Erectile dysfunction, or ED, is probably one of the most worrisome and stressful things any man can experience. Your sense of virility, of attractiveness, of health, and even your very sense of being male can all be affected, and that doesn’t take into account your partner’s feelings on the subject. ED is defined as the inability to develop or maintain an erection during sexual activity. ED can be a very scary thing to be confronted with, so you need to know all the facts concerning ED.

First, ED is more common than you think. Most men experience at least a mild form of ED during their lifetime. It doesn’t make you any less a man; it just means you’re human. But there are a lot of underlying potential causes that have to be looked at. Smoking, drug and alcohol use, and psychological stressors and concerns are perhaps the most common reasons for ED, but medications and various diseases can all include ED as a symptom of an underlying problem. So medical history and lifestyle have to be taken into account when seeking out the root causes of any individual erectile dysfunction case, and your Las Vegas urology specialist will need to know about them.

In most cases, ED goes away on its own. When you can relax and simply enjoy sex, rather than worrying about the kids, the bills, the car, the job, and the rest of the things that add tension and stress to your life, it takes the “pressure to perform” off you. But since ED can also be an early warning symptom of much more serious physical ailments such as prostate cancer, it is never a good idea to assume that your ED will go away on its own. While prostate cancer is a worst-case scenario, this is definitely one time where it is better to be safe than sorry and consult a professional urologist.

In some cases, such as when blood flow to the penis is inhibited, drugs like Levitra, Cialis, and Viagra can help you achieve and maintain a satisfactory erection. Drugs are not always the answer, but millions of men (and their partners) have reported excellent results.

ED can be a frightening blow to a man, attacking your most basic feelings of manhood. But if you find yourself confronted with erectile dysfunction, the first thing to remember is to keep calm; it’s not your fault, it’s just one more part of being a man. Urologists can and do treat ED and other male-specific problems and perform procedures such as vasectomies. So the first thing to do is consult with your urologist Las Vegas men trust to make sure that there’s not an underlying physical cause. This will help assure you a long and healthy life, in and out of the bedroom.