Career, family, everyday issues. . . In the circle of problems, many men put the care of their own health on the back burner, returning to it only after the discomfort becomes obvious.
One obvious example is erectile dysfunction. On the one hand, sexual weakness is an object of fear for many men. On the other hand, weakened sexual potential is rarely taken seriously at first. In the meantime, the first signs of reduced potency in men should certainly attract attention and become a reason for consultation with a specialist.
Problems with potency: psychology or physiology?
Traditionally, the problem of erectile dysfunction was associated with age: the older a man is, the more problems he has in the sexual sphere. However, doctors are starting to sound the alarm: erectile dysfunction is noticeably younger. Starting from the age of 25, a modern man can have periodic manifestations of this symptom. Moreover, stress and psycho-emotional disorders, but chronic diseases and lifestyle characteristics, are not considered the key reasons for the reduction of potency in young men today.
So, what are the main factors that reduce sexual potency in men?
- infectious diseases (usually chronic);
- diseases associated with metabolic destabilization (including obesity);
- prostatitis;
- vascular damage;
- bad habits;
- diabetes;
- neurotic disorders, prolonged stress, depression;
- acquired or congenital defects of the male genital organ.
It should be noted that the mentioned factors do not always lead to the development of sexual dysfunction, but the first signs of worsening erection or decreased libido should signal the need to visit a doctor. Only a specialist will be able to identify the real causes of the dysfunction and rule out the presence of serious diseases that can be hidden behind the symptoms.
The fight against reduced potency: on all fronts
Out of 100% of men who experience sexual weakness, only 10% will immediately consult a doctor and actively work to solve this problem. The rest, for various reasons, the main of which is shame, will ignore the "first signs", bringing the problem to a climax. That is why the first step towards the return of sexual power should be recognizing the problem, and only then trying to get rid of it.
The causes of male impotence and its treatment are interrelated and require not only medical but also psychological correction, as well as serious changes in lifestyle and diet.
If the cause of reduced potency in young or mature men is not physiological factors, then to normalize libido and sexual potential it is necessary:
- giving up habits that negatively affect potency - smoking, frequent alcohol consumption;
- balancing the diet - it is important to add vitamins to the menu, exclude fatty dishes with cholesterol and fast food, like sauerkraut, watermelon and dark chocolate;
- make your lifestyle more active, but without excessive physical activity;
- avoid stressful situations, be able to relax and shift attention to positive aspects;
- avoid hypothermia and carefully monitor personal hygiene;
- do not indulge in promiscuous sexual relations.
If the situation with reduced potency is not critical, there is no need to resort to drug therapy. A positive effect in combination with lifestyle correction can be achieved by taking a herbal biological supplement that has a mild corrective effect on the body.
Premature ejaculation
Premature ejaculation is one of the most common sexual disorders in men. However, it is not a complete disease, because the function of the genital organs is preserved, and in certain moments of life (adolescence, long-term sexual abstinence) it is generally the norm. Premature ejaculation (PE) refers to ejaculation with little sexual stimulation, as well as the inability to delay ejaculation for the time required for full sexual intercourse. This leads to the fact that sexual partners do not get pleasure from sex and conflicts arise. A man begins to feel psychological problems, fear of intimacy. If the pathology becomes chronic and starts to occur more often, the help of an andrologist is needed.
What are the causes of premature ejaculation
There are primary and secondary (acquired) forms. Primary occurs due to anatomical defects of the genital organs or pathological inheritance. The debut of early ejaculation occurs at puberty, and does not depend on external factors (partner, situation, psychological state).
Causes of congenital form:
- hypersensitivity of the penis;
- dysfunction of serotonin receptors;
- short frenulum of the penis;
- cavernous fibrosis.
Secondary premature ejaculation can occur against the background of a man's full physical health at any time in his life. The main reason is chronic urogenital diseases. Hormonal disorders, which are characteristic of endocrine pathologies, can also lead to sexual dysfunction.
Factors that significantly increase the risk of PE include:
- obesity;
- traumatic sexual experience;
- chronic stress;
- family problems (conflicts, emotional coldness between spouses);
- presence of neurological diagnoses - sclerosis, Parkinson's disease;
- irregular sex;
- operations on the genitals or pelvic area.
An important factor is good nutrition and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The lack of trace elements such as magnesium and zinc in men negatively affects the quality of ejaculate. Excessive dependence on alcohol reduces the ability to control the body, which entails unpleasant incidents in bed.
Premature ejaculation: diagnosis and consultation with a doctor
The main consequences of pathological sexual dysfunction include:
- Sexual dissatisfaction.
- A man's inability to delay and control ejaculation.
- Conflicts and problems in personal relationships, feelings of guilt and fear of intimacy.
If you have such symptoms, a consultation with an andrologist or urologist is recommended. During the examination, the doctor pays special attention to the collection of sexual history. This works out to:
- average time before ejaculation;
- the impact of PE on the quality of personal and sexual life;
- whether the man has endocrine diseases or metabolic disorders;
- How often do cases of premature ejaculation occur?
- at what age did the first case of PE occur?
- does the man take any medications.
A detailed study of the details of a man's sexual life will allow the doctor to distinguish between congenital and acquired pathologies. Doctors also classify the situational form of PE in a separate group. In this case, premature ejaculation occurs only under certain circumstances (with the same partner, in a certain place).
Treatment of premature ejaculation
In some cases, it is enough to reduce the consumption of alcohol or other stimulating drinks (energy drinks, coffee) in order to restore a full sex life.
For psychological reasons, a positive result is achieved by establishing friendly communication between partners/spouses. Using a condom or changing position can help reduce penile sensitivity and prolong intercourse. But such recommendations are effective only in the absence of physical health problems. The choice of therapy depends on the cause of the pathology and its severity.
Conservative treatment of premature ejaculation
This group includes 3 main areas:
- Use of local ointments, creams with anesthetic (mainly lidocaine). This method is easy to use and helps reduce the sensitivity of the glans penis. It is important to correctly choose the dose and strictly adhere to the treatment regimen prescribed by the doctor. In case of overdose, the opposite result is possible - numbness of the penis and lack of erection.
- Psychosexual therapy Two behavioral techniques are actively used - "stop-start" and "squeezing technique". They help to recognize the feeling of imminent ejaculation and slow it down. The therapy is also aimed at controlling the level of sexual arousal. The methods are included in the complex therapy of acquired premature ejaculation.
- Taking medication. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs are used. Prescribing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) also gives good results. Their side effects lead to delayed ejaculation.
If infectious diseases of the urogenital area are detected, a course of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs is prescribed. In addition, vitamin complexes can be prescribed.
Surgical treatment of premature ejaculation
Surgery is a last resort method used only when congenital PE is detected. To determine the need for surgical intervention, a lidocaine test is required.
- Denervation of the head of the penis is a microsurgical intervention during which the nerves of the penis are corrected.
- Frenulotomy (short frenuloplasty).
- Hyaluronic acid injections.
The main disadvantage of surgical treatment methods is the presence of a recovery period and the possibility of relapse. Currently, SSRIs are considered the optimal and effective method of therapy. It is also important to improve interpersonal relationships and create a comfortable environment.
Ejaculation disorders that are not related to diseases of internal organs are often temporary and completely reversible. To do that, a person just needs to be more attentive to his health. For timely detection and treatment of infectious diseases, regular visits to an andrologist or urologist are recommended. Sometimes a conversation with a doctor with explanations is enough.
It is important to avoid mental stress, enrich your diet with healthy food and overcome bad habits. If you can't deal with mental problems on your own, don't be afraid to seek help from a psychotherapist.
How to maintain potency: advice from a urologist
Is it possible to maintain a full sex life until old age? What affects potency? How to eat, what kind of sport to do in order to remain a man in the full sense? In what situations do you need a doctor's help? In this article, I will answer questions that concern all men and give concrete advice from a urologist to preserve men's health.
Myths and truth about male potency
The topic of potency has grown into so many myths that dispelling them would require not an article, but an entire book. However, I will mention some in order to put an end to it once and for all.
Stormy youth - old age without sex.
If you actively had sex in your youth, for example, every day, and even several times, then by the age of 40-50 the limit of sexual possibilities will be exhausted - is this true?
Physiologically, this statement is absolutely unfounded. Nature has ensured that the reproductive function of man works until his death. Unlike women, who have a limited number of eggs (conditionally), the production of seminal fluid continues as long as the man is alive.
The number and frequency of sexual relations in youth do not in any way affect the viability of men in old age. Another issue is indiscriminate unprotected contacts and their consequences. Complications of sexually transmitted diseases, especially those that are not treated or left to chance, are sure to haunt you, and it is only a matter of time.
- I can't control my ejaculation like before
- He does not experience vivid sensations, the orgasm is erased
If you stop having sex, you will be impotent.
This also includes sexual arousal without subsequent release. Some men use this myth to manipulate their partner into having sex every time they get aroused.
Arousal without continuation (ejaculation) is really not good for men's health, but it is not as critical as many people think. Interruption of sexual intercourse, when a man is maximally excited and ready to ejaculate, can lead to prostatitis due to stagnant processes. And that's only if you interrupt them regularly. Two or three episodes a month are unlikely to affect his health.
Men's Health - Urology
Of the large number of factors that affect potency, urological diseases are among the "leaders". Especially in men older than middle age. The main enemies of potency in this regard are prostate adenoma and prostatitis.
Urological problems in men associated with prostate adenoma usually appear after 40-45 years. What brings patients to the doctor for male problems is a weakened bladder or when a man cannot urinate.
An enlarged prostate puts pressure on the urethral canal and hinders the complete outflow of urine. Frequent urges, discomfort from the feeling that the bladder has not completely emptied - all this, neither emotionally nor physically, does not lead to an active sex life. Further - up. Problems with urination affect the work of the kidneys, and in that state there is no time for bodily pleasures.
Unlike prostate adenoma, prostatitis is not just a disease of old age. Young men can also get it. Typically, prostatitis is the result of an unhealthy lifestyle and promiscuous sex. specifically, sexually transmitted infections. Their situation is particularly difficult.
Most infections that lead to prostatitis are chlamydia, mycoplasmosis, ureaplasmosis, etc. - do not cause acute symptoms for a long time. The disease almost immediately passes into the chronic phase. But there comes a time when the disease is felt through pain, atypical discharge and problems with urination due to an inflamed prostate. A man simply cannot think about sex in such a state.
As you already know, there is no direct physiological connection between prostate disease and erectile dysfunction. But this does not mean that the problem should not be solved, but they make it impossible for a man to lead a normal sexual life. Neither prostate adenoma nor prostatitis go away on their own, like a runny nose. It is impossible to restore men's sexual health without the help of a doctor if available.
Because symptoms in urology often appear when the disease has already become chronic. Detecting it at an early stage, when it can be treated with simple conservative treatment, is only possible with regular preventive consultations with a urologist and urological tests.
Problems with erectile function - who to turn to
Let's talk now about what besides urological diseases impairs potency and which doctor to turn to to restore men's health.
Although there are many reasons for sexual impotence, they all fall into three categories:
- Organic. These include physiological factors - diseases and injuries.
- Psychogenic. In this case, physiology is fine, and impotence is caused by psychological problems - stress, depression, traumatic situation.
- Mixed. When both physiology and psyche are to blame for problems with potency.
Among the organic causes of potency problems, cardiovascular diseases are the main ones. Vessels affected by cholesterol plaques or other pathological changes prevent the cavernous body of the penis from quickly filling with blood. As a result, erection occurs slowly. If the corpora cavernosa are not filled with enough blood, the erection is too flaccid for full sexual intercourse. In extreme cases, it is completely absent.
Another common reason is hormonal imbalance. Hormones regulate most processes in the body, including sexual arousal and erection. First of all, testosterone deficiency affects potency. This hormone is basically responsible for the reproductive function of men. But other endocrine disorders, such as diabetes, can also affect men's sexual performance.
Psychogenic erectile dysfunction in its pure form is rarer than organic. Sexual impotence often occurs with long-term depression, neuroses and psychological trauma. Much more often, a combination of psychogenic and physiological problems leads to impotence.
Again, I will take as an example a man with prostatitis and accelerated ejaculation. Let's imagine that he could not control his ejaculation and that his partner remained dissatisfied, which is why she resented her partner. After some time the situation happened again. In addition, the man did not get much pleasure from sex, which often happens with prostatitis. What thought comes to mind? "Something is wrong with me, I can't have sex normally! "The psychological problem is obvious. Add to that progressive prostatitis and we get impotence.
Which doctor should I contact regarding potency?
Many people believe that the main doctor for men's health is a urologist. This is not entirely true. A urologist is a specialist who treats the genitourinary system. What diseases does a urologist treat? These are diseases:
- prostate (adenoma, prostatitis, etc. );
- bladder (neoplasms, inflammations);
- kidneys (pyelonephritis, urolithiasis);
- urethra.
With what symptoms and when should I go to the urologist?
- discharge from the urethra;
- difficult urination;
- pain in the perineum, scrotum, around the anus, in the lower back;
- impurities in urine or semen.
At the first symptoms, you should consult a doctor. Self-medication is the worst thing that can happen in this situation.
Issues related to men's sexual health are dealt with by another specialist. The main doctor for male potency is an andrologist. He is the one who has the necessary knowledge to determine the exact cause of male impotence, prescribes adequate treatment and, if necessary, involves other specialists in the treatment - urologist, psychotherapist, endocrinologist.
Since fertility and urology are closely related, andrologists are usually competent in the treatment of urological diseases and combine the work of both specialties.
Useful tips for men's health
Once again, let me emphasize that age is not the cause of impotence. Sexual impotence is caused by physiological and psychological disorders, which are increasing every year. This means that even in old age you can enjoy a fulfilling sex life.
I am sure that every man knows how to maintain intimate health.
- A healthy balanced diet;
- Regular physical activity;
- Moderate alcohol consumption;
- No bad habits;
- Pay attention to your health.
The ability to have sex and reproduce depends directly on these simple natural things. But most men consider this trivial, ignore it and receive the corresponding consequences.
I still recommend that you review your attitude towards your lifestyle and build it by taking into account the following tips:
- Stop smoking. Toxic substances that you inhale through cigarette smoke - lead, formaldehyde, arsenic, etc. - they destroy blood vessels. Namely, they, being filled with blood, make the penis hard.
- Limit alcohol. It also affects blood vessels. In addition, it disrupts the work of the liver, which "out of revenge" turns the male sex hormone into a female one. You've probably seen what men with low testosterone and high estrogen look like: chests that women can envy, fat deposits on the waist and hips, hair loss in areas atypical of a woman's body. There are great difficulties with libido and erection.
- Doing sports. Moderate physical activity prevents fluid stagnation in blood vessels, "trains" blood vessels and maintains their elasticity.
- Get tested and undergo preventive examinations with a urologist-andrologist at least once a year.
Useful for strengthening male potency:
- Various spices and seasonings: ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, hot pepper, fenugreek. They increase blood circulation, improve immunity, give strength and increase sensuality.
- Seeds, nuts: pistachios, pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds. They contain a lot of protein, vitamins and fat.
- All seafood: red fish, oysters. They contain easily digestible proteins and other useful substances.
- Dairy products, especially homemade cheeses (paneer, fresh cheese, but in moderate quantities). Rich in proteins.
- Fruits: currants, strawberries, avocados, bananas, watermelon, grapes, figs, raisins. This is the prevention of chronic fatigue, which is one of the frequent causes of loss of libido. But do not overdo it so that your sugar level does not rise. A lot of sweets are also harmful to potency.
- Greens: – celery, cilantro, parsley, dill, tarragon, basil. It improves the quality of sperm and the amount of sex hormones.
TOP-7 products that improve sexual function in men:
- Raw oysters. Rich in selenium and zinc.
- Bitter chocolate. Improves mood and increases testosterone levels.
- Fenugreek. It lowers the blood sugar level, reducing the risk of developing diabetes.
- Ginger, root. It causes blood flow to the penis.
- Pumpkin seeds. They contain a large amount of zinc and are considered the most useful product for the male reproductive system.
- nuts. Source of vegetable protein, increases testosterone.
- Red wine in small doses. Strengthens blood vessels.
Useful vitamins for male potency
In addition to vitamins that improve the work of the cardiovascular system, it is important to know other supplements that will be useful in reducing potency.
- vitamins A, C, E, D, B3, B6;
- folic acid;
- omega fatty acids;
- selenium;
- zinc;
- iron;
- phosphorus;
- magnesium;
- potassium.
The sources of these useful substances are a balanced, healthy diet and complex vitamin preparations. Synthetic vitamins will help relieve inflammation of the prostate and balance the hormonal balance.
IMPORTANT! The information in this section cannot be used for self-diagnosis and self-treatment. In case of pain or other worsening of the disease, diagnostic tests should be prescribed only by a doctor. To diagnose and properly prescribe treatment, consult your doctor.