED Treatment

Common causes of erectile dysfunction

Common causes of erectile dysfunction include:

• Heart disease
• Clogged blood vessels (atherosclerosis)
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Metabolic syndrome

Other causes of erectile dysfunction include:

• Certain prescription medications
• Tobacco use
• Alcoholism and other forms of drug abuse
• Treatments for prostate cancer
• Parkinson’s disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Hormonal disorders such as low testosterone (hypogonadism)
• Peyronie’s disease
• Surgeries or injuries that affect the pelvic area or spinal cord

In some cases, erectile dysfunction is one of the first signs of an underlying medical problem.

Psychological causes of erectile dysfunction
The brain plays a key role in triggering the series of physical events that cause an erection, beginning with feelings of sexual excitement. A number of things can interfere with sexual feelings and lead to — or worsen — erectile dysfunction. These can include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Stress
• Fatigue
• Poor communication or conflict with your partner

The physical and psychological causes of erectile dysfunction interact. For instance, a minor physical problem that slows sexual response may cause anxiety about maintaining an erection. The resulting anxiety can worsen erectile dysfunction.