Erectile Dysfunction & Sexual Health
As a man, getting and maintaining erections is an essential part of enjoying a healthy, fulfilling sex life. Unfortunately, that isn’t always as simple as it seems. Millions of men face erectile dysfunction (ED) each year. The effects of this condition can be devastating. ED can impact your relationship with your partner, your sense of self as a man and your confidence in and out of the bedroom. A number of factors can contribute to erectile dysfunction — that’s why it’s essential to seek help from an expert in men’s sexual health to get down to the root cause.
Uthology, a clinic specializing in sexual health for men and women, can help you identify the cause of your erectile dysfunction and find effective treatment options. Whether the issue is an underlying medical concern or connected to your mental health, our expert physicians can help you feel whole and vital again. Contact Uthology today to schedule your consultation.
What Are Hormones and What Do They Do in the Human Body?
Every man occasionally has trouble achieving or maintaining an erection. However, when you have repeated issues that interfere with your sex life and relationships, you may have erectile dysfunction. This condition doesn’t just make it difficult to get an erection quickly and keep it during sexual activity. Erectile dysfunction can also impact your sexual desire and libido, which puts even more stress on your life and relationships.
When a man is aroused, chemical messages are sent to the blood vessels in the penis. Blood flow increases through the arteries. Simultaneously, the veins close up and allow less blood to flow out. The resulting accumulation of blood causes the penis to expand and stiffen, forming an erection. Dysfunction of the blood vessels or the chemical messages that initiate the arousal response can lead to ED. Medical conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, enlarged prostate or sleep disorders — and the medications used to treat them — can also contribute to erectile dysfunction.
For other men, the causes of erectile dysfunction aren’t physical. ED can be triggered by anxiety, depression, stress and other psychological issues. Relationship conflicts, such as lack of trust in a partner, can also make sexual arousal difficult and affect sexual performance.
ED is the most common sexual complication in the United States, affecting as many as 30 million men a year. While the condition might make you feel embarrassed or stressed, it’s essential to talk to a trusted ED physician about your concerns so the cause of your erectile dysfunction can be further understood. In many cases, Jennifer Hipp, Uthology founder and board-certified physician assistant, can restore your erections and sexual health with customized care.
What Causes Erectile Dysfunction?
Achieving an erection involves your brain, hormones, nerves, blood vessels and muscles. If any of those components is compromised, your erections can suffer as a result. Erectile dysfunction has unique physical and psychological causes.
Some of the physical causes of erectile dysfunction include:
- Hormone imbalance, including andropause
- Prescribed medications
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Cardiovascular disease
- High cholesterol
- Prostate problems
- Metabolic syndrome
- Peyronie’s disease
Psychological causes of erectile dysfunction include:
- Mental health issues like depression and anxiety
- Stress
- Relationship problems
Your lifestyle can also impact your erections. For example, if you use tobacco products or over- consume alcohol, your erections may suffer. Other risk factors for erectile dysfunction include your age and use of medications such as antidepressants, antihistamines and blood pressure medicines. Not being physically active can also contribute to erectile dysfunction.
The Erectile Dysfunction Evaluation
It’s crucial to undergo a thorough medical evaluation of your physical and mental health to ensure the proper ED treatment is chosen. At Uthology, our licensed, specialty trained medical practitioners use extensive testing to identify the root cause of your erectile dysfunction. Your initial consultation will include a discussion about your symptoms and challenges, a review of your medical history, a SHIM score, a physical examination, and specialty testing including laboratories to determine how exactly to treat your causes of ED.
You are encouraged to speak openly during this phase of treatment. There’s no need to worry about your privacy or fear being judged. The Uthology team strives to create an environment of trust, understanding, comfort, respect and discretion. You will be asked about your lifestyle habits, such as if you smoke cigarettes and how frequently you drink alcohol, and the symptoms you’re experiencing.
Questions regarding your emotional health will also be discussed. These may include:
- Have you been under significant stress recently, or has something been upsetting you?
- Have you been experiencing depression or anxiety?
- Are you satisfied with your sex life?
- How is your relationship with your spouse?
Depending on what is detected during this initial appointment, Jennifer may recommend additional testing or blood work before beginning ED treatment.
How Is Erectile Dysfunction Treated?
Once Jennifer understands what’s interfering with your erections, she works with you to create a customized erectile dysfunction treatment plan to restore your sexual health.
For example, your ED treatment plan may outline ways for you to lose weight and stop unhealthy habits that may be affecting your ability to achieve an erection. Often maintaining a healthy weight and giving up cigarettes can make a big difference in your well-being. Your plan may also include a workout routine that will help improve your physical appearance and performance, as well as your mental health and, ultimately, your sexual health. Talk therapy may be recommended to help address mental obstacles that keep you from maintaining an erection.
When lifestyle modifications aren’t enough, Uthology offers other treatments that can help get your sexual performance back on track. Our ED treatments include bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injection therapy and Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ECSWT) to improve your erections.
Expert Care at Uthology to Reignite Your Sex Life
Problems with sexual health can be difficult or embarrassing to talk about, especially for a man in the prime of his life. At Uthology, we create a respectful and confidential atmosphere, and go deep into the heart of the problem to uncover why our patients don’t feel as healthy, energetic and sexually vital as they used to. We pride ourselves on caring for each patient as an individual, with unique needs and concerns. Whether your ED is caused by a physical condition, mental triggers or a combination, we can construct a customized ED treatment plan that’ll help guide you back to better erection health.
Our team is passionate about the relationships we build with our patients. We want to see you thrive and function at your absolute best. If you decide to have your erectile dysfunction treated at Uthology, you can feel confident that you’ll receive expert and attentive care that addresses the condition and restores your quality of life.
Improve Erection Health at Our ED Treatment Center in Waukesha, WI
Erectile dysfunction happens to millions of men. Although it is incredibly common, the stigma surrounding ED prevents many men who suffer from it from ever seeking help. It’s our mission to change that for the men of Waukesha and beyond. The practitioners of Uthology are experienced medical professionals specializing in hormone replacement therapy and sexual health. With proper guidance and support, erectile dysfunction can be resolved. We’ll listen to your concerns with a compassionate ear, carefully consider what may be contributing to your symptoms, then draw up your personalized ED treatment plan. Contact Uthology at 262-696-9868 or schedule an appointment here to get started today.
