What Is Erectile Dysfunction?

What Is Erectile Dysfunction?
Picture this: a moonlit night, candles burning, the soft
low sound of romantic music, and that special someone
holding you ever so closely. You softly caress her skin,
you lean in for a kiss, and then when it is time to share
that most intimate embrace; whoops, no fire down below. Oh
boy, that really hurts! For many men, erectile dysfunction
is a very common and embarrassing problem. It can be
psychologically devastating. It can also lead to
depression, marital breakups and infidelity, and
self-deprecating behavior. Although many cures are
available today, choosing the right method of treatment can
be frustrating and extremely expensive.

So what is erectile dysfunction? The real definition of
erectile dysfunction, is the inability to develop or
maintain an erection of the penis. Some common cures for
erectile dysfunction, are counseling, prescription
medication, herbal supplements, and physical therapy.

There are many advertisements on the internet, radio, and
television, which make claims that sexual dysfunction can
be cured with a so called "magic pill". Advertisements
state that a man can increase his penis size and become
sexually virile again. In fact, many companies make claims
that a man's penis can be increased by as much as three to
six inches over a short period of time. They further claim
that this increase in penis size will cause a man to have
more confidence and thus cure his erectile dysfunction.

These claims may or may not be true, however, the fact
remains, that an erection, is actually in most cases, a
physiological problem. It is only in very few instances,
that the problem is more psychological, rather than
physical. These instances are usually more of a short term
problem, caused by temporary stress, fear, or apprehension.
There is no one simple cause for erectile
dysfunction, so there is no one simple cure. It can be
caused by many different factors. The most common myth is
that this only happens to the elderly. For centuries, it
was just commonly accepted that men would become less and
less sexually active as they got older. Many individuals
called this phenomenon the "over the hill" or "old age"
syndrome. This is not necessarily true. Old age really
doesn't have much to do with not being able to become
erect. Both young and old men can equally have erectile
dysfunction. Although it is true, that a greater majority
of older men experience this problem, it really has more to
do with a decrease in blood flow to the penis.

The penis actually becomes erect when blood flows into the
corpus cavernosum. These are the two partially hollow
columns forming the sides and dorsum of the penis shaft.
These shafts engorge with blood in an erection. There is
also a spongy body running under the corpus cavernosum,
which runs along the entire length of the penis. This
surrounds the urethra, and partially engorges with blood in
an erection. The outermost end is the glans penis, and the
far end is called the bulb. Since an erection is caused
solely from blood flow, almost any type of erectile
dysfunction can be treated and cured, as long there is no
physical damage to the actual penis itself.

For many years, scientists, doctors, and researchers, have
conducted tests to try and treat erectile dysfunction. It
was widely believed that erectile dysfunction could be
cured with natural herbs and vitamins. Some even thought
that meditation, soft music, or even wine, could cure this
problem. There have even been stories that "Voodoo" or
"Witch Doctors" could cure erectile dysfunction by
performing ceremonial dances, and letting the subject drink
potions or eat certain foods. Thankfully, many real cures
are available today because of the endless research and
development by the medical community.

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Bryan Pringle, Ph.D., is an author and an webmaster of
websites offering news and information about erectile
dysfunction. For more information, please visit:
http://www.consumersdiscountrx.com/discount_prescription_rx