Choosing The Right Pill To Treat ED

Choosing The Right Pill To Treat ED
Published : Dec 14, 2020
Last Updated : Jan 25, 2024

If you have ever been in a situation where you could not achieve an erection when you expected to, you know the emotional whirlwind that follows.

Feeling of embarrassment, shame, frustration and anxiety settle in, especially if the problem continues to go unresolved.

It is a situation you will always remember and one that half of all United States people between 40 to 65 years old have experienced too. For many, erectile dysfunction (ED) is an all-too-real concern.

Fortunately, there are various ways to manage and diagnose erectile dysfunction (ED). (Spoiler alert: one option does not even require you to leave your own home to visit a health care professional! We will get to that part soon.)

What is erectile dysfunction (ED)?

Way back when, ED used to be known as “impotence”. Nowadays, the widely used term is “erectile dysfunction”.

ED happens when a man is not able to achieve or maintain an erection long enough to complete desired sexual activities, such as intercourse. This can include several different situation:

  • You can get an erection but cannot maintain it.
  • You can become somewhat erect, but not enough to begin or complete sexual intercourse.
  • You cannot get an erection in the penis at all.
  • You can achieve an erection sometime, but sometimes you cannot.

The definition of ED does not include low sex drive (do not think about sex or have no desire to have sex) or premature ejaculation. These are separate issues, while ED is not necessarily a severe medical disease itself, it can certainly have profound psychological and emotional effects.

Some people who have erectile dysfunctions (ED) experience an unhappy sexual life, loss of intimacy with partners, anxiety, stress, frustration and depression. In some cases, ED can also stop a couple from conceiving a baby.

Unfortunately, many of the emotional outcomes of erectile dysfunction (ED) further contribute to the psychological causes of ED, resulting in a discouraging cycle.

What causes ED?

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is not a natural part of aging, but the risk of experiencing it does increase as men get older. That is because many of the underlying causes of erectile dysfunction (ED) become more common with old age.

Conditions that can contribute to erectile dysfunction such as:

  • Nerve damage or injuries.
  • Heart and blood arteries damage.
  • High blood pressure (hypertension)
  • Obesity
  • Stress, anxiety, and depression
  • Alcohol and tobacco use
  • Fatigue
  • Prostate surgery
  • Some medications etc.

Because there are so many potential culprits, one important aspect of treating erectile dysfunction is figuring out the underlying cause.

Best medication for erectile dysfunction (ED) treatment:

For many people, oral medications are a standard treatment for erectile dysfunction. There are four popular oral options on the market:

  • Avanafil (Stendra)
  • Vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn)
  • Tadalafil (Cialis)
  • Sildenafil (Viagra). Etc.

The drugs all work the same pattern (however, there are a few differences, which are explained in a chart further down).

When a person is sexually excited, a gas known as nitric oxide (NO) is released and helps relax or smooth the muscles in the penis. As the muscles relax, the penis is able to completely fill with blood and become erect. Oral erectile dysfunction medication helps enhance the effects of No to assist men who have trouble getting or keeping an erection.

What ED medication can do:

  • Increase libido or sexual excitement
  • Help every person who has ED.

It is important to understand that oral erectile dysfunction medication are not aphrodisiacs. They do not enhance your desire to have sex.

Also, not all people with erectile dysfunction will benefit from these medications. Person with certain medical histories, Like:  hypertension, diabetes or past prostate surgery – may not respond to ED medications.

That is one reason it is so important to talk to a health care professional before taking any treatment for ED, but there is another critical reason too.

Risk of using erectile dysfunction medications:

Ever-present pop culture reference to ‘the magic blue pill’ can make it easy to view oral erectile dysfunction as harmless, brightly colored, sex-life-savers in pill form.

However, as with all medications, there is a risk for some severe or serious side effects:

Headache, fever, vomiting, nausea, are the most common side effects men have when taking these medications. Other common side effects men consuming oral erectile dysfunction medication experience include:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Back pain
  • Vision change
  • Nasal congestion
  • Flushing
  • Skin allergy etc.

More severe or serious side effects such as hearing and vision loss.

Priapism: A condition or situation where the erection in the penis will not go away – can also occur. If an erection lasts more than 4 hours, it is important to get medical help as soon as possible.