---

Viagra

Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction is also known as 'impotence' and refers to a difficulty in achieving an erection when sexually aroused.

Erectile dysfunction can be the result of a medical condition, a psychological problem or even simple tiredness, and there are a variety of ways of treating each of these types of impotence. Erectile dysfunction which has a medical condition at its root is characterized by the impossibility of achieving an erection. When the impotence is caused by a psychological problem, sufferers will usually find that erections can still be developed during sleep or in the mornings. Other causes of erectile dysfunction include heavy drinking, a generally poor health and – as one recent study indicated – excessive bike riding!

Medical conditions that result in erectile dysfunction are often cardiovascular in basis; other conditions include neural disease, diabetes and hypogonadism. There are also a number of treatments and medications for other diseases and medical complaints that include impotence in their side-effects – these will usually be brought to your attention when your prescription is given.

The physiological system of erection involves both physical and mental action, and both mechanisms require a working, healthy neural system, adequate testosterone levels and healthy pituitary glands to function correctly. Normal physical stimulation results in the relaxation of the muscles in the arteries of the penis, which in turn allows an erection to develop.

From this model of a normal erectile system, we can see that the most common causes of erectile dysfunction are problems with the neural system, hormone levels and pituitary glands. Poor blood circulation brought on by an underlying cardiovascular disease is another common cause; and distracting psychological problems are yet more common.