Erectile Dysfunction
Can I Cure My Erectile Dysfunction at Home?
Question:
I was diagnosed with ED almost two years ago, and since then I’ve been taking Viagra or Levitra an hour or so before sex.
The need to pop a pill before I can be intimate has taken a lot of the spontaneity out of my sex life, and I was wondering if there was anything I could do to cure my erectile dysfunction at home.
What would you suggest?
Andrew G., Chevy Chase, MD
Answer:
I have some problem with the word “cure” when it comes to erectile dysfunction because the two don’t really go very well together. If your ED is physiological in origin and is still relatively mild, taking proactive steps to improve your lifestyle could perhaps restore you to near normal erectile function — at least for a while.
Of all the physiological causes of ED, the most common by far is insufficient blood flow to the penis. Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, shedding excess pounds, and stopping smoking could go a long way toward improving your natural ability to get and keep an erection, but there would be no guarantee that your symptoms of ED would not return in time.
Certain underlying medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, can impede natural blood flow and lead to ED. Strictly following your doctor’s orders can help keep those disease processes under control for the short term but may not constitute a cure in the most commonly accepted sense of the word.
If your ED is caused by psychological factors, such as anxiety, depression, or an inability to cope with the stress in your life, counseling by a mental health professional could help you to control those issues and regain normal erectile function.
Lastly, ED caused by the effects of certain medications might be “cured” if your doctor can put you on a more “erection-friendly” alternative drug.