Normal male hormones
The first is that a man needs normal male hormones. Testosterone receptors are very plentiful within the penis and the other genitalia. They bathe the system and keep it healthy. So if a man has low testosterone, it can impact his ability to get erections.
Normal nerve function
He needs normal nerve function. The nerves that supply the penile erection are necessary to essentially connect libido to the arteries that would normally dilate and engorge the penis. So if there’s nerve injury, whether it be related to surgery, radiation, or a neurologic disorder, that can really disrupt the ability of a man to get an erection. If it’s only nerve dysfunction, it can often be treated with medications that bypass nerves like penile injections that you may receive in the Men’s Health Center or in an injection clinic.
Healthy penile tissue
A man needs healthy penile tissue. Inside the penis in the corpora cavernosa, which are the erectile bodies, are lots of muscle cells that may expand and contract and they’re very elastic. If those areas are damaged with scar tissue like somebody may develop in a disease called Peyronie’s disease, then that can significantly impact the ability of a man to get an erection.
Blood supply
This is critical. If a man has inadequate blood supply or damage to the arteries that provide erection, this can severely limit an erection. Sometimes we can amplify how well those blood vessels dilate by using medications like pills, sometimes injections or suppositories in the penis. But when the blood supply simply can’t be rectified, a man may need a penile prosthesis and this would be the best way to augment his ability to have a normal erection.
Sex drive free from anxiety
Last but not least, a man needs sex drive that is free from anxiety. When a man is anxious or has a lack of libido, this will severely impact how well he can develop an erection. I think it’s really important for all men who are experiencing E.D. to consider different forms of sexual therapy, not necessarily alone but in conjunction with the other treatments they’re getting from their urologist.
In the end, any man who has a strong desire to get an erection can restore his sex life. There’s not a man out there that can’t get this important part of his life back.