Career, family, everyday problems. . . In the cycle of problems, many men put their health concerns on the back burner, returning to them only after the concern becomes apparent.
An obvious example is erectile dysfunction. On the one hand, sexual weakness is a topic of fear for many men. On the other hand, weakened sexual potential is rarely taken seriously at first. Meanwhile, the first signs of a decline in potency in men should definitely attract attention and become a reason for consulting a specialist.
Problems with potency: psychology or physiology?
Traditionally, the problem of erectile dysfunction has been 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 has become significantly younger. Starting from the age of 25, a modern man can experience periodic manifestations of this symptom. Moreover, the main reasons for the decrease in strength among young people today are not considered to be stress and psycho-emotional disorders, but chronic diseases and lifestyle features.
So what are the main factors that reduce sexual power in men?
- infectious diseases (usually chronic);
- diseases related to metabolic destabilization (including obesity);
- prostatitis;
- damage to blood vessels;
- bad habits;
- diabetes;
- neurotic disorders, prolonged stress, depression;
- acquired or congenital defects of the male genital organ.
It should be emphasized that the listed factors do not always lead to the development of sexual dysfunction, but the first signs of worsening erection or decreased sexual desire should signal the need to visit a doctor. Only a specialist will be able to identify the true causes of the malfunction and exclude the presence of serious diseases that may be hidden behind the symptom.
Fighting power decline: on all fronts
Of the 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 one being embarrassment, will ignore the "first signs", bringing the problem to its peak. That is why the first step to regain sexual power should be to recognize the problem and only then try to get rid of it.
The causes of impotence in men 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 sexual desire and sexual potential it is necessary:
- giving up habits that negatively affect power - smoking, frequent alcohol consumption;
- balancing the diet - it is important to add vitamins to the menu, exclude fatty cholesterol dishes and fast food, love sauerkraut, watermelon and dark chocolate;
- make your lifestyle more active, but without excessive physical activity;
- avoid stressful situations, be able to relax and focus on positive aspects;
- avoid hypothermia and carefully monitor personal hygiene;
- don't mess with promiscuous sex.
If the situation with reduced power 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 biological 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, since the function of the genital organs is preserved, and at 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 intercourse. This leads to the fact that sexual partners do not get pleasure from sex and conflicts arise. A man begins to experience psychological problems, fear of intimacy. If the pathology becomes chronic and begins to appear more often, the help of an andrologist is required.
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 onset of early ejaculation occurs during puberty and does not depend on external factors (partner, situation, psychological state).
Causes of the 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 complete physical health at any time of 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 experiences;
- chronic stress;
- family problems (conflicts, emotional coldness between spouses);
- the 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 microelements in a man, such as magnesium and zinc, negatively affects the quality of the ejaculate. Excessive dependence on alcohol reduces the ability to control the body, which leads to 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, it is recommended to consult an andrologist or urologist. During the appointment, the doctor pays special attention to collecting the sexual history. For this it follows:
- average length of time before ejaculation occurs;
- the impact of PE on the quality of personal and sexual life;
- does the man have endocrine diseases or metabolic disorders;
- How often do cases of premature ejaculation occur?
- at what age did the first case of PE occur?
- if the man is taking any medication.
A detailed study of the details of a man's sex life will allow the doctor to distinguish between congenital and acquired pathologies. Doctors also classify the situational form of PE into a separate group. In this case premature ejaculation occurs only in 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 stimulant drinks (energy drinks, coffee) 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 positions can help reduce penile sensitivity and increase the duration of 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, anesthetic creams (mainly lidocaine). This method is easy to use and helps reduce penile sensitivity. It is important to correctly choose the dose and strictly adhere to the treatment regimen indicated 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 impending ejaculation and slow it down. The therapy also aims to control the level of sexual arousal. The methods are included in the complex therapy of acquired premature ejaculation.
- Taking medications. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs are used. Prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) 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, 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. At the moment, 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 associated with diseases of the internal organs are often temporary and completely reversible. To do this, a man just needs to be more attentive to his health. For timely detection and treatment of infectious diseases, it is recommended to visit an andrologist or urologist regularly. Sometimes an explanatory conversation with a doctor is enough.
It is important to avoid mental stress, enrich your diet with healthy foods and overcome bad habits. If you cannot cope with psychological distress on your own, do not 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 sports to do 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 specific advice from a urologist to maintain men's health.
Myths and truth about male potency
The topic of potency is rife with so many myths that dispelling them would require not an article, but an entire book. But I'll mention a few anyway to wrap things up once and for all.
Stormy youth - old age without sex.
If in your youth you had sex actively, 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 ensured that a man's reproductive function would function 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 intercourse in young people does not affect in any way the stability of the man in old age. Another issue is unprotected indiscriminate contacts and their consequences. Complications of STDs, especially those left untreated or left to chance, are sure to catch up with you, and it's only a matter of time.
- Can't control ejaculation like before
- You do not experience vivid sensations, the orgasm is hidden
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 whenever they are aroused.
Arousal without continuation (ejaculation) is really not very good for men's health, but not as critical as many people think. Cessation of sexual intercourse, when a man is maximally excited and ready for ejaculation, can lead to prostatitis due to stagnant processes. And only if you interrupt them regularly. Two or three episodes a month are unlikely to have any effect on his health.
Men's Health – Urology
Of the large number of factors affecting potency, urological diseases are among the "leaders". Especially in men older than middle age. The main enemies of potency in this regard are considered prostate adenoma and prostatitis.
Urological problems in men related to 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 is unable to urinate.
An enlarged prostate gland puts pressure on the urethral canal and interferes with the complete outflow of urine. Frequent urges, discomfort from the feeling that the bladder is not completely emptied - all this, neither emotionally nor physically, is not conducive to an active sexual life. Further - worse. Problems with urination affect the functioning of the kidneys and in this state there is no time for bodily pleasures.
Unlike prostate adenoma, prostatitis is not just a disease of age. Young people can also get it. Typically, prostatitis is the result of an unhealthy lifestyle and promiscuous sex. specifically, sexually transmitted infections. The situation with them is particularly difficult.
Most infections that lead to prostatitis are chlamydia, mycoplasmosis, ureaplasmosis, etc. - do not produce 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 with 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 diseases and erectile dysfunction. But this does not mean that the problem does not need to be solved; as a result, they prevent a man from leading a normal sex 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 they are available.
Since symptoms in urology often appear when the disease has already become chronic. Its detection at an early stage, when you can get by with a simple conservative treatment, is possible only with regular preventive consultations with a urologist and performing urological tests.
Problems with erectile function - who to turn to
Let's talk now about what harms potency in addition to urological diseases, and which doctor to contact to restore men's health.
Although there are many reasons for sexual impotence, they are all divided into three types:
- Organic. These include physiological factors - diseases and injuries.
- Psychogenic. In this case, physiology is fine, and impotence is caused by psychological problems - stress, depression, a traumatic situation.
- Mixed. When both physiology and psychology are to blame for problems with potency.
Among the organic causes of potency problems, the main ones are cardiovascular diseases. Vessels affected by cholesterol plaques or other pathological changes prevent the cavernous bodies 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 weak 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, the lack of testosterone affects potency. This hormone is, in principle, 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 less common than organic. Sexual impotence is often observed with prolonged 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 premature ejaculation. Let us imagine that he was not able to control his ejaculation and his partner remained dissatisfied, for which she scolded her partner. After some time the situation was repeated. In addition, the man did not get much pleasure from sex, which often happens with prostatitis. What thought comes to your mind? "There's something wrong with me, I can't have sex normally! " The psychological problem is obvious. Add progressive prostatitis and we have impotence.
Which doctor should I contact regarding potency issues?
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 the diseases:
- prostate (adenoma, prostatitis, etc. );
- bladder (neoplasia, inflammation);
- kidneys (pyelonephritis, urolithiasis);
- urethra.
With what symptoms and when should I go to a urologist?
- discharge from the urethra;
- difficulty urinating;
- pain in the perineum, scrotum, around the anus, in the lower back;
- impurities in urine or seminal fluid.
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 handled 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, prescribe adequate treatment and, if necessary, involve other specialists in the treatment - a urologist, psychotherapist, endocrinologist.
Since fertility and urology are closely related, andrologists are usually competent in the treatment of urological diseases and combine work in both specialties.
Useful tips for men's health
Let me emphasize once again that age is not the cause of impotence. Sexual impotence is caused by physiological and psychological disorders, which accumulate every year and more. This means that you can enjoy a full sex life even in old age.
I am sure that every man knows how to protect intimate health.
- Balanced healthy diet;
- Regular physical activity;
- Moderate consumption of alcohol;
- There are no bad habits;
- Pay attention to your health.
The ability to have sex and give birth depends directly on these simple natural things. But most men consider this unimportant, ignore it and take the corresponding consequences.
I still recommend to review your attitude towards your lifestyle and build it taking into account the following tips:
- Quit smoking. The toxic substances you inhale through cigarette smoke - lead, formaldehyde, arsenic, etc. - destroy blood vessels. Namely, they fill with blood and make the penis strong.
- Limit alcohol. It also hits the blood vessels. Plus, it disrupts the functioning of the liver, which "in revenge" converts the male sex hormone into a female one. You've probably seen what men with low testosterone and high estrogen look like: breasts that women can envy, fat deposits on the waist and hips, hair loss in areas atypical for the female body. There are great difficulties with libido and erection.
- Play Sports. Moderate physical activity prevents fluid stagnation in the blood vessels, "trains" the vessels and maintains their elasticity.
- At least once a year do a test and do preventive examinations at a urologist-andrologist.
Useful for increasing male potency:
- Various spices and seasonings: ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, chili pepper, fenugreek. They increase blood circulation, improve immunity, give energy and increase sensuality.
- Seeds, nuts: pistachios, pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds. They contain a lot of protein, vitamins and fats.
- All seafood: redfish, oysters. They contain easily digestible proteins and other useful substances.
- Dairy products, especially home-made cheeses (paneer, curd, but in moderation). Rich in protein.
- Fruits: currants, strawberries, avocados, bananas, watermelons, grapes, figs, raisins. This is the prevention of chronic fatigue, which is one of the common causes of loss of sexual desire. But don't overdo it so your sugar levels don't go through the roof. Too many sweets are also bad for power.
- Greens: – celery, cilantro, parsley, dill, tarragon, basil. 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. Lowers the blood sugar level, reduces 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 functioning of the cardiovascular system, it is important to know about other supplements that will be useful in reducing power.
- 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 aggravation of the disease, diagnostic tests should be prescribed only by the attending physician. To make a diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment, you should contact your doctor.