Man of People

Erectile dysfunction and. . .

admin — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:19:21 +0000

This article is going to move around in time a little but, as always, to a purpose. There has been a long line of studies examining the relationship between erectile dysfunction (ED) and other conditions. In 2006, a piece of metaresearch was concluded, i.e. a study that examines the existing published research to look for a balance of evidence. (more…)

What is cognitive behavioural therapy?

admin — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:12:46 +0000

Because it has been around for so long, the myth has grown that Viagra among all the PDE-5 inhibitors can solve all erectile dysfunction (ED) problems. But it is not true. You can take as many pills marked Viagra, Cialis or Levitra as you like but, if your mind does not associate sexual stimulation with the response of an erection, nothing will happen. The difficulty is that you may not have learned how to make the appropriate sexual response at all, or have unlearned the response. (more…)

Erectile dysfunction and those antidepressants

admin — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:08:43 +0000

Just to repeat the general message running through these articles: if you are aged between forty and seventy years, you have a fifty/fifty chance of experiencing some degree of erectile dysfunction (ED). Some 10% of you will have a complete failure of erections — more often, this affects older men. Alongside this news is the equally significant evidence of depressive illnesses. Researchers estimate that about a quarter of men will suffer some degree of anxiety or depression at some point during their lives. (more…)

The appliance of science

admin — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 07:32:30 +0000

And now for the perhaps shocking news: there are times when Viagra, Cialis and Levitra are of no help at all for treating erectile dysfunction. You have all been persuaded to believe that Viagra and the other PDE-5 inhibitors will always be able to help, even if only a little. Unfortunately, that’s not true. There are times when the degree of damage is too great for a “natural” solution. And let’s be clear. In relative terms, the use of Viagra and the others allows the body to respond to sexual stimulation as it was designed to do. Viagra simply removes a physical barrier to a natural erection. (more…)

These vacuum erection devices are serious pieces of kit

admin — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:48:35 +0000

In some entertainment shows on TV and in the cinema, vacuum tubes are sometimes introduced as a joke at the expense of one of the men. In one sense, this use of embarrassment is one of the usual examples of humour of the unkind, but we can never deny the recognition factor. Almost every adult in the audience seeing the image would understand the function. These devices have entered the public consciousness. (more…)

What about penile injections?

admin — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 09:41:47 +0000

This is a topic that every man approaches with a degree of fear. You mean someone is going to stick a needle into my penis? For the record, they are called intracavernous injections and your physician will give you an auto-injector that works with a simple push-button mechanism. (more…)

Erectile Dysfunction and Multiple Sclerosis

admin — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 18:55:29 +0000

If you have Multiple Sclerosis (MS), there are serious problems to address. Your immune system is mistakenly attacking your myelin sheath — the coating that surrounds the nerves and nerve fibres in your brain. The standard treatment uses interferon beta (Avonex and Rebif, and Betaseron), glatiramer acetate (Copaxone), and mitoxantrone (Novantrone) to modify the immune system and so reduce the number and severity of attacks. But there is no long-term cure.

MS affects both the central and the peripheral nervous system. It therefore can produce a wide range of different symptoms. Treating them can make you feel more comfortable even though it will not stop the disease from developing. Some symptoms can be managed by changing your diet, and introducing more physical exercise and other changes of habit. Medications are available for each kind of symptom. Managing your condition involves deciding whether to treat any given symptom as needed or regularly, depending on how inconvenient or painful it is. The symptoms include: (more…)

And now for the Big C

admin — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 11:03:45 +0000

I suppose that if you had to choose a subject with as big a taboo as erectile dysfunction (ED), it would be prostate cancer. Fear, shame and denial dominate because men associate the cancer with two equally shameful conditions: impotence and incontinence. This denial is all the more dangerous because, as the prostate enlarges, sexual performance will become painful as it steadily fades away. Worse, it is accompanied by incontinence, particularly at night. Urination grows painful and it can be difficult to start and stop the flow. (more…)

Why you should talk to your physician

admin — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 10:02:35 +0000

As a physician, years of practical experience have taught me how reluctant men are to mention their sexual problems. But the increasingly clear data from research studies is that erectile dysfunction (ED) may be a symptom of undiagnosed cardiovascular disease (1). (more…)

When the cap fits

admin — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 12:36:45 +0000

I’ll keep wearing the physician’s hat for a little longer. There are a number of possible causes of erectile dysfunction (ED) to work our way through, giving us a fair chance to review all the most common. (more…)