Knowing that erectile dysfunction (ED) is experienced by one in two men may not provide much reassurance to men when they experience it. Men often struggle with feelings of embarrassment and inadequacy, and difficulty talking about it only compounds the problems. It’s important to note that ED is not a normal, inevitable part of aging, and that many preventive measures and treatments can help.
Here at Innovative Wellness Inc. we strive to get to the root cause and personalize your care with giving you options, treatments, and resources to optimize your quality of life.
Only about one in three men seek help for their ED. That’s unfortunate, since ED can lead to relationship difficulties, depression, self-esteem issues and anxiety, and successful treatment is associated with an overall improved quality of life.
When talking about treatments for ED, it’s helpful to start with the physiology of an erection, which happens when the muscles in the penis relax in response to sexual excitement. When this happens, blood flow increases, filling up the two columns of spongy tissues that run along the shaft of the penis.
Most men experience some difficulty getting erection periodically, which could be due to a variety of factors such as stress or fatigue. However, when it happens frequently, it’s considered erectile dysfunction.
Causes and Prevalence of ED.
ED is more prevalent with age, with reported ED rising about 10% per decade. However, it does affect younger men. Some studies suggest that lifestyle factors play a larger role in younger men - the good news is that those are easy to change.
For many men, ED is triggered by a variety of possible factors. Potential causes run the gamut from many physical conditions to psychological ones. The range of related conditions is one more reason to seek medical advice with regards to ED, since it could indicate an underlying condition that should be treated.
Some possible psychological and external factors include:
Depression
Anxiety
Relationship troubles
Chronic stress
Not sleeping well through the night
Some prescription drugs, including medications for depression, blood pressure medication, and antihistamines
Alcohol, tobacco and recreational drug use
Certain medical conditions may also lead to ED, these include:
Obesity, in general men who are less active are more prone to ED
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Low testosterone levels
Diabetes
Multiple sclerosis
Parkinson’s
Peyronie’s disease, in which scar tissue forms in the penis, often due to physical trauma
Prostate surgery can also lead to problems with erections
Treating ED: More Than One Option
The first step to effectively treating ED, is starting with a consult. At Innovative Wellness, Rachael reviews all your medical history, and will develop a multidisciplinary approach to treating your symptoms. The fact is, that one thing is not necessarily the “magic wand”. There may be several things that we will need to identify, develop a treatment plan tailored to your personal needs to resolve and improve your quality of life.
Let’s take a look at some of the conventional methods of ED treatment, lifestyle changes and ways we can support you here at Innovative Wellness.
Medications
If you do not know the Viagra story…I will tell you when you come in! What's most important is blood flow! Several medications, such as Viagra and Cialis, increase blood flow to the penis by improving the response to nitrous oxide, a chemical in your body that helps the muscles in the penis relax. At IW, we provide medication options with supplement support to optimize efficacy of not only erectile function, but what also supports erectile function in the body system. For example cardiovascular disease, diabetes, poor sleep hygiene, post-prostatectomies.
We recommend starting with our Nox Support to improve cardiovascular function, circulation, muscle performance, and sexual function. It helps maximize oxygenation and blood flow to the body, boost memory and focus, surge in energy and stamina.
Hormones
As men through their lifespan, hormones change and function can be impacted. However, declining testosterone is not necessarily the cause of erectile dysfunction, but treating your hormones will give you more energy, support your metabolism, and optimize recovery with exercise. In addition, it helps increase blood flow and ability to maximize your overall health as men age.
Exercise
Regular exercise not only improves blood flow and testosterone levels, it can also improve many conditions that can contribute to ED, such as obesity, high cholesterol and even depression. One study found that a program of moderate walking for short distances was enough to make a positive impact.
With its emphasis on mindfulness and relaxation, yoga can help address ED. One study found significant improvement in just 12 weeks. Focus on postures that encourage relaxation, as well as those that target the pelvis and groin, such as seated forward bend and butterfly pose.
Many women perform Kegel exercises to improve muscle tone in their pelvic floor, and research shows they’re also effective for men! A good way to learn how to do a Kegel is to stop peeing midstream, which can help you identify the muscles involved. Throughout the day, you want to contract those muscles for about three seconds, and do this about 10 to 20 times at once, repeating the sequence three times a day (some people find doing Kegels while sitting at traffic lights is a good reminder). You may have to work up to this - if you find it difficult, start by doing Kegels lying down.
Dietary changes and supplements
Whole, unprocessed foods can improve blood flow, which could help with erectile difficulties. Studies have linked the Mediterranean diet, with its focus on green vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, with reduced rates of ED. Other research points to the benefits of flavonoids, which are found in foods like dark chocolate, many fruits and vegetables, and many nuts.
Herbs such as ginseng may aid in treating ED, and some research shows success with zinc and DHEA. There are supplements specifically tailored to help men with sexual health, such as our Ultimate Libido for Him.
Innovative treatments
Is your Sexual Satisfaction as good as it could be? At Innovative Wellness we are always looking for ways to help our patients with new, effective, holistic integrative treatments that get to the root cause of imbalances. Erectile dysfunction is no different. We study the science and provide the most cutting edge treatments that make a difference!
We offer Precision soundwave therapy - an effective, non-invasive treatment that uses soundwaves that pass through erectile tissue, clearing out plaque and stimulating growth and production of new blood vessels, supporting nerve endings, which in turn increases blood flow to the penis. Depending on your goals, anywhere from 6-8 treatment are needed. We also offer preventative maintenance program to maintain and optimize perfoemance. Unlike many other medical interventions for ED, precision soundwave therapy is not associated with side effects.
We also have Priapus shots. Using your growth factors derived from your own blood, these safe injections stimulate collagen production, increase blood flow, increase sensation, and duration and strength of erectile function. The entire procedure takes about 20 minutes, and optimum results are experienced in about 12 weeks. For best results, adopting the lifestyle changes listed above will help.
These two treatments are often done together for optimizing function. Both of these treatments have great results for recovering Peyronie's Disease.
If you want to learn more about treating ED, schedule a consultation with us today - at Innovative Wellness we are here to support you!
Sources
Han HA, Goldstein I, Hatzichristou DG, Krane RJ, McKinlay JB. Impotence and its medical and psychosocial correlates: results of the Massachusetts Male Aging Study. J Urol. 1994 Jan;151(1):54-61. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5347(17)34871-1. PMID: 8254833.
Latini DM, Penson DF, Lubeck DP, Wallace KL, Henning JM, Lue TF. Longitudinal differences in disease specific quality of life in men with erectile dysfunction: results from the Exploratory Comprehensive Evaluation of Erectile Dysfunction study. J Urol. 2003 Apr;169(4):1437-42. doi: 10.1097/01.ju.0000049203.33463.9e. PMID: 12629379.
Cheng JY, Ng EM, Ko JS, Chen RY . Physical activity and erectile dysfunction: meta-analysis of population-based studies. Int J Impot Res 2007; 19: 245–252.
Dorey, G., Speakman, M.J., Feneley, R.C., Swinkels, A. and Dunn, C.D. (2005), Pelvic floor exercises for erectile dysfunction. BJU International, 96: 595-597. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-410X.2005.05690.x
Isis Begot, Thatiana C.A. Peixoto, Laion R.A. Gonzaga, Douglas W. Bolzan, Valeria Papa, Antonio C.C. Carvalho, Ross Arena, Walter J. Gomes, Solange Guizilini, A Home-Based Walking Program Improves Erectile Dysfunction in Men With an Acute Myocardial Infarction, The American Journal of Cardiology, Volume 115, Issue 5,
2015, Pages 571-575, ISSN 0002-9149,
Mykoniatis I, Grammatikopoulou MG, Bouras E, Karampasi E, Tsionga A, Kogias A, Vakalopoulos I, Haidich AB, Chourdakis M. Sexual Dysfunction Among Young Men: Overview of Dietary Components Associated With Erectile Dysfunction. J Sex Med. 2018 Feb;15(2):176-182. doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2017.12.008. Epub 2018 Jan 8. PMID: 29325831.
Vikas Dhikav MD,Girish Karmarkar MD,Myank Verma MBBS,Ruchi Gupta MD,Supriya Gupta MD,Deeksha Mittal MBBS,Kuljeet Anand MD, DM, Yoga in Male Sexual Functioning: A Noncompararive Pilot Study, First published: 14 July 2010 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.01930.xCitations:
La J, Roberts NH, Yafi FA. Diet and Men's Sexual Health. Sex Med Rev. 2018 Jan;6(1):54-68. doi: 10.1016/j.sxmr.2017.07.004. Epub 2017 Aug 1. PMID: 28778698.
Dissanayake D, Wijesinghe PS, Ratnasooriya WD, Wimalasena S. Effects of zinc supplementation on sexual behavior of male rats. J Hum Reprod Sci. 2009;2(2):57-61. doi:10.4103/0974-1208.57223
Borrelli, F., Colalto, C., Delfino, D.V. et al. Herbal Dietary Supplements for Erectile Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Drugs 78, 643–673 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40265-018-0897-3