subject: Treatment Of Erectile Dysfunction In Elderly Citizens [print this page] Successful treatment of ED depends to a great extent on the underlying causes of the problem. While some elder men may find a change to a healthier lifestyle may solve the problem, others may have to change the types and amounts of medications they take or employ psychotherapy. Other treatments involve methods that physically induce erection or surgery that can improve the functioning of blood flow in the penis.
Psychotherapy:
Most psychological treatment of underlying causes of ED focus on the reduction of anxiety induced from sexual experiences which can lead to dysfunction. Therapy can involve the man diagnosed, a sexual partner, and a mental health professional.
Drug Therapy:
Phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors, better known as Viagra, Levitra, and Ciais, are oral drugs taken before sexual activity that help relax muscles in the penis that allow blood flow to induce an erection. Doses of all of these drugs may vary depending on the patients current regimen of medication or sensitivity to the drug. Senior citizens who take medication for ED should not take these types of inhibitors more than once a day, and they should not take it at all in conjunction with other medications like nitrate-based medicine for heart disease or alpha blockers. This combination can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure.
Men who suffer from ED also employ hormone therapy by taking oral testosterone or other psychotropic medications, but the effectiveness is not completely validated leading some professionals to speculate any effectiveness from these remedies are due to a placebo effect.
Some men inject drugs directly into the penis which work by widening blood vessels, but they can also lead to persistent erection (priapism) and scarring. Some men rub nitroglycerin directly on the penis, which can sometimes enhance erection.
There is another method which involves inserting a pellet into the penis which induces an erection within 10 minutes. This can cause aching in the penis, testicles, and area between the penis and rectum. It can also cause a burning sensation in the urethra where it is inserted, redness, bleeding, and spotting.
Non-Drug Treatments for Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
Other methods include vacuum devices which involve attaching an airtight tube to the penis in order to draw out air and engorge the penis with blood. Often, a plastic band placed around the base of the penis is also used after removing the vacuum in order to maintain the erection.
Some may opt for surgeries that implant devices that aid in erection, artery reconstruction, or blocking veins that allow blood to flow out of the penis. Surgery to repair arteries is not recommended for Senior citizens with widespread blockage, and the long term effectiveness of intentional vein blockage is not completely validated.
Devices inserted into the penis surgically usually involve a pair of rods that function within the corpora cavernosa which can be adjusted manually. Other rods are inflatable and expand by using pressurized fluid whose release can be triggered manually. This has the advantage of leaving the penis in a more natural state when not inflated. Infection and mechanical malfunction are risks associated with any prosthesis implanted within the penis.
It may be helpful for senior citizens to share their condition and treatment plan with both their partners and health professionals involved in their eldercare. Some stigma may be associated with ED making it difficult to share. Still, it is important to avoid complications that may arise by not maintaining open communication, especially with professionals providing elder care. For more information over health care issues you can log onto: www.thecaringspace.com
by: Michael Vaughan...
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