Other Culprits - Causes Of Erectile Dysfunction: Mens Sexual Health
Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School
Other culprits
Other problems that can lead to erectile dysfunction include the following:
Prostatitis. This inflammation of the prostate gland can be either acute (usually caused by a bacterial infection) or chronic (usually not caused by an infectious agent). Symptoms include pain during urination, more frequent urination, and — possibly — a discharge from the penis or fever. Severe prostatitis can cause erectile dysfunction directly. In milder forms, the condition can produce painful ejaculation, which can certainly interfere with sexual pleasure and may lead to erectile dysfunction. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat the problem, but it can take several weeks for the infection to clear and for normal erections to return.
Peyronie's disease. In this uncommon disorder, some of the connective tissue inside the penis thickens, causing the penis to bend at an angle when erect. When the condition affects the tissue involved in erections, it can cause erectile dysfunction. Peyronie's disease is most common in men over age 40. Many treatments — including oral vitamin E, verapamil injections, and ultrasound — have been tried, but their effectiveness is uncertain, in part because the problem sometimes improves on its own. When the problem is severe enough to cause pain during intercourse or prevent penetration, surgery may be needed to straighten the penis.
Injury. An injury to any of the nerves and arteries necessary for an erection can lead to erectile dysfunction. A pelvic fracture can cause these kinds of injuries because many nerves and arteries run along the pelvic bones. In addition, injury to the brain, spinal cord, abdomen, or, of course, the penis can impair nerves or blood vessels involved in erections. Such a problem may be temporary or permanent, depending on the severity of the injury. Even something as commonplace as prolonged exercising on a rowing machine or bicycling on a seat that's too hard can cause erectile dysfunction by injuring some of the nerves or arteries in and around the penis (see "Avid bikers beware"). In many cases, cutting back on such forms of exercise or, for example, switching to a softer, wider bicycle seat will solve the problem.
Avid bikers bewareCan riding your bike for long periods cause temporary erectile difficulties? One study suggests that in certain circumstances, bike riding can damage nerves and compress arteries in the penis, possibly leading to erectile problems. The Massachusetts Male Aging Study found that the risk was highest among men who cycled more than three hours a week. The reason avid bikers sometimes get erectile dysfunction is that the seat puts pressure on the perineum, the area between the genitals and anus. This pressure can harm nerves and temporarily impede blood flow, causing tingling or numbness in the penis and, eventually, erectile dysfunction. However, a different type of bike may help: A German study found that riding a conventional bicycle caused a dramatic (though temporary) drop in oxygen supply to the penis, but that riding a recumbent bicycle did not. If you don't want to switch bikes, you may be able to prevent cycling-related erectile problems by taking a few simple precautions:
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| Last updated: | September 05, 2008 |
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Medical content reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.
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