Sexuality is a part of life, starting as far back as when your body starts developing into adulthood in your teenage years. Any problems that affect your sexuality can be difficult to deal with or even discuss, and one of the most common problems people have with having sex is the inability to get or maintain an erection, known as erectile dysfunction ED. This condition affects 30 million men in the U. ED can be temporary or long-term, but the effects of dealing with it can cause stress and affect your personal relationships and your overall quality of life.
While sexual arousal is a natural part of life for growing teens and adults, the process itself is far more complicated than you think. When you become aroused, your body undergoes physical, hormonal, and emotional changes directly affecting your brain, nerves, muscles, and blood vessels that lead to getting an erection. ED can affect any part of this process and can have both physical and emotional components, as anything that affects your sexual performance can lead to anxiety about performing.
Because getting an erection is a process involving hormonal, physical, and emotional stimulation, many factors commonly lead to complications with getting one, including:. When you get an erection, your penis becomes engorged with blood, and anything that interferes with your blood vessels and arteries can impact your ability to become erect. Heart disease, atherosclerosis hardening of the arteries , high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, and other conditions that affect your vascular system can affect your ability to maintain an erection.
The brain is a very important part of stimulating an erection, and mental illnesses like depression, anxiety or stress can impact whether your brain becomes stimulated enough to get or maintain one.
Accidents or other injuries that affect your pelvic region can lead to problems with getting and maintaining an erection that can be short- or long-term, depending on the severity. Other contributing factors include tobacco use, obesity, drug and alcohol abuse, and certain medical treatments and medications. Since ED can be the result of many factors, treating the underlying cause can often help ease symptoms. But treating the condition can be managed with medications, devices, and even lifestyle changes.
