Sexual problems might mean you have a broken heart, literally. The most common sexual problem in men is erectile dysfunction (ED). Erectile dysfunction affects >30% of men between 40 and 70 years of age. There are several different causes of ED, including depression, low testosterone, neurological problems, and some medications, such as beta blocker but the most common cause is a problem with the blood vessels called atherosclerosis.
Erectile dysfunction is frequently a sign of atherosclerosis, that can be the first clue to heart disease in men. It usually comes 3 to 5 years before a heart attack, so after ED is diagnosed, there is time to treat atherosclerosis and prevent a heart attack.
Sexual Activity and Cardiovascular Disease
Decreased sexual activity and function are common in patients with CVD and are often interrelated to anxiety and depression. In fact research has proved that there is a strong link between erectile dysfunction and heart disease. Studies have shown that if a man has ED, he has a greater risk of having heart disease. For instance, in one study, 57% of men who had bypass surgery and 64% of men hospitalized for a heart attack had had ED.
Several having ED can predict that a man will probably have heart disease symptoms within five years. In fact, having ED is as much a risk factor for heart disease as a history of smoking or a family history of coronary artery disease.
The Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Programme (SHEEP) study of post-MI patients (50% women) found that those who were sedentary had a higher risk of MI with sexual activity (relative risk 4.4) than did those who were physically active (relative risk 0.7).
How is the Heart and ED Related?
Deposition of cholesterol in the arteries causing atherosclerosis is taken as the most important reason for ED as the plaque formation reduces the blood flow in the penis, thereby affecting the erection process. However the latest studies show that ED is also due to the dysfunction of the inner lining of the blood vessels (endothelium) and smooth muscle. This causes inadequate blood supply to the heart and the penis which also aids in arthrosclerosis. Hence ED and heart disease are found to be inter related.
What to do?
If you are suffering from ED or heart disease , it is best to discuss your concerns with a specialist - for the heart a cardiologist and for the ED a urologist.

How Erectile Dysfunction and Cardiac Problems are Related

Peyronie's disease is a problem predominantly found in 3-9% of adult men, especially after 40 years of age. In the disease, a scar tissue is formed in the outer layer of the penis called tunica albuginea. Scar tissue is a just plaque inside the penis.

Peyronie's disease causes the penis to bend sideways or upwards and can make sex become difficult due to deformity and erection may be a painful process. It is usually associated with erectile dysfunctions, severe anxiety and reduced testosterone levels. It is worth noting that there are treatments for peyronie's disease, however, the pain often goes away on its own, generally, in 6-18 months of onset, but the deformity stays.

Here is everything you need to know about this disease:

Causes
It is not known exactly what causes peyronie's disease, however, there are some factors, which make it more likely than others. Here are those factors:

1. Trauma: this is the most common factor which causes peyronie's disease. It is believed that when someone suffers from tiny bleeding of the penis, which is very common in patients of diabetes, the plaque starts to build up. The injury or trauma, which causes the bleeding may go unnoticed as well.
2. Genes: genes are also a possible cause of peyronie's disease.

Symptoms
The symptoms of peyronie's disease vary, such as:
1. Pain on erection: there is usually pain in erection during the initial phase.
2. Bent penis: when the penis becomes hard before sex, it may bend downwards or sideways by more than 15 degree, so the vaginal entry becomes impossible or is painful for the partner.
3. Scars: tissue may form on other parts of the body, as well including the hand and feet. In fact, it has been said that men who have scarring in the hand, which affect the fingers are more likely to contract the disease as well.
One may see extensive scarring in hands in a disease called dupuytren's contracture. 

Treatment
1. Wait &amp; watch: it is worth noting the acute phase with pain is treated by wait and watch, controlling contributory factors like diabetes, low testosterone and psychogenic factors. Antioxidants are useful. Large number of cases are relieved of the pain in 1 to 1.5 years.
2. Intralesional injection: if the bend is significant enough to interfere in sexual functioning, it can be treated by injecting medicines in the plaque. The medicine, xiaflex is currently not available in india and other medicines given are not very effective.
3. Surgery: this is a last option when peyronie's disease has not gone on it's own and medicines are not helping either. The two most common procedures performed are removing the plaque and putting a tissue graft in its place and also removing the tissue opposite the plaque to counter the bending effect. The results are fairly good.

Going for a penile implant is the last option, which is a permanent solution and is commonly done in india. And, the success rate for penile implant is also very high.

Peyronie's Disease: About Bent Penis

A dysfunction or health problem which affects your physical relation with your partner is an issue that may occur at any period of the intercourse cycle. These issues affect both, men and women.

Sexual dysfunction in men can be a consequence of a physical or mental issues, including stress.

The problems men may encounter include:

    Erectile dysfunction (ED): ED can be a cause of medications, for example, diabetes or hypertension, or by anxiety about engaging in sexual relations. Dejection, weariness, and anxiety can add to it.
    Ejaculation issues: These include untimely (discharge that happens too soon during intercourse) and the powerlessness to discharge by any means. The causes include medicines, like antidepressants, nervousness about sex, a past filled with sexual injury and trauma, (for example, an accomplice being unfaithful), and guilt.
    Low libido: Mental issues like anxiety and tension about engaging in sexual relations can prompt a diminished or no sexual craving. Diminished hormone levels (especially if testosterone is low), physical ailments, and pharmaceutical symptoms can lessen the testosterone.

In many cases, sexual dysfunction in women might include:

    Vaginal dryness: This can lead to issues with excitement and craving, as sex can be painful when the vagina is not lubricated. Vaginal dryness can come about because of hormonal changes that happen during and after menopause or while breastfeeding, for instance. Mental issues, similar to tension about sex, can also cause vaginal dryness.
    Low drive: Absence of sexual yearning can be created by lower levels of the hormone estrogen. Exhaustion, misery, and tension prompts low charisma.
    Trouble achieving orgasm: Failure to have an orgasm can influence both men and women. Once more, some stimulant drugs can likewise bring about a solution for these issues.
    Pain during sex: Known as vulvodynia or vulvar vestibulitis, and even vaginismus, these conditions can bring about spasms that lead to pain during intercourse.

If you are encountering sexual health problems, raise your worries with your specialist. You can regularly redress your issue by:

     Getting the best possible treatment of any hidden therapeutic condition
    Speaking with your partner transparently about your sexual relationship
    Keeping away from liquor, smoking, and medication use
    Overseeing anxiety, uneasiness, and gloom
    If you think you are suffering from any other ailment, discuss with your specialist about therapy that can help you in such a case.
    Restorative treatment: This includes treatment of any physical issue that might add to a man's sexual problems.
    Drugs: Medications, for example, Cialis, Levitra, Staxyn, Stendra, or Viagra may enhance erectile capacity in men by improving the blood stream to the penis.
    Mental treatment: Therapy with a prepared advisor can help address sentiments of uneasiness, apprehension, or blame.
    Education about sex and sexual practices and reactions may also help.

Common Sexual Health Problems and Ways to Treat Them

There is a general misconception about impotence and erectile dysfunction being two separate conditions. In fact, impotence is just another term for erectile dysfunction. If you have a problem in achieving an erection more than 70% of the times when you want to have sex, you are suffering from erectile dysfunction.

Impotence is the same thing, but it also encompasses other concerns related to sexual health such as low libido and issues with ejaculation.

Causes of erectile dysfunction

Disruption of blood flow in the body or disruption in hormonal secretion and nerve supply to the body

Vascular and neurological causes

Occurrence of a disease known as atherosclerosis, which is caused due to smoking and diabetes. In this case, the arteries in the penis get narrowed and clogged.

Neuropathy, which occurs because of diabetes or diabetic neuropathy

Nerve damage because of a previous surgery around the pelvis area

High blood pressure or hypertension also result in damaged arteries throughout the vascular system. Blood flow gets impaired and proper erection is hampered.

Physical causes such as high cholesterol and obesity, Parkinson s disease and multiple cases of sclerosis

Smoking, excessive drinking and substance abuse

The reactions and side effects of certain medicines

Several psychological factors such as depression, excessive stress, tension, and performance anxiety, which reduce libido

Poor communication with the sexual partner

Intake of several medicines such as alpha adrenergic blockers, beta blockers, chemotherapy medications and central nervous system depressants

Treatment for erectile dysfunction

Different treatments may be used to treat erectile dysfunction. These include the following:

Medication: A group of drugs known as PDE-5 or phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors are used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

Vacuum devices: Vacuum erection devices help in providing an erection in men. A mechanical procedure is involved where the penis is made rigid using a vacuum pump sealed around it. This device draws blood and an erection becomes possible.

Surgical treatment: Penile implants can be used to treat erectile dysfunction. Mechanical implants are used, which help to keep the penis hard. A vascular surgery is another option, which incorporates the correction of blood vessels responsible for erectile dysfunction.

Natural treatment: There are a number of lifestyle changes that help a man naturally treat erectile dysfunction. Regular exercising, especially weight-bearing ones, not only aids in increasing blood flow, but also improves production of testosterone. Following a balanced diet with more intake of fruits and vegetables, limiting alcohol and avoiding smoking also generate positive results.

The term impotence and erectile dysfunction are quite related as they indicate the same conditions. However, today the term erectile dysfunction is more popular over the term impotence. In case you experience any of the symptoms of this condition, you should consult a doctor immediately.

Erectile Dysfunction - 12 Shocking Causes Behind it

Erectile dysfunction is a disorder where the person affected is unable to maintain or achieve an erection during sexual intercourse. As diabetes is a disorder that affects blood supply to organs, so the ability to achieve or maintain erections are impaired, as erections are dependent on proper blood supply to the penis. Fortunately, there are treatments for these symptoms and they are:

1. Injection therapy and oral medications

Some medications are directly injected to the penis in order to facilitate erection, while certain other oral drugs are administered to treat symptoms of erectile dysfunction which have a higher success rate in treating people who are diabetic than those who are not.

2. Regular exercise and a healthy diet

Exercising on a regular basis combined with a healthy diet can reduce the symptoms of both diabetes as well as erectile dysfunction.

3. Reviewing medications

Some medications used to treat blood pressure and depression can often cause erectile dysfunction. So, the medications should be reviewed by a doctor and, if necessary, should be changed.

4. Usage of vacuum constriction devices

These devices are used to create a pump in the penis which facilitate the ability to maintain an erection and engage in sexual intercourse. It is reported to work in 80% of the cases.

5. Penile implants

It is a surgical procedure where a penis implant is used to treat this disorder.

6. Intraurethral therapy

In this treatment, the medicine is placed in the urethra of the penis in the form of suppository by an applicator. These medicines improve blood flow and thus facilitate a normal erection.

How To Deal With Erectile Dysfunction If You Are A Diabetic?

Type 2 diabetes and erectile dysfunction may appear as different ailments but they do have a connection. Reports suggest men suffering from type 2 diabetes are likely to experience erectile dysfunction. Moreover, diabetic people suffer from erectile dysfunction 10 to 15 years earlier than others.
Reason: 
The reason behind the connection between the two ailments is quite complex. The whole scenario involves deterioration in nerves, muscle functioning and blood vessels. For successful penetration of penis, body requires healthy functioning of blood vessels, nerves, hormones and sexual desire. Type-2 diabetes hamper the proper functioning of these blood vessels and nerves, thus posing a potential threat to a successful sexual intercourse. Diabetes becomes a big obstacle in obtaining a firm erection. Also, non-regulated flow of blood through these blood vessels adds up to the problem.

Factors contributing to erectile dysfunction due to diabetes
Complexities due to type-2 diabetes increases exponentially when aided with following risk factors-
1) obesity
2) unbalanced diet
3) non-regulated blood supply
4) excessive smoking and drinking
5) excessive stress and hypertension
6) lack of physical activity
7) blood pressure
8) side effects of medication taken to cure ed

Remedies: 
Given below are few suggestions which, if followed, can bring your sex life back on track.
1) consult doctor- it is better to open up about your sexual concerns and consult a doctor. Hesitating in doing so will only increase your problem. Proper knowledge regarding all your existing ailments will allow him to diagnose properly and help you to regulate your blood sugar level. You may further consult a sexologist for specialized treatment for erectile dysfunction. Through prescribed medicines and some therapies, this issue can be dealt smoothly.
2) practice a healthy lifestyle- stay fit. Reduce your extra weight. Include exercise and meditation in your daily routine. This will help a lot in improving your emotional health. In many cases psychological pressure also contribute in causing impotence. So, try to perform some stress relieving exercises to curb down this psychological factor.
3) avoid drinking and smoking. Smoking diminishes the quantity of required nitric oxide which in turn lowers down the blood flow to penis. This increases chances of erectile dysfunction to a greater extent. Excessive drinking destroys your blood vessels, thereby posing a serious threat to your sex life.
4) take a proper diet- a balanced diet pays a major role in checking and controlling the blood sugar level. This step will definitely decrease the harm done to your blood vessels and nerves.
5) get enough sleep and keep yourself astray from the harmful effects of fatigue.
6) talk with your partner- it is necessary that you discuss freely regarding your sexual problems with your partner. This will help you in gaining confidence, release stress and perform better.
Follow the above suggestions and choose a healthy lifestyle for a safe and pleasing sex life.

Type 2 Diabetes and Erectile Dysfunction

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