Impotence
Source American Academy of Family Physicians
Impotence is when a man cannot get and keep an erection long enough to have sex. Most men have impotence every once in a while for short periods of time. About 10 to 20 million men in America have impotence regularly. Impotence is most common in men over the age of 65, though it can occur in middle-aged or younger men. It often has a cause that can be treated.
Causes
Impotence can occur when something gets in the way of the process your body goes through to get an erection. Impotence that happens every now and then may be caused by drinking too much alcohol or by being tired. Impotence that happens more often may have a physical cause. Physical causes are at the root of the problem in about half of the men who have impotence. Other causes include some medicines you may be taking, and things you are doing or going through in your life.
Physical causes of impotence
Alcoholism
Atherosclerosis
Diabetes
Brain or spinal-cord injuries
Hypogonadism
Liver or Kidney failure
Multiple Sclerosis
Parkinson’s Disease
Radiation therapy to the testicles
Stroke
Feelings that can lead to impotence
Feeling nervous about sex, perhaps because of a bad experience or because of a previous episode of impotence.
Feeling stressed, including stress from work or family situations.
Being troubled by problems in your relationship with your sex partner.
Feeling depressed.
Feeling so self-conscious that you can’t enjoy sex.
Thinking that your partner is reacting negatively to you.
How impotence is diagnosed
Your doctor will probably start trying to find out what’s causing your impotence by asking you some questions. He or she will probably give you a physical exam. Samples of your blood and urine will probably be tested for signs of physical causes.
Treatment
How impotence is treated depends on what things are causing it. Impotence with a physical cause may improve when the condition is treated or controlled. Impotence caused by a drug you are taking may improve when your doctor changes the drug or changes how much of the drug you are taking. Counseling can be very helpful no matter what is causing your impotence.
