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William O. Brant, Penile Injection Therapy, The Journal of Sexual Medicine, Volume 7, Issue 10, October 2010, Pages 3521–3522, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.02027.x
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Erectile dysfunction (ED, also knows as “impotence”) is extremely common. It is defined as “the persistent inability to achieve or sustain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual intercourse.” This can be a total inability or inconsistent ability, or a tendency to sustain only brief erections.
Why Are Sexual Problems Such as ED Important?
Sexual problems are serious and are worthy of attention from medical professionals because (i) sexual dysfunction affects quality of life for both the patient and his partner and (ii) sexual dysfunction often makes men feel worse about their general health.
Is It Not Normal to Lose Erectile Function When You Get Older?
Although it is common (at least 50% of men over 50 years old have some loss of function), it is not normal, no matter what the patient age. Unfortunately, only 10% of men seek treatment and many (50%) discontinue treatment once they start it. While there are many reasons why men may not seek treatment for ED, one of the most common is a sense of embarrassment about discussing sex with their health-care provider. Without discussion, many men do not realize that there are a variety of very satisfying treatments available; there is no need to suffer in silence.
