Erectile Dysfunction: Signs, Symptoms & Causes

Symptoms of erectile dysfunction include:

• difficult or impossible to produce or maintain an erection
• erections that are not hard enough for sexual intercourse
• inability to maintain an erection after penetration

Causes of erectile dysfuntion may include:

• Damaged blood vessels and decreased blood flow to the penis. This may be a result of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, some medications, or smoking
• Nerve damage that prevents nerve impulses from properly reaching the penis. This may be a result of spinal cord injury, injury to the penis, alcoholism, nervous system diseases like multiple sclerosis, or surgery or radiation to the prostate, bladder, colon, or rectal area
• Hormonal imbalances (e.g. testosterone or pituitary or thyroid hormones). These may result from a pituitary gland tumour, liver or kidney disease or hormone treatment for prostate cancer. For information on low testosterone see hypogonadism
• Psychological problems can cause ED (e.g. depression, stress, anxiety, or relationship issues)

Erectile Dysfunction: Treatment Options >>