Erectile dysfunction and impotence in a general sense can be used interchangeably with no confusion as to what one is referring to. With that being said, erectile dysfunction is now the more popular term that people gravitate towards and there is a very slight difference in how they are used today. Currently, erectile dysfunction describes the inability to maintain or achieve an erection while the term impotence, which has been around for longer, is mainly used to describe the same principle, but specifically applied to a sexual intercourse context. While the difference between the two is very slight and can mostly be used interchangeably, erectile dysfunction is sure to be the term used in a professional setting, such as a doctor’s office. This small fact can be useful to know when discussing health concerns, but will certainly not cause any major confusion or negative consequences with a health provider.

There are generally two distinct types of impotence or erectile dysfunction doctors discern and are categorized as how a person’s impotence initially develops: physical and psychological impotence. Physical impotence would be the cause of an underlying condition, such as cardiovascular disease, that likely restricts circulation to the penis. Psychological impotence can be seen as difficulty maintaining an erection due to factors such as stress, anxiety, or past trauma. The two may have different treatment approaches, and there is sure to be an overlap between the two categories for some people. With this knowledge, you may be able to distinguish the form of impotence you may be experiencing which is sure to assist a doctor while testing for specific components of the condition.

Impotence can be caused by many different factors and the severity is sure to vary from person to person. Pre-existing medical complications, mainly cardiovascular conditions, play a major role in impotence. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, are some of the most common health complications that give rise to impotence or erectile dysfunction. These cardiovascular complications can restrict blood flow to the penis, which is ultimately what causes the inability to maintain or achieve an erection. In this case, you can expect continuous, and functional treatment of the cardiovascular complications to aid erectile dysfunction as well. Psychological factors play a role in impotence as well, with popular causes being linked to anxiety, stress, depression, performance pressure, and even past trauma or sexual abuse. In addition to health complications and psychological factors, several other people are at an increased risk of impotence. This group of people can include people who frequently smoke, drink alcohol, and abuse substances. This is large and in part due to the effects that they have on the body, in which they ultimately make it more difficult to obtain an erection due to poor circulation of blood. All of these causes may have different routes of treatment, and a doctor will likely be able to discern the best method for your case specifically.

Past the age of forty, men are at an increased risk of continually being unable to achieve or maintain erections. The biggest reason for this is erectile dysfunction or impotence, which are nearly perfectly synonymous with one another. A variety of factors cause the condition, but they all can be simplified down to health, whether it’s physical or mental health. There is a large link between cardiovascular problems and trouble maintaining an erection. This is large and in part because of the transfer of blood to the penis while experiencing cardiovascular difficulties. It becomes more difficult for blood to travel to the penis and achieve or maintain an erection when blood vessels are restricted. Furthermore, psychological factors that include stress, anxiety, or trauma may make it more difficult to keep an erection. On top of these factors, smoking, obesity, and drug abuse have also been observed to factor into impotence. Some of the big-ticket items a doctor will recommend when a person is diagnosed with erectile dysfunction are to avoid alcohol and smoking and to try to lose weight. Maintaining an overall healthy life, which refers to diet, exercise, and emotional well-being, is best to avoid and recover from erectile dysfunction.

If you are experiencing symptoms of erectile dysfunction, then visit American Male Medical. Our qualified professionals would be pleased to serve you. For more information, please contact us or book an appointment online. We have convenient locations to serve you in Lewisville TX, Nashville TN, Sherman Oaks, and Irvine CA. We serve patients from Lewisville TX, DFW TX, Carrollton TX, Flower Mound TX, Sherman Oaks CA, Burbank CA, Glendale CA, Los Angeles CA, Irvine CA, Tustin CA, Nashville TN, Brentwood TN, and Oak Hill TN.