Work, family, everyday issues. . . In the cycle of problems, many men push concerns about their own health into the background and only return to them when the discomfort becomes obvious.
An obvious example is erectile dysfunction. On the one hand, sexual weakness is a fearful topic for many men. On the other hand, weakened sexual potential is rarely taken seriously at first. Meanwhile, the very first signs of reduced potency in men should definitely attract attention and be a reason for a consultation with a specialist.
Potency problems: psychology or physiology?
Traditionally, the problem of erectile dysfunction is associated with age: the older a man is, the more problems he has in the sexual area. But doctors are starting to sound the alarm: erectile dysfunction has become noticeably younger. From the age of 25, a modern man may experience periodic manifestations of this symptom. In addition, today it is no longer stress and psychoemotional disorders that are considered the main reasons for reduced potency in young men, but rather chronic diseases and lifestyle features
So what are the main factors that reduce sexual potency in men?
- infectious diseases (usually chronic);
- Diseases associated with metabolic destabilization (including obesity);
- prostatitis;
- vascular damage;
- Bad habits;
- diabetes mellitus;
- neurotic disorders, persistent stress, depression;
- acquired or congenital defects of the male genital organ.
It should be noted that the listed factors do not always lead to the development of sexual dysfunction, however, the first signs of worsening erection or decreased libido should signal the need for a visit to the doctor. Only a specialist can identify the true causes of the dysfunction and exclude the presence of serious diseases that may be hidden behind the symptom.
The fight against potency weakness: on all fronts
Of 100% of men who suffer from sexual weakness, only 10% will immediately seek medical attention and actively work to solve this problem. The rest, for various reasons, primarily embarrassment, will ignore the "first signs" and bring the problem to its peak. That is why the first step to regaining sexual strength should be to recognize the problem and only then strive toget rid of it.
The causes of reduced potency in men and their treatment are interrelated and require not only medication, but also psychological correction, as well as serious changes in lifestyle and diet.
If the cause of reduced potency in young or mature men is not physiological factors, to normalize libido and sexual potential it is necessary:
- giving up habits that negatively affect potency – smoking, frequent alcohol consumption;
- Balance of diet – it is important to add vitamins to the menu, exclude fatty cholesterol dishes and fast food, love sauerkraut, watermelon and dark chocolate;
- Make your lifestyle more active, but without excessive physical activity.
- avoid stressful situations, allow you to relax and focus your attention on positive aspects;
- Avoid hypothermia and carefully monitor personal hygiene.
- Don't get carried away with promiscuous sexual relationships.
If the situation with reduced potency is not critical, there is no need to resort to drug therapy. A positive effect in combination with lifestyle correction can be achieved by taking a herbal biological dietary supplement that has a mild corrective effect on the body.
Premature ejaculation
Premature ejaculation is one of the most common sexual disorders in men. However, it is not a full-fledged disease, since the function of the sexual organs is preserved and is usually the norm at certain times in life (adolescence, long-term sexual abstinence). Premature ejaculation (PE) refers to ejaculation with little sexual stimulation, as well as the inability to delay ejaculation for the time required for complete sexual intercourse. This leads to sexual partners not experiencing satisfaction from sex and conflicts arising. A man experiences psychological problems and fear of intimacy. If the pathology becomes chronic and occurs more often, the help of an andrologist is required.
What are the causes of premature ejaculation?
There are primary and secondary (acquired) forms. Primarily it occurs due to anatomical defects of the sexual organs or pathological heredity. The onset of early ejaculation occurs during puberty and does not depend on external factors (partner, situation, psychological state).
Causes of the congenital form:
- hypersensitivity of the penis;
- dysfunction of serotonin receptors;
- short frenulum of the penis;
- cavernous fibrosis.
Secondary premature ejaculation can occur at any time in life, against the background of a man's complete physical health. The main reason is chronic genitourinary diseases. Also, hormonal disorders that are characteristic of endocrine pathologies can lead to sexual dysfunction.
Factors that significantly increase the risk of PE include:
- Obesity;
- traumatic sexual experience;
- chronic stress;
- family problems (conflicts, emotional coldness between spouses);
- Presence of neurological diagnoses – sclerosis, Parkinson's disease;
- irregular gender;
- Operations in the genital or pelvic area.
An important factor is good nutrition and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. A lack of microelements such as magnesium and zinc has a negative impact on the quality of the ejaculate. Excessive alcohol dependence reduces the ability to control the body, which leads to unpleasant incidents in bed.
Premature ejaculation: diagnosis and consultation with a doctor
The main consequences of pathological sexual dysfunction include:
- Sexual dissatisfaction.
- Inability of a man to delay and control ejaculation.
- Conflicts and problems in personal relationships, feelings of guilt and fear of intimacy.
If you experience such symptoms, it is advisable to see an andrologist or urologist. During the appointment, the doctor places particular emphasis on taking a sexual history. For this it turns out:
- average time to ejaculation;
- the impact of PE on the quality of personal and sexual life;
- Does the man have endocrine diseases or metabolic disorders?
- How common is premature ejaculation?
- At what age did the first case of PE occur?
- whether the man is taking medication.
A detailed study of the details of a man's sexual life allows the doctor to distinguish between congenital and acquired pathologies. Doctors also classify the situational form of PE into a special group. In this case, premature ejaculation only occurs under certain circumstances (with the same partner, in a certain place).
Treatment of premature ejaculation
In some cases, it is enough to reduce the consumption of alcohol or other stimulating drinks (energy drinks, coffee) in order to enable a fulfilling sex life again.
For psychological reasons, a positive result is achieved by establishing friendly communication between partners/spouses. Using a condom or changing positions can help reduce penile sensitivity and increase the duration of intercourse. However, such recommendations are only effective if there are no physical health problems. The choice of therapy depends on the cause of the pathology and its severity.
Conservative treatment of premature ejaculation
This group includes 3 main areas:
- The use of local ointments, creams with anesthetic (mainly lidocaine). This method is easy to use and helps reduce the sensitivity of the glans. It is important to choose the dosage correctly and strictly adhere to the treatment regimen prescribed by the doctor. In case of an overdose, the opposite is possible - numbness in the penis and lack of erection.
- Psychosexual therapy Two behavioral techniques are actively used - "stop-start" and "squeeze technique". They help detect and slow the feeling of impending ejaculation. Therapy also aims to control the level of sexual arousal. The methods are part of the complex therapy of acquired premature ejaculation.
- Taking medication. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications are used. Prescribing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) also produces good results. Its side effects lead to delayed ejaculation.
If infectious diseases are detected in the urogenital area, treatment with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs is prescribed. Additionally, vitamin complexes can be prescribed.
Surgical treatment of premature ejaculation
Surgery is a last resort and is only used if congenital PE is diagnosed. To determine the need for surgical intervention, a lidocaine test is required.
- Glans denervation is a microsurgical procedure that corrects the nerves of the penis.
- Frenulotomy (short frenuloplasty).
- Hyaluronic acid injections.
The main disadvantage of surgical treatment methods is the presence of a recovery period and the possibility of relapse. SSRIs are currently considered the optimal and effective therapy method. It is also important to improve interpersonal relationships and create a comfortable environment.
Ejaculation disorders that are not accompanied by diseases of the internal organs are often temporary and completely reversible. To do this, a man just needs to pay more attention to his own health. For timely detection and treatment of infectious diseases, it is recommended to regularly visit an andrologist or urologist. Sometimes an informative conversation with a doctor is enough.
It is important to avoid psychological stress, enrich the diet with healthy foods and overcome bad habits. If you cannot cope with the psychological symptoms on your own, do not be afraid to seek the help of a psychotherapist.
How to maintain potency: advice from a urologist
Is it possible to maintain a fulfilling sex life into old age? What affects potency? How do you eat and what sports do you do in order to remain a man in the truest sense of the word? In which situations do you need the help of a doctor? In this article, I answer questions that concern all men and give specific advice from a urologist to maintain men's health.
Myths and truth about male potency
The topic of potency is overgrown with so many myths that dispelling them would require not an article, but a whole book. But I will still mention some of them to put an end to them once and for all.
Stormy youth – age without sex.
For example, if in your youth you actively had sex every day and even several times, then by the age of 40-50 the limit of sexual possibilities has been exhausted - is that true?
Physiologically, this statement is absolutely unfounded. Nature ensured that a person's reproductive function worked until his death. In contrast to women, who (conditionally) only have a limited number of eggs, seminal fluid production continues during the man's lifetime.
The number and frequency of sexual intercourse in youth has no influence on a man's viability in old age. Another problem is indiscriminate unprotected contact and its consequences. Complications of sexually transmitted diseases, especially if left untreated or left to chance, are sure to come back to haunt you, and it's only a matter of time.
- Cannot control ejaculation like before
- Does not experience vivid sensations, orgasm is lost
If you stop sexual intercourse, you will become impotent.
This also includes sexual arousal without subsequent release. Some men use this myth to manipulate their partner into having sex every time they are aroused.
Although arousal without continuation (ejaculation) is not very good for men's health, it is not as critical as many people think. Interruption of sexual intercourse when a man is maximally aroused and ready to ejaculate can lead to prostatitis due to stagnant processes. And only if you interrupt them regularly. Two or three episodes per month are unlikely to have any impact on his health.
Men's Health – Urology
Among the numerous factors affecting potency, urological diseases are among the "frontrunners". Especially in men who are older than middle age. In this regard, prostate adenoma and prostatitis are considered the main enemies of potency.
Urological problems in men related to prostate adenoma usually appear after 40-45 years of age. What brings patients to the doctor for men's problems is a weakened bladder or when a man is unable to urinate.
An enlarged prostate puts pressure on the urethral canal and prevents the complete drainage of urine. Frequent urges, discomfort due to the feeling that the bladder has not completely emptied - all this is neither emotionally nor physically conducive to an active sex life. Further - worse. Problems with urination affect kidney function and in this condition there is no time for carnal pleasures.
In contrast to prostate adenoma, prostatitis is not just a disease of old age. Young men can get it too. Typically, prostatitis is the result of an unhealthy lifestyle and promiscuous sex. especially sexually transmitted infections. The situation is particularly difficult for them.
Most infections that lead to prostatitis are chlamydia, mycoplasmosis, ureaplasmosis, etc. - do not cause acute symptoms for a long time. The disease almost immediately goes into the chronic stage. But at some point the disease becomes noticeable through pain, atypical discharge and problems with urination due to inflammation of the prostate. A man simply cannot think about sex in such a state.
As you already know, there is no direct physiological connection between prostate diseases and erectile dysfunction. However, this does not mean that the problem does not need to be solved. As a result, they prevent a man from having a normal sex life. Neither prostate adenoma nor prostatitis will go away on their own, like a runny nose. It is impossible to restore men's sexual health without the help of a doctor, if one is available.
In urology, symptoms often appear when the disease has already become chronic. Early detection, which requires simple conservative treatment, is only possible through regular preventive consultations with a urologist and carrying out urological examinations.
Problems with erectile function – who to contact
Now let's talk about what, in addition to urological diseases, affects potency and which doctor to contact to restore men's health.
Although there are many reasons for sexual impotence, they are all divided into three types:
- Organic. These include physiological factors – illnesses and injuries.
- Psychogenic. In this case, the physiology is fine, and impotence is caused by psychological problems - stress, depression, a traumatic situation.
- Mixed. When both physiology and psychology are to blame for potency problems.
Among the organic causes of potency problems, cardiovascular diseases are the most important. Vessels that are compromised by cholesterol plaques or other pathological changes prevent the erectile tissue of the penis from quickly filling with blood. As a result, erection occurs slowly. If the erectile tissue is not sufficiently filled with blood, the erection is too flaccid for full sexual intercourse. In extreme cases it is completely absent.
Another common reason is hormonal imbalances. Hormones regulate most processes in the body, including sexual arousal and erection. First of all, a testosterone deficiency affects potency. This hormone is basically responsible for the reproductive function of men. But other endocrine diseases such as diabetes can also affect men's sexual performance.
Psychogenic erectile dysfunction occurs in its pure form less frequently than organic ones. Sexual impotence is often observed with persistent depression, neuroses and psychological trauma. Much more often, a combination of psychogenic and physiological problems leads to impotence.
Here, too, I will take as an example a man with prostatitis and accelerated ejaculation. Let's imagine that he could not control the ejaculation and his partner remained dissatisfied, which she blamed her partner for. After some time the situation repeated itself. In addition, the man did not have much pleasure in sex, which is often the case with prostatitis. What thought comes to mind? "There's something wrong with me, I can't have normal sex! "The psychological problem is obvious. Add to this progressive prostatitis and we get impotence.
Which doctor should I contact if I have potency problems?
Many people believe that the urologist is the most important doctor for men's health. That is not completely right. A urologist is a specialist who treats the genitourinary system. What diseases does a urologist treat? These are diseases:
- prostate (adenoma, prostatitis, etc. );
- bladder (neoplasms, inflammation);
- kidneys (pyelonephritis, urolithiasis);
- Urethra.
What symptoms and when should I see a urologist?
- discharge from the urethra;
- difficulty urinating;
- Pain in the perineum, scrotum, around the anus, in the lower back;
- Impurities in urine or semen.
At the first symptoms you should consult a doctor. Self-medication is the worst thing that can happen in this situation.
Issues related to men's sexual health are handled by another specialist. The chief doctor for male potency is an andrologist. He has the necessary knowledge to determine the exact cause of male impotence, prescribe appropriate treatment and, if necessary, involve other specialists in the treatment - a urologist, psychotherapist, endocrinologist.
Since fertility and urology are closely linked, andrologists are usually competent in the treatment of urological diseases and combine work in both specialties.
Useful tips for men's health
I would like to emphasize once again that age is not the cause of impotence. Sexual impotence is caused by physiological and psychological disorders that are increasing every year. This means that you can enjoy a fulfilling sex life even as you age.
I am sure that every man knows how to maintain his intimate health.
- Healthy, balanced diet;
- Regular physical activity;
- Moderate alcohol consumption;
- No bad habits;
- Take care of your health.
The ability to have sex and reproduce depends directly on these simple natural things. But most men consider this to be trivial, ignore it and face the appropriate consequences.
I still recommend reconsidering your attitude to your lifestyle and building it taking into account the following tips:
- Stop smoking. Toxic substances that you inhale through cigarette smoke - lead, formaldehyde, arsenic, etc. - destroy blood vessels. They fill with blood and make the penis hard.
- Limit alcohol consumption. It also affects blood vessels. In addition, it disrupts the function of the liver, which "in revenge" converts the male sex hormone into a female one. You have probably seen what men with low testosterone and high estrogen levels look like: breasts that women can envy, fat deposits on the waist and hips, Hair loss in areas atypical for the female body. There are great difficulties with libido and erection.
- Do sports. Moderate physical activity prevents fluid buildup in the vessels, "trains" the vessels and maintains their elasticity.
- Get tested and undergo a preventive examination by a urologist-andrologist at least once a year.
Useful for increasing male potency:
- Various spices and spices: ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, hot peppers, fenugreek. They increase blood circulation, improve immunity, give strength and increase sensuality.
- Seeds, nuts: pistachios, pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds. They contain lots of proteins, vitamins and fats.
- All seafood: red fish, oysters. They contain easily digestible protein and other useful substances.
- Dairy products, especially homemade cheese (paneer, cottage cheese, but in moderation). Rich in proteins.
- Fruits: currants, strawberries, avocados, bananas, watermelon, grapes, figs, raisins. This is to prevent chronic fatigue, which is one of the most common causes of loss of libido. But don't overdo it so your sugar levels don't skyrocket. Lots of sweets also damage potency.
- Greens: – Celery, coriander, parsley, dill, tarragon, basil. Improves sperm quality and the amount of sex hormones.
TOP-7 products that improve sexual function in men:
- Raw oysters. Rich in selenium and zinc.
- Bitter chocolate. Improves mood and increases testosterone levels.
- Fenugreek. Reduces blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of developing diabetes.
- Ginger root. Causes blood flow to the penis.
- Pumpkin seeds. They contain a large amount of zinc and are considered the most useful product for the male reproductive system.
- Walnut. Source of vegetable protein, increases testosterone levels.
- Red wine in small doses. Strengthens blood vessels.
Useful vitamins for male potency
In addition to vitamins that improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system, it is important to know other dietary supplements that can help reduce potency.
- vitamins A, C, E, D, B3, B6;
- folic acid;
- Omega fatty acids;
- Selenium;
- Zinc;
- Iron;
- Phosphorus;
- Magnesium;
- Potassium.
The sources of these beneficial substances are a balanced, healthy diet and complex vitamin preparations. Synthetic vitamins help relieve prostate inflammation and balance hormones.
IMPORTANT! The information in this section cannot be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, diagnostic tests should only be prescribed by the attending physician. To make a diagnosis and correctly prescribe treatment, you should consult your doctor.