Impotence - Causes & Solutions

It's estimated that impotence will affect about half of men with diabetes.  Impotence means that the penis does not become erect or stay erect enough for the man to have sexual intercourse.  Because many men aren't knowledgeable about the causes of impotence they may tend to be reluctant to speak about it with their mate or their doctor.  It's important to talk about the problem so a solution can be found.
 

CAUSES OF IMPOTENCE

There are many causes of impotence but some of the most common causes in men with diabetes are:

a) damage to the nerves in the penis
b) damage to the blood vessels in the penis
c) poor control of the blood glucose levels
 

Some non-diabetic causes might be:

If impotence is caused by a physical problem it usually happens slowly and gets steadily worse.  Signs of impotence include a less rigid penis and having fewer erections.
 

PSYCHOLOGICAL CAUSES

If no physical cause can be found for a man being impotent it might be caused by psychological issues.   Psychological causes of impotence are the same whether or not the person has diabetes. If no physical cause is found here are some reasons which may have caused the impotence:

a) you aren't able to talk with your partner about sex
b) stressed
c) being worried
d) anxiety
e) fear of becoming impotent
f) sadness
g) depression
h) anger
e) sexual abuse
 

PENILE IMPLANTS

One is an inflatable prosthesis which was developed in the 1970's.  This implant uses a hydraulic system of silicone rubber.

The other type of prothesis is a malleable silicone cylinder surrounding woven silver wire.  This device is not inflatable, but can be bent upwards for intercourse since the silver wire provides the required rigidity.
 

VIAGRA

The prescription drug Viagra is now being used to treat men who are impotent.  It's important to ask your personal physician if you're eligible to take this drug since it does make some people experience potential life-threatening side effects.
 

THE PROBLEM IS NOT HOPELESS

If you're reluctant to seek advice about impotence try to get the courage to speak about it with your doctor or someone close to you who you feel you can trust.  The problem is not hopeless.  There's no need to chalk it up to just "being tired" or "being bored".  There is help available.

If your doctor seems unsympathetic or unconcerned then you may need to see another doctor to get the help you need.   Try seeing a urologist who is experienced with helping men who are impotent.