How Your Doctor Diagnoses Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction (impotence) is a condition which affects at least 18 million men in the United States alone. It is estimated that about 5% of 40-year-old men have ED and the percentage drastically increases with age. Keep in mind that it is perfectly normal to have performance problems every once in a while. This does not mean that you have ED. Some experts say that it is not uncommon to have erectile problems once in every five attempts. But, if you are unable to get or keep an erection more than half of the time, it is considered erectile dysfunction.
Despite all the attention it receives and treatments available for it, erectile dysfunction is not a medical condition. Rather, it is a symptom of an underlying condition. If you are having erectile problems, you should tell your doctor about it - even if you don't care about having sex. Often, ED may be the first sign of a serious underlying condition. If you don't let your doctor know about the ED, then the underlying problem is likely to deteriorate.
Because ED is a symptom and not a condition, diagnosis involves much more than you reporting your erection failure/success rate to your doctor. Your doctor will perform a series of tests to detect the cause of the ED. These tests may include:
The result of these tests will determine how your ED is treated. In many cases, the ED can be cured by treating the underlying cause of the problem. If the tests are inconclusive, then the doctor may determine that the ED is due to aging, which causes weaker circulation, blood vessels, and hormone levels. You may be prescribed a drug like Viagra or be instructed to follow lifestyle changes to overcome the ED.
