Muse Therapy - Treating Erectile Dysfunction: Mens Sexual Health

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MUSE therapy

In addition to being available as an injectable drug, alprostadil comes in the form of tiny pellets designed to be inserted into the penis shortly before intercourse. The pellet form is an alternative to injections. These pellets are part of a therapy called "medicated urethral system for erection," but your doctor will probably just use the acronym MUSE. This method of treatment uses a disposable plastic applicator to insert a pellet about an inch into the urethra (see Figure 8). From there, the drug is quickly absorbed by the surrounding tissue and reaches the corpora cavernosa, where it dilates the arteries.

Figure 8: MUSE Using a slim applicator, a man inserts a tiny pellet containing one of the medications used for injection therapy about an inch inside the tip of his penis to attain an erection.

Though an early study reported that MUSE enabled 65% of men to have intercourse successfully at least once, clinical experience has shown that it is effective in only about 30% of men. Although some men consider MUSE easier to use than injections, about 10% of those who try it find the application process mildly painful, and about 3% become dizzy and develop low blood pressure. Because of the risk of low blood pressure, you should not use MUSE more than twice in 24 hours. Like injectable drugs, MUSE is available only by prescription and must first be used in the doctor's office to determine the lowest effective dose.

Last updated:	September 05, 2008