Treatment Options for Erectile Dysfunction (ED)

If a hormonal condition is causing erectile dysfunction (ED), you may be referred to an endocrinologist. Many hormonal conditions can be treated using injections of synthetic (man-made) hormones to restore normal hormone levels. There are also topical and transdermal (like a patch) options for hormone replacement.

Surgery for ED is usually only recommended if all other treatment methods have failed. It may be considered in younger men who have experienced trauma to their pelvic area or men with a significant anatomical problem with their penis. Penile implants are one type of surgery that may be considered. There are several types of implants, and you and your doctor should decide which is the best option. Other options for surgery may include surgery on the nerves or blood vessels that go the pelvis and the penis.

Men with underlying psychological causes of ED may benefit from a type of sex therapy called sensate focus. If conditions such as anxiety or depression are causing your ED, you may benefit from counseling (a talking therapy).

Some studies have suggested that, in a few cases, it may be beneficial toexercise your pelvic floor muscles. These are a group of muscles around the underside of the bladder and rectum, as well as at the base of the penis. These exercises involve strengthening and training the muscles used to control the anus and urinate.

For men who can't take oral medications for ED, FDA-approved penile injections are the next best thing, boasting an 85 percent success rate. To use this treatment, the drug alprostadil is injected directly into the penis to trigger an automatic erection. Other compounds are available as well.

According to a2008年的研究, Korean red ginseng (unskinned Panax ginseng before it is steamed or otherwise heated and subsequently dried), proved effective in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Dosages ranged from 600 to 1,000 mg three times daily.

The main support for the use of arginine in erectile dysfunction comes from asmall double-blind trial在这50的男性勃起功能障碍either 5 g of L-arginine or placebo daily for six weeks. Men in the treated group experienced improvement in sexual performance than in the placebo group.

In a six-month,double-blind trialof 120 men, with an average age 66, carnitine (propionyl-l-carnitine 2 g/day plus acetyl-l-carnitine 2 g/day) and testosterone (testosterone undecanoate 160 mg/day) were separately compared to placebo. The results indicated that both carnitine and testosterone improve erectile function; however, while testosterone significantly increased prostate volume, carnitine did not.

In apilot studyof 16 patients with erectile dysfunction, acupuncture seemed to improve the quality of erections and restore sexual activity in 39 percent of participants who received the treatment twice a week for four weeks. Though some other studies are conflicting regarding the efficacy of acupuncture, it may be worth trying.