ED, a.k.a. impotence or erectile dysfunction, is no longer an obscure condition. In fact, ED may be more common than you may think. Furthermore, the recent amount of global research and medical advances focusing on erectile dysfunction have made treating ED much more viable. This has driven millions of men to begin seeking out traditional, as well as alternative medical treatments for this curable condition.

It is estimated that there are over 30 million people who suffer from one form of ED or another. The good news is that this condition is treatable at any age (though different approaches may be more appropriate for one age group or another, effective alternatives exist for everyone).

Erectile dysfunction is currently being treated with new drugs, surgery, psychology, mechanical vacuum devices, implants, experimental gene therapy, etc. Below we will mention some of the most prominent methods for treating ED

ED Drug Therapy:

1. Oral medications include Viagra (Sildenafil), Cialis (Tadalafil), Levitra (Vardenafil), etc, (these have all been approved by the FDA but there are many other drugs currently undergoing clinical testing that might appear on the market soon).
    
2. Special Creams such as Nitroglycerin (a muscle relaxant that is said to help the erection process when rubbed on the penis.)
    
3. Injections, such as Caverject, Papaverine Hydrochloride, Phentolamine, etc. (these widen the blood vessels within the penis and therefore permit it to become filled with blood)

Keep in mind that ED drug therapies are specifically formulated to individual patients depending on their particular needs and conditions. Therefore, it is extremely important to get your doctor's advice before undergoing any Erectile Dysfunction drug treatment.

Surgeries that Treat ED

Surgery (e.g. operations that reconstruct deteriorated penile arteries), can help men achieve a natural erection. The problem with penile artery reconstruction is that it is seldom successful on older patients. Other types of surgeries include procedures to close off veins that allow blood to escape when an erection is achieved. If the blood is not allowed to escape, the penis will remain erect. The long term effects of this procedure are being questioned, however, so consult your doctor as to the pros and cons.

Other popular surgical procedures for the treatment of ED include penile implants. In this case a mechanical device is implanted within the penis to cause an erection at will. Some of these implants include pump systems that use hydraulic systems to expand the penis, others use malleable paired rods inserted within the penis, which allow the patient to adjust the position of his penis as desired.

Surgical procedures have both advocates and critics. New procedures and implantable devices to treat ED are being discovered all the time, so it is important to stay abreast of all the new information and opportunities that are arising. Your Urologist can be a great source of advice regarding new devices and procedures. Keep in mind that there are both surgical, as well as non-surgery external devices to treat ED

Penile Implants

Other popular surgical procedures for the treatment of E.D. include penile implants. Penile implants are mechanical devices which are implanted within the penis to cause an erection at will. Some of these implants include pump systems that use inflatable or hydraulic systems to expand the penis, others use malleable paired rods inserted within the penis which allow the patient to adjust the position of his penis as desired. Implants using malleable paired rods are considered semirigid systems. In a semirigid system the penis will always remain at least somewhat hard regardless of whether the person is having sex or not.

Commonly available implants

The most common type of penile implant is the 3 piece inflatable device which includes a fluid reservoir that is placed within the patient's abdomen. A pump as well as a release valve are placed within the scrotum and two inflatable cylinders are placed within the tissue filled chambers of the penis.

In order for the 3 piece implant to work a person must inflate the two cylinders by pumping on the scrotum which in turn sends the fluid within the abdomen into the inflatable cylinders. After intercourse a person would use the release valve, also located within the scrotum, to return the liquid to it's reservoir within the abdomen.

Other penile implant options include the two piece inflatable device and the less common semi-rigid systems. Read more about penile implants

Mechanical Vacuum Pumps

A non-drug, non-surgery alternative for the treatment of ED is the famous vacuum pump. The person inserts his penis into the cylinder portion of the device, uses the pump to create a vacuum sensation and once the penis becomes enlarged places an elastic ring around the base of the penis to insure that it remains hard.

This ED device works by extracting the air within the pump and thus creating a vacuum that draws blood into the penis walls and tissue. Once an erection is achieved, the blood remains in the penis and keeps it hard because the elastic band prevents it from escaping. After intercourse, the band is removed and the erection ceases.

Many versions and variations of “the pump” are available. Although a word of precaution, it is recommended that the band be removed no more than half hour after the erection is achieved. Otherwise, the penis can suffer bruising, scabbing, etc.

Gene Therapy to Treat Erectile Dysfunction

Though gene therapy is not yet commercially available, promising medical research teams are testing gene therapy for the treatment of ED and in the nearby future, hope to be able to offer long-lasting solutions that will enable millions of men to recover their sex life. For the time being, gene therapy for ED purposes is only in its experimental phases, so interested patients would have to contact research teams in order to participate in clinical trials.

Treating ED with Psychotherapy and Alternative Medicine

Though ED is usually a physical condition, the brain plays a major role when it comes to feeling sexually stimulated. Thus factors such as stress, anxiety, depression, etc. can lessen a man's ability to obtain a proper erection. If these factors are combined with physical limitations such as having clogged or damaged penile arteries, a person can have great difficulty in achieving a proper erection.

A person's sexual partner can also greatly impact a man's ability to achieve an erection. Men who are part of couples that have undergone sexual therapy tend to have greater success when simultaneously undergoing conventional ED treatments.

Alternative medicine also provides hope to many people that are reluctant to use traditional medicine to treat ED Though it is not clinically proven that certain natural herbs and remedies may aid men in recovering their sex drive, some people swear by it. Whether this is due to the placebo effect (if one believes he is going to get better, then he will) or whether there is an actual physical benefit that has occurred is yet to be studied.