Erectile dysfunction: Nonoral treatments

Oral drugs aren’t the only way to treat erectile dysfunction. Know the total array of procedure solutions and how they perform.

By Mayo Clinic Personnel

If you have erectile dysfunction and cannot acquire certain oral drugs or if oral treatments aren’t efficient, you have other procedure solutions.

Recognize why you could possibly pick out a nonoral procedure for erectile dysfunction and how these distinctive treatments perform.

When oral drugs could possibly not be safe

Not all guys can securely acquire erectile dysfunction oral drugs, these types of as sildenafil (Viagra), vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn), tadalafil (Cialis) and avanafil (Stendra). Remedies for erectile dysfunction could possibly not perform or could possibly be perilous if you:

  • Get nitrate prescription drugs normally approved for chest pain (angina)
  • Have pretty reduced blood pressure (hypotension) or uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension)
  • Have serious liver illness
  • Have kidney illness that calls for dialysis

Some guys could possibly also pick out an additional procedure choice to keep away from the facet outcomes brought about by certain oral drugs.

Other styles of drugs

Nonoral drugs for erectile dysfunction incorporate:

  • Self-injections. Quite a few drugs are normally injected immediately into the penis to achieve an erection. The most frequently employed drugs incorporate alprostadil, papaverine, and phentolamine. With this method, you use a great needle to inject the drugs into the foundation or facet of your penis.

    The intention of injection therapies is to create an erection that lasts about 20 to forty minutes. If an erection lasts more time than one hour, you will want to have the medication or dose altered to keep away from most likely extended-expression problems. Due to the fact the needle employed is pretty great, pain from the injection web-site is generally small.

    Side outcomes can incorporate bleeding from the injection, prolonged erection (priapism) and formation of fibrous tissue in just the penis or at the injection web-site.

  • Alprostadil urethral suppository. Alprostadil intraurethral (Muse) remedy will involve placing a very small alprostadil suppository inside your penis in the penile urethra. You use a specific applicator to insert the suppository into your penile urethra.

    The erection generally commences in just ten minutes and lasts amongst 30 and 60 minutes. Side outcomes can incorporate pain, small bleeding in the urethra and formation of fibrous tissue inside your penis.

  • Testosterone substitute. Some guys have erectile dysfunction that could possibly be intricate by reduced stages of the hormone testosterone. In this case, testosterone substitute remedy could possibly be advisable as the initially stage.

    Testosterone substitute remedy can be sent by way of injection, patch, gel, gum and cheek (buccal cavity), intranasal, subcutaneous pellet, or oral medication. Talk to your health care provider about your personalized desire and the feasible facet outcomes.

Penis pumps, medical procedures and implants

If drugs aren’t efficient or proper in your case, your health care provider could possibly endorse a distinctive procedure. Other treatments incorporate:

  • Penis pumps. A penis pump (vacuum erection unit) is a hollow tube with a hand-run or battery-run pump. The tube is put over your penis, and then the pump is employed to suck out the air inside the tube. This generates a vacuum that pulls blood into your penis.

    The moment you get an erection, you slip a stress ring close to the foundation of your penis to maintain in the blood and maintain it company. You then eliminate the vacuum unit.

    The erection usually lasts extended more than enough for a few to have intercourse. You eliminate the stress ring just after intercourse. Bruising of the penis is a feasible facet impact, and ejaculation will be restricted by the band. Your penis could possibly experience cold to the touch.

    If a penis pump is a good procedure choice for you, your health care provider could possibly endorse or prescribe a precise model.

  • Penile implants. This procedure will involve surgically placing products into both of those sides of the penis. These implants consist of either inflatable or semirigid rods. Inflatable products permit you to management when and how extended you have an erection. The semirigid rods maintain your penis company but bendable.

    Penile implants are generally not advisable till other techniques have been tried out initially. Implants have a high diploma of satisfaction among the guys who have tried out and unsuccessful extra-conservative therapies. As with any medical procedures, you will find a danger of problems, these types of as an infection.

  • Blood vessel medical procedures. Not often, erectile dysfunction is taken care of by bypassing obstructed penile arteries. This is uncommon, even so, and is only advisable in a compact percentage of guys.

Psychological counseling


Battery-run penis pump for erectile dysfunction

If your erectile dysfunction is brought about by tension, stress and anxiety or despair — or the issue is developing tension and connection stress — your health care provider could possibly advise that you, or you and your husband or wife, go to a psychologist or counselor.

You should not ignore the underlying cause

Finding correct procedure for the underlying cause of erectile dysfunction could possibly support prevent relevant health problems and enhance sexual operate. Conditions that can cause or worsen erectile dysfunction incorporate:

  • Heart illness
  • Diabetes
  • Being overweight
  • Psychological difficulties
  • Alcoholism and other types of substance abuse
  • Tobacco use

If you have erectile dysfunction, you happen to be not on your own — and you have a lot of procedure solutions. Operate with your health care provider to come across which erectile dysfunction procedure could possibly perform best for you.