|
What is Erectile Dysfunction (ED)?  ED is defined as the incapacity to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual intercourse. Most men who see us at the Boston Medical Group can achieve some sort of erection but complain that it is not as firm or as lasting as it once was.
How does ED affect an individual?A healthy sex life is an important pleasure that should be enjoyed by both yourself and your partner. It promotes bonding and harmony in a relationship. Men with ED have been known to suffer more often from such problems as low self esteem, a greater incidence of medical problems including depression, a lack of motivation and an impairment of their ability to socialize. Further more, men with good sex lives not only live healthier lives but also live longer8. For more information please refer to the section on “Why is sex good for you?”. How do I know if I’m affected by ED?The following are signs of ED - Erection problems occurring at least one in every four times of attempting sexual intercourse or persisting for more than one month
- Achieving an erection takes longer than usual
- Difficulty achieving an erection in certain positions
- Morning erections becoming less common or less rigid
- Climaxing or ejaculating more rapidly or with an incomplete erection
How Common is ED? It happens to the best of us! ED is very common and although it is more common in men over 40 years of age, it can affect men of all ages. In mid 1992, the results of the worlds largest erectile dysfunction study (the Massachusetts Male aging study or MMAS) became available and showed that - 52% of all men between the ages of 40 and 70 have some degree of ED
- At least 1 in 10 men cannot get an erection at all this is referred to as ~ "Complete Erectile Dysfunction"
- The majority of causes of ED are physical in nature
- There is a strong association between age and ED. 39% of men at the age of 40 and 67% at the age of 70 suffer from either minimal, moderate or complete ED7.
Above: Prevalence of minimal moderate complete and overall impotence in the MMAS sample
|
|
