Health, Diet, Fitness | Weight Loss | ED Treatments

Erectile dysfunction, or ED, can be a total inability to achieve erection, an inconsistent ability to do so, or a tendency to sustain only brief erections. These variations make defining ED and estimating its incidence difficult. Estimates range from 15 million to 30 million, depending on the definition used. According to the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), for every 1,000 men in the United States, 7.7 physician office visits were made for ED in 1985. By 1999, that rate had nearly tripled to 22.3. The increase happened gradually, presumably as treatments such as vacuum devices and injectable drugs became more widely available and discussing erectile function became accepted. Perhaps the most publicized advance was the introduction of the oral drug sildenafil citrate (Viagra) in March 1998. NAMCS data on new drugs show an estimated 2.6 million mentions of Viagra at physician office visits in 1999, and one-third of those mentions occurred during visits for a diagnosis other than ED.

In older men, ED usually has a physical cause, such as disease, injury, or side effects of drugs. Any disorder that causes injury to the nerves or impairs blood flow in the penis has the potential to cause ED. Incidence increases with age: About 5 percent of 40-year-old men and between 15 and 25 percent of 65-year-old men experience ED. But it is not an inevitable part of aging.

ED is treatable at any age, and awareness of this fact has been growing. More men have been seeking help and returning to normal sexual activity because of improved, successful treatments for ED. Urologists, who specialize in problems of the urinary tract, have traditionally treated ED; however, urologists accounted for only 25 percent of Viagra mentions in 1999.

Since it was approved by the FDA in March 1998, the drug sildenafil citrate, sold under the brand name Viagra, has become immensely popular among men suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED or impotence). Manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, Viagra is the first pill approved for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in the US, and is available by prescription only. Millions of men who have experienced difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection have turned to Viagra for assistance. By helping increase blood flow to the penis, Viagra has helped men of all ages achieve longer and harder erections, resulting in improved sexual performance and satisfaction.

Yet despite the impressive results that many men (and their partners) have reported after using Viagra and its growing reputation as the sexual “wonder drug,” it is important to recognize that Viagra is not for everyone.

Is Viagra For You?

* Viagra is recommended exclusively for the treatment of male impotence, also known as erectile dysfunction. The best way to know for sure whether you have this condition is to consult with a qualified, licensed physician.

* Since Viagra is prescribed specifically for the treatment of ED, it is not recommended for recreational use. Men who have not experienced erectile dysfunction should not take Viagra.

* Similarly, Viagra should not be taken as an aphrodisiac, or to increase sexual desire. There is no scientific or medical evidence to suggest the Viagra stimulates sexual desire. And because some men who take Viagra may experience side effects, the drug should be used with care and under proper medical supervision.

* Viagra is not recommended for men who are already taking another drug to treat their erectile dysfunction, or for those who are undergoing some other form of treatment to improve their erections.

* Men who take any medicine containing nitrates should NEVER take Viagra, since taking the two in combination with one another could result in a dangerous drop in blood pressure. Nitroglycerin, a medicine commonly prescribed in the treatment of chest pain, is an example of a drug that contains nitrates.

* Some recreational drugs, like amyl nitrate (aka poppers) also contain nitrates. Men who take recreational drugs that contain nitrates should NEVER take Viagra.

* While it’s really common sense, it is worth mentioning that men should not take Viagra if they do not intend to have sex within a few hours of taking the drug. Viagra typically takes effect within about one hour, and it lasts for four hours, on average.

* Men who have recently suffered a stroke or heart attack are generally not recommended to take Viagra. Similarly, anyone who has been advised not to engage in sexual intercourse because of cardiovascular risk should not take the drug.

* Men who suffer from low blood pressure, also known as hypotension, shouldn’t take Viagra.

* Men who are taking a protease inhibitor for the treatment of HIV or for any other reason can take Viagra, but their dosage may need to be adjusted.

Possible Viagra Side Effects To Consider

If your physician determines that you have some level of erectile dysfunction and that Viagra may help your condition, you should be aware of the possible side effects you may experience after taking the drug, some more common than others:

* The most commonly reported side effects from taking Viagra are headache, upset stomach, sneezing, flushing and mild (temporary) visual changes.

* Rare, but more serious side effects of using Viagra have included: prolonged erections (lasting more than four hours), irregular heartbeat, stroke, heart attack and sudden death. With many of the rare, heart-related side effects, the patients were later determined to have had already-existing heart problems.

The best way to know whether Viagra is right for the treatment of your erectile dysfunction is to consult with a physician.

Cialis is available from online pharmacies as well as your local pharmacy. Before taking Cialis you will need a prescription from your doctor. The following are 10 frequently asked questions about this medication.

1. What is Cialis?

Cialis (tadalafil) is an extremely popular prescription medication used to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence) in men. It has helped many men who have suffered with erectile dysfunction get and keep an erection when they become sexually stimulated. It is important to note that Cialis does not produce spontaneous erections.

2. What is Cialis’s success rate? One reason Cialis has been so popular is because it has a very high success rate. Various studies have shown that it’s success rate is about 75-80%.

3. Does Cialis require a prescription?

Cialis is not an over-the-counter drug. A doctors prescription is required. And, you must inform your doctor about any other medications you are currently taking.

4. What are the side effects of Cialis? The most common side effects are headache, facial flushing and upset stomach. The less common side effects are blurred vision, or being sensitive to light which are usually temporary. Your doctor should be contacted immediately if any other side effects occur while taking this medication.

5. Who should not take Cialis?

Men who suffer from retinitis pigmentosa, or those taking nitroglycerin or nitrous oxide.

6. What’s next if Cialis doesn’t work for me?

If Cialis fails to provide the desired results for you talk to your doctor about alternative drugs and treatment for erectile dysfunction.

7. When should Cialis be taken?

Cialis should be taken about one hour prior to having sex. Cialis should start working in about 30 minutes and last for up to 4 hours if you are sexually excited. Cialis may take longer to work if you have just eaten a high-fat meal.

8. How does Cialis work?

Cialis works by helping the penis fill with enough blood to enable an erection when a man is sexually excited. After sex, the erection should go away.

9. Can Cialis be taken long-term? Check with your doctor, but little is known about the long term effects of taking Cialis.

10. What strengths does Cialis come in? Cialis is available in 5mg, 50mg and 100mg strengths according to individual needs.

Cialis may or may not be for you. Erectile dysfunction can be caused by medical conditions that require other treatments. If your doctor says that you are a candidate for taking this drug you may be on the verge of rediscovering the enjoyment of a normal sex life just like millions of other men before you.

It is hard to turn on the television today without hearing about Viagra, Cialis, or Levitra. There are literally thousands of websites on the internet that sell these products. Most individuals don’t really know exactly what these drugs accomplish. They sound like ancient Greek mythological characters. So what exactly are these drugs and what exactly do they specifically do for men? Let’s explore each one individually. First, let’s take a closer look at Viagra. Viagra is the commercial brand name for Sildenafil Citrate, which is for treating erectile dysfunction in adult males. It was first developed to treat angina, or heart disease, by the Pfizer pharmaceutical company. However, after clinical studies, it was noticed that drug actually enhanced erections in men. The drug was patented in 1996, and subsequently approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) on March 27th, 1998. This was actually the first erectile dysfunction drug in pill form, to be approved by the FDA. It is only available by prescription from a doctor.

Viagra works by releasing nitric oxide in the corpus cavernosum. This activates the enzyme guanylate cyclase, which results in greater levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate. This in turn results in muscle relaxation in the corpus cavernosum, which increases the flow of blood into the penis. This drug only works, however, if there is sexual stimulation and an increase in levels of guanosine monophosphate. It works in about thirty minutes and lasts for up to four hours.

Cialis was first introduced in February of 2003. Cialis is the commercial brand name for Tadalafil. This drug was developed to also treat impotence, or erectile dysfunction. It was approved by the FDA on November 21st, 2003. It is marketed by Lilly ICOS, which is a joint venture between Eli Lilly and Company and ICOS Corporation. This drug comes in a pill form, and is taken orally. It is only available by prescription from a doctor.

Just like Viagra, Cialis works by increasing the effects of chemicals in the body that are normally released into the penis during sexual arousal. That in turn, increases blood flow to the penis, which results in an longer and harder erection during sexual stimulation. It works in about thirty minutes and lasts for up to thirty six hours.

Finally, let’s take a closer look at Levitra. Levitra is really the commercial brand name for Vardenafil HCI. It is marketed by the Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation. It was first introduced in 2003, and was approved by the FDA in September 2003. It is only available by prescription from a doctor.

Like Viagra and Cialis, Levitra works by increasing the effects of chemicals in the body that are normally released into the penis during sexual arousal. The big difference between these drugs is that one can take a substantially smaller dosage of Levitra and Cialis. The maximum dosage for Viagra is 100mg, while it is 20mg for Cialis, and Levitra. Levitra works in about twenty-five minutes and lasts for up to twenty four hours.

So there you have it. Viagra works in thirty minutes and lasts up to four hours. Cialis works in thirty minutes and lasts up to thirty-six hours. Levitra works in twenty-five minutes and lasts up to twenty four hours. So no matter which drug you choose, they all work in about the same way, the only difference is the dosage, the time it takes for the drug to work, and the amount of time that the drug’s effects last.

SOLUTIONS TO ERECTILE DISFUNCTION It is an indisputable fact that many men are suffering from erectile dysfunction than one could ever imagine. It is so common these days that people now find solace in celibacy. Some have even opted for the job of a reverend father. According to the guardian newspaper of London in 2005, a man was told to pay his ex- wife some amount of money because he did not tell her that he was impotent before marriage. The story was featured on Friday may 13, and was captioned “Impotent man told told to pay ex-wife” the man John Hooper in Rome had to pay that the money due to his refusal to revealed to his wife his sexual status before their wedding day. Had he told the woman he was impotent he would not have paid that sum. This is however the plight of many people today due to the shame and stigmatization that follows. If you’re suffering from erectile dysfunction or have someone in this position I have a good news for you because I’m going to show you the way out right here. Erectile dysfunction, which is the abnormal performance of the male organ. Or a situation where it does not function at all has many things that contribute its causes, some of which are highlighted bellow Firstly, one of the main causes of this illness is family planning - that is sterilization in men. This is because the blood vessel that transmits blood to the penis may have been cut off. Due to this; there would be no erection. Secondly, drug effect. It may be from the mother to the male child during pregnancy. Another drug effect may be from the male child himself due to illness e.g. hypertension. The drugs include Valium, aldomed and other anti-hypertensive drugs. Thirdly, it may be hereditary. Not from parent to child as in inheritance but it happens when the man is the womb otherwise known as malformation of the male organ while developing. These are some of the factors responsible or your doctor tells you they’re not the causes of you own erectile dysfunction. Do not bother yourself because I’ve already told you there are many factors responsible for it.