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Erectile Dysfunction Treatment
How are erection problems treated?
Treatment for an erection problem depends on the cause of the problem. The cause may be mental or physical. Or it might be a mix of both.
Treatment can include having you:
- Avoid tobacco and drugs and limit alcohol.
- Talk about the issue with your partner, do sensual exercises, and get counseling.
- Ask your doctor about changing any medicines that may be causing the problem. In some cases, you may be able to use a different medicine.
- Take testosterone or another treatment to fix a hormone problem, such as low testosterone, if tests show that you have one.
- Take pills that help you get an erection. These pills are called PDE-5 inhibitors. They include sildenafil (such as Viagra), tadalafil (such as Cialis), and vardenafil (such as Levitra). Check with your doctor to see if it's safe for you to take one of these medicines with your other medicines. These pills can be dangerous if you take nitroglycerin or other medicines that contain nitrates (for heart disease).
- Use medicines that are injected or inserted into the penis.
- Use vacuum devices. These devices have a tube that you place around the penis. You pump the device to create a vacuum that leads to an erection.
- Have surgery to place an implant in the penis.
It's important to involve your partner in your decision, no matter which treatment you choose.
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Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery Program
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