Help for men who suffer from ED

Men often tie their identities to their sexuality, so for a man who might be experiencing an issue with his sexual health, it’s a very serious, alarming topic. A man may not seek treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED) due to embarrassment, but SIU School of Medicine urologists encourage men with ED to seek help from their physician.

Causes of ED

  • An erection is a neurovascular event. Plaque build-up in the vessels of the penis reduces the blood flow, causing ED.
  • Smoking is one of the most common causes of ED, though the correlation is widely unrecognized.
  • Obesity is another instigator. Strong data show that a heart-healthy diet is also a penis-healthy diet. “Weight gain can become a vicious cycle for men,” says SIU urologist Dr. Tobias Köhler. The more flab a man has, the more he converts testosterone to estrogen. “Once you get obese, your testosterone gets low and estrogen gets high, causing decreased motivation. Then you exercise less, get more obese and the cycle continues.”flattire
  • Low testosterone, or low T, can cause ED. “One misconception is that fixing testosterone will always make ED better,” Dr. Köhler says. “But no matter how good your testosterone is, if there isn’t air flowing into the tire, you’ve still got a flat tire.”

Treatments

  • Lifestyle: Dr. Köhler emphasizes that patients must be active participants in curing ED. This includes the usual advice: exercise, eating healthy and no smoking. “Lifestyle changes are better than any pill I can prescribe or any surgery I can do,” Dr. Köhler says.
  • Prescription medications: These drugs boost nitric oxide, sending more blood to the penis; however, each medication behaves a little differently. Some last 24-48 hours, others last only a few, and they all take some time to kick in.
  • Surgery:
    • One experimental option is placing penile experimental stents in the arteries of the penis, similar to stents inserted in the heart, to help blood flow.
    • Another option available to men with ED is a penile implant. The surgery receives a 95% satisfaction rate, and offers men — and women — new hope.

Dr. Köhler has a message to all men dealing with sexual health problems, “We all have a right to be sexually healthy and there shouldn’t be anything embarrassing about it.”

Read the aspects article to learn more about Dr. Köhler and how he helps men with their sexual health concerns.Couple holding hands.