What causes a decrease in potency in men?

15 August 2022

Another well-known psychotherapist, Sigmund Freud, called potency disorders the most common failure in the life of any man. And the amazing thing is that many, many years have passed since then, and this statement is still relevant.

Modern medicine has learned to solve problems with potency, there are many diagnostic and treatment technologies. But to this day, for a man, any difficulties in the intimate sphere take a heavy blow to pride and self-confidence.

Causes of a decrease in potency in men

To dispel a number of myths related to this problem, let's first talk a bit about statistics.

You know:

20% of men experience erectile dysfunction;
10% of men go to a specialist with sexual problems;
80% of men note a decrease in potency associated with physiological disorders of the body;
In 90% of cases, erectile dysfunction is completely treatable.
Agree, on the one hand, not everything is as scary as it seemed, on the other hand, the presence of physiological causes of erectile dysfunction is a good reason to suspect any disease.
So, the organic causes of impotence can be as follows.
Vascular. Damage to the vascular walls leads to disruption of the blood supply to the penis and, consequently, to a decrease in potency. Diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases and others cause vascular problems.
hormonal. Lack of testosterone (hypogonadism) is often seen in middle-aged and elderly men. Testosterone production can also be interfered with by an excess of its antagonist, prolactin.
Iatrogenic. Slow potency develops against the background of a man taking prescription drugs, for example, for peptic ulcers, cardiovascular disease, and gout. The cancellation of drugs or their replacement with analogues will help solve the problem.
neurogenic. Erectile dysfunction occurs as a result of previous diseases, strokes, injuries to the central nervous system and peripheral nerves. In ¾ of the cases, the reasons for the decrease in potency are spinal cord injuries, ¼ - intervertebral hernia, neoplasms, multiple sclerosis and other diseases. The erection is weakened due to the difficult passage to the cavernous bodies or the complete absence of nerve impulses.

Lifestyle and potency disorders

Very often, men forget that sexual strength largely depends on how a person takes care of himself and his health in general.

It's no secret that smoking and regular alcohol consumption are one of the main causes of sexual failure. Also, men's health is affected by the presence of stress, frequent visits to the toilet, improper diet. By eating an excessive amount of fatty foods (and even along with alcohol intake), a man causes an increase in body weight and an increase in the production of female sex hormones. As a result, this lifestyle can lead not only to erectile dysfunction, but also to infertility.

Psychological causes of weak potency

It is worth considering separately this type of main source of problems with erectile function. Young people are more likely to suffer from such disorders, in most cases, those who are just beginning to lead a sexual life.

The reasons for low power in this case may be:

in the presence of child or adolescent psychological trauma, when parents inspired their child that sex is something shameful, undignified;
in experiences for lack of own experience, and therefore for fear of being ridiculed;
for fear of contracting sexually transmitted diseases;
in the fears associated with an unwanted pregnancy of a couple, etc.

According to experts, an adult man who has enough sexual experience behind him is quite capable of solving the psychological problems of erectile dysfunction. But young men often cannot do without professional help.

Surprisingly, relationships with a partner can become both a cause of trouble (if they are not close enough), and a means of getting rid of impotence (if they are warm, sincere).

Another important fact. If psychological factors can themselves be the cause of weak potency, then organic erectile dysfunction is always accompanied by a psychogenic component. As a result, after eliminating the root cause of the problems, psychological difficulties come to the fore and interfere with the normal sexual life of a man.

How to identify the cause of erectile dysfunction

Urogenital diseases are diagnosed by an andrologist or urologist. You will need to have a blood test, sperm smear and biological, and undergo an ultrasound.
Hormonal disorders will be detected by an endocrinologist. The doctor will recommend to undergo an ultrasound examination and CT scan of the endocrine glands, donate blood for hormones.
Vascular disorders will be determined by a vascular surgeon. Studies are performed using Doppler ultrasound and functional tests that show the level of blood supply to the penis.
Diseases of the brain and spinal cord, peripheral nervous system will help identify a neurologist. You will be assigned electroencephalography, tomography of the spinal cord and brain, rheoencephalography, electromyography.
The psychological causes of sexual disorders can only be found by a psychotherapist, psychiatrist or sexologist. Diagnostic methods in this case are psychological tests, conversations with the patient.

Hormonal imbalance, or where do men get their female hormones?

What are we talking about?Decreased levels of male hormones and/or increased levels of female hormones.

Who is guilty?Normally, a man's body produces a large amount of male hormones and a small amount of female hormones. Alcohol, smoking, malnutrition, irregular sex life, beriberi, liver disease - all this (and not only! ) Sooner or later leads to:

the production of male sex hormones is reduced,
and the production of women, on the contrary, can increase.

Of course, this is not good.

To do?

Pass special tests. Find out exactly which hormones are missing and which ones are "freaking out. "
Establish the scope of the problem.
Replenish your body with the missing hormones.
Suppress the production of excessive amounts of female hormones.
Restore the body's ability to produce hormones in the proper amount (no more, no less).

What kind of tests should be done?Donating biomaterials for everything is an unpleasant and expensive occupation. Ask a urologist. He will conduct an examination, analyze her complaints and tell her what tests she needs to pass.

Then you will select the hormone-containing preparations that suit you best. Or he will prescribe a treatment so that the body "remembers" how many hormones to produce.

What is the prognosis?With a properly selected course of treatment and the implementation of the doctor's recommendations, the prognosis is positive - potency, as a rule, is restored. Any age.

Infections of various origins.

What are we talking about?Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), or infections that are in the body "in a dormant state, " waking up under certain conditions.

Who is guilty?Infections and harmful bacteria can appear mainly for two reasons:

Doubtful "contacts" without means of protection.
The reproduction of microorganisms that constantly live inside any person in small quantities. Usually such microorganisms wake up in diseases of internal organs, when the immune system is weakened.

To do?Both need to be identified and destroyed. The sooner the better.

What tests to take?There are many types of infectious diseases. Taking tests for all types is a waste of time and money. Visit a urologist, list all your symptoms, tell him in detail about your feelings when urinating, during or after sexual intercourse, have an examination and ultrasound.

An experienced urologist will collect all of this information and list the necessary laboratory tests. Then, based on her results, she will establish a diagnosis and prescribe medications and procedures.

What is the prognosis?Today, the vast majority of infectious lesions are perfectly treatable.

Inflammation: From pain to helplessness - 1 step!

What are we talking about?Prostatitis, epididymitis, urethritis, vesiculitis, cystitis, and others, all, as she noted, with the "-IT" suffix. Conditions that bring men suffering from pain, cramps, burning, high fever and other unpleasant sensations.

These sensations can occur during or after urination, during sexual intercourse or in the process of ejaculation, while walking, lifting weights, and even at rest.

Who is guilty?Very often, the man himself is to blame. Hypothermia and, on the contrary, overheating, ignoring the first symptoms of diseases (not only urological, the cause of inflammation can even be untreated dental caries), unhealthy habits, casual relationships, infections, attempts at self-medication, uncontrolled intake of antibiotics and other drugs

All this gradually accumulates, until a focus of inflammation forms in one of the organs.

To do?Diagnose and treat. The sooner, the less damage will be done to the body. Inflammations cause problems not only with potency, but can lead to infertility. The ideal option is to have time to recover in the acute stage. But this is not always the case: often people go to the doctor already with a chronic form.

What is the prognosis?Acute inflammation can be cured fairly quickly. And if you take care of yourself and do not neglect the doctor's recommendations, relapses (repeated exacerbations) may not occur.

Chronic inflammation is also treatable. But the treatment takes a little longer. And there is a high probability of repeated exacerbations as a result of colds or stress.

Vascular problems: No blood, no erection!

problems with potency due to blood vessels

What are we talking about?Partial or complete blockage of the vessels of the penis due to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.

What's going on?A normal erection requires rapid blood flow to the penis. If there are atherosclerotic plaques or blood clots in the blood vessels, the movement of blood slows down and the potency worsens. Complete blockage of the blood vessels leads to absolute impotence.

Who is guilty?Inadequate diet, sedentary lifestyle, bad habits, too frequent, or vice versa, sexual contacts that are too rare, diseases of the cardiovascular system, increases in pressure, etc.

To do?Find the reason. Along with the urologist. Special hardware studies are usually carried out for this:

vessel dopplerography
erectile function test
biothesiometry

What is the prognosis?Depending on the condition of your vessels, they must break free of atherosclerotic plaques or new vessels must grow. Which method is more suitable in your case, the doctor will determine.

Comprehensive treatment with appliances is needed: LOD vacuum therapy, shock wave therapy, magneto-laser therapy. A good effect is achieved when these techniques are combined with PRP therapy and intravenous injections.

The first positive results appear almost immediately. It is important not to stop at this stage, otherwise everything will return to normal very quickly. Do not be lazy, follow the course of treatment completely to consolidate the effect for a long time.

Diseases of the lumbosacral spine

What are we talking about?Diseases of the spine in the lumbar and/or sacral regions directly affect the health of the pelvic organs in men.

What's going on?Due to osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, displacement of the vertebrae, blood circulation is disturbed, and nerve endings can be infringed. This causes pain and numbness. And as a result - power violations.

To do?Take a course of treatment together with a urologist and a neurologist - here you need drugs, massage, acupuncture, specially designed exercises and physiotherapy (magnet, UVT, laser). Such therapy quickly relieves pain, helps restore normal urination, improves blood circulation, restores lost sensitivity.

What is the prognosis?If you haven't gotten to the point where you need spinal surgery, then the prognosis is very reassuring. With simultaneous treatment by a neurologist and a urologist, a fairly rapid recovery and restoration of potency is possible.

If you are shown surgery on your spine, the recovery will be much longer and quite complicated. Do not take him to the operation, consult a doctor in time!

Examination by a urologist for problems with potency.

Primary appointment with a urologist-andrologist

Inspection
prostate ultrasound
bladder ultrasound
Doppler study of blood vessels - for potency problems
Erectile function test - for problems with potency
Biothesiometry - for potency problems and premature ejaculation
Medical consultation, evaluation of examination results.

Erectile dysfunction: types, causes and methods of treatment.

Men of any nationality, no matter where they live and no matter how old they are, are worried about problems with their own penis. They are especially scared when the erect penis is not hard enough, it is not "manageable" and it is impossible to have sexual intercourse. This disorder is called erectile dysfunction or impotence.

It should be noted that almost all representatives of the strong half of humanity from the age of 20 face poor-quality erections. But it is possible to assume the presence of this disorder of sexual function only if 25% of cases of intimate communication are faulty (one in four sexual intercourse occurs with a "misfire").

Erectile dysfunction becomes a real tragedy for a man, he suffers from it physically and psychologically, so it must be treated immediately.

Characteristics and symptoms of impotence.

There are such signs of erectile dysfunction:

lack of sexual desireUnwillingness to intimacy, that is, a violation of libido, occurs with a decrease in the production of testosterone (male hormone), depression due to stress, frequent fatigue, poor condition after a fight with a sexual partner;
slow erection, as a consequence of vascular disease, etc. ;
lack of ejaculation due to psychological factors;
anorgasmia - the absence of orgasm, as a rule, is also associated with psychology.

The types of disorder are determined by their causes:

organic: autoimmune diseases, hypertension, diabetes and other serious diseases;
psychogenic - problems with a partner, overexertion, stress;
mixed.

According to statistics, almost 80% of cases of erectile dysfunction are associated with organic problems.

Each of the above types has its own characteristics. Psychological impotence appears suddenly, immediately, but the morning erection remains at the appropriate level and the arousal of the penis persists throughout the sexual intercourse.

Organic erectile dysfunction manifests itself gradually. Sexual desire is present, orgasm occurs, but the penis loses its hardness in the process of intimacy. Every day the erection weakens. This indicates the presence of a disease.

With the mixed nature of the disorder, the two aforementioned factors appear simultaneously for appropriate reasons.

Causes of impotence

It is advisable to list the most common causes of this male sexual function disorder:

Taking medications or certain other substances. We are talking about the use of drugs that reduce the activity of the cerebral cortex and thereby reduce the production of testosterone, antidepressants, antiallergens, etc. This also includes alcohol and drugs.
Psychological factors are standard: depression, constant stress, severe neurosis. Inconsistencies in addictions and desires in sex with the partner or bad relationship with her, fear of failure in sexual relations, trivial fatigue at work. Much depends on the partner: his excessive perseverance or the "wrong" word that has come out can contribute to the weakening of the erection.
Various neurological diseases, circulatory disorders, injuries to the penis, pelvis or perineum, etc.
Abnormal functionality of the endocrine system implies a violation of the production of the male hormone, which is caused by genetic faults, tumors, infections and advanced age. Obesity also changes the hormonal background, and since this problem has now also affected young representatives of the strong half of humanity, doctors are concerned that impotence is increasingly being diagnosed in this part of the population.

In addition to the above, epilepsy, penile trauma and vascular sclerosis can contribute to the onset of impotence. The latter interrupts the blood flow to the genitals through the arteries, which is necessary for an erection, due to which it is weak or completely absent. Also, problems with the veins lead to rapid arousal of the penis, but it quickly disappears, and sexual intercourse cannot be completed normally.

Difficulties with blood vessels are generally dangerous for the male population of the Earth. Violation of their inner shell is common for people suffering from autoimmune diseases, as well as heavy smokers. There is also a disease called penile angiospasm, which is characterized by poor blood circulation in the vessels of the penis.

beware masculinity

The cause of impotence is sometimes congenital abnormalities of the penis. Such is the rare Peyronie's disease - the opening of the urethra is located incorrectly.

Another natural violation is a frenulum defect - a longitudinal skin fold. It is located between the head of the penis and the foreskin and has the following function: when excited, it opens the head, regulates its curvature and prevents it from moving. If the frenulum is short, then the man will experience pain during intercourse, even spots may appear.

In addition, such a defect leads to premature ejaculation, so the man gets used to restrain himself during sexual intercourse in order to prolong it. As a result, this is fraught with erectile dysfunction in stable form. Everything can be corrected very quickly and easily by surgical dissection of the frenulum. The operation is simple, takes little time and is well practiced.

Separately, it should be said about injuries to the genital organ (bruises, burns, gunshot and stab wounds, accidents) that lead to impotence. If you receive them, you should immediately consult a doctor for help, and the sooner you do so, the more likely it is that you will avoid complete irreversible erectile dysfunction.

fracture of the penis during rough intercourse, blow or bending. There is a dangerous rupture of the cavernous bodies for potency, there is severe pain, a bruise, the organ swells. Depending on the severity of the situation, compresses or surgery may be prescribed as treatment;
injury from a fall, exercise, in a fight. Such a closed injury violates the urethra, is manifested by a bruise, pain when walking. Treatment - non-steroidal analgesics, compresses, rarely - surgery;
chemical burns, boiling water, ultraviolet rays;
subcutaneous hemorrhage, in which blood vessels are damaged, swelling occurs. It is dangerous because during healing scars can form, which can become an obstacle to blood flow, without which an erection is impossible. A cold compress can help.

Impotence can be caused by a combination of anatomical and psychological factors: a person after an injury had sexual intercourse and experienced very severe pain. In the future, at the subconscious level, he will be afraid of having sex, which, sooner or later, will usually lead to the impossibility of an erection.

Hypothetically dangerous and some operations. So, the famous composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, the author of the world-famous musicals "Cats" and "The Phantom of the Opera", declared publicly: he is impotent and became like this after the operation - he had a prostate tumor removed . Such a surgical intervention can really cause impotence, but in this case, doctors save a person's life. However, if you regularly undergo examinations by a urologist, prostate cancer or adenoma can be detected at an early stage and its treatment can be started on time. Then such an operation, which leads to loss of sexual function, will not be necessary.

Treatment

Any modern man, from young to old, is inevitably subject to stress in the cycle of life. Some have bad habits, malnourished and inactive due to the specifics of the job. All this leads to a deterioration of health, including in the sexual sphere. Modesty does not allow a man to go to the doctor and confess his impotence, but this is a false idea.

In any case, whatever the causes and manifestations of erectile dysfunction, a specialist should be consulted immediately. Currently, sexologists can help in the fight against various cases of impotence, since they have a large arsenal of tools for this.

Warning: self-treatment for this sexual disorder is dangerous, as pills and erection support devices advertised everywhere help for a while and may even cause harm. Its use will lead to the loss of precious time, during which the problem will only get worse.

It should be noted that very rarely treatment is the use of a single method that eliminates the pathology factor. As a general rule, an integrated approach is much more effective, especially if the case is neglected (and this often happens). This method of treating erectile dysfunction quickly restores sexual function by eliminating the factors that led to the disorder and helps the patient cope with the uncertainty that developed when impotence occurred.

Of course, erectile dysfunction is not a deadly problem, but because of it, a man's quality of life falls, his health and mood worsen, and families collapse. Therefore, getting rid of it is essential.

Impotence has long ceased to be a sentence. If a man has the first signs, symptoms, he just needs to seek help from a urologist. Early impotence most often develops against the background of inflammatory processes, sexually transmitted diseases - their treatment has long been fast and successful with timely access to specialists.