Top 6 Common Causes of Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction is among the most embarrassing conditions you can have. One good thing is that you don’t have to live with it. Men’s health specialists such as Ramesh Kumar MD, of LifeWell MD can help you overcome the embarrassment by managing the condition. Most cases of this condition are avoidable, meaning you can also help yourself by avoiding some of the situation’s risk factors. The following are the top six typical causes of erectile dysfunction.
- Heavy Drug Use
Different types of drugs can cause adverse effects throughout your body. Using the drugs heavily only makes the effects worse, and some of the results can increase your risks for erectile dysfunction. Also, some of the medicines you use, whether over-the-counter or prescription drugs, can harm your blood vessels. This can result in blood flow restriction to your penis, increasing the risk for erectile dysfunction.
Please speak to your doctor about any drugs you are taking to learn if they can cause your erectile dysfunction issue and learn how you can reduce the usage.
- Smoking
Tobacco smoking is one of the common causes of erectile dysfunction. Your blood vessels get damaged if you smoke excessively, and erectile dysfunction occurs due to a lack of arterial blood flow to the penis, making you at a higher risk of experiencing the condition. Besides, the harmful chemicals from the cigarettes can cause severe damage to the blood vessels making them malfunction, and as a result, you can get erectile dysfunction.
You can manage your erectile dysfunction symptoms if you are a chronic smoker by quitting smoking.
- Stress and Anxiety
Your brain activity has a significant effect on your sexual performance. If you have stress or anxiety, your sexual performance will be affected significantly. When you are having unhealthy levels of stress, a cortisol hormone is released by your body. This hormone can restrict blood flow to your penis, making it difficult for you to get an erection.
If your levels of stress accelerate to become chronic, the hormone gets released in excess, and this can affect the amount of testosterone produced by your body.
Please speak to your provider about your stress to relieve it and reduce your erectile dysfunction symptoms.
- Excessive Consumption of Alcohol
If you have an alcohol addiction, this might be the reason behind your erectile dysfunction. Alcohol consumed excessively has significant effects on your sex life. It decreases the blood flow to your penis, affecting the health of the penis and can lead to long-term erectile dysfunction.
If you try an alcohol rehab treatment, you may improve the erectile dysfunction symptoms.
- Being Obese
Sexual dysfunction is one of the common effects caused by obesity as obesity can damage your blood vessels, affecting the blood flow to your penis. It can also decrease testosterone production and cause increased inflammation in your body.
Your lifestyle can be related to your obesity, and making some changes can help you improve your condition and sexual function.
- High Cholesterol Levels
High cholesterol is associated with a variety of health complications, and erectile dysfunction is no exemption. It can alter the production of the chemicals that help you create an erection and form arterial plaques blocking circulation in your penis.
Your provider can help you manage your cholesterol levels, which can include some lifestyle changes.
Now that you know these common causes of erectile dysfunction, you can help yourself as you seek medical attention by avoiding some of the causes. However, let your provider at LifeWell MD help you.