Post Date December, 03 2023
Erectile dysfunction, commonly known as erectile dysfunction, is a common disease that troubles men, especially middle-aged and elderly men. However, it is not as scary as imagined. It can be prevented and treated, and a considerable number of patients are caused by purely psychological factors. At the "2009 First Cross Strait Andrology Academic Summit" jointly organized by the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Guangzhou Men's Hospital, and Taipei Medical University Affiliated Hospital, experts from both sides of the Taiwan Strait stated that ED requires more psychological treatment.
70% of ED is psychogenic
Dr. Xuan Xujun from the Urology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat sen University introduced that although the incidence of ED is not low, very few patients actively receive treatment. Treating ED rationally and scientifically, and discovering and treating it as soon as possible is the best way to solve the problem. NIH in the United States defines ED as: Erectile dysfunction refers to the inability of the penis to achieve and maintain sufficient erection for at least 6 months to achieve satisfactory sexual activity.
In clinical practice, ED has multiple manifestations, including organic ED, which is more common in middle-aged and elderly men. Many organic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, trauma, cardiovascular disease, etc., are the main causes of organic ED, and the bad living habits such as smoking and heavy drinking are also important reasons. Therefore, it is necessary for such patients to seek further examination from a doctor to rule out the possibility of other diseases. The other type of ED is not a true lesion, but rather a psychological factor.
Li Bo, director of the VIP Expert Consultation Center at Guangzhou Men's Hospital, said that such psychogenic patients account for approximately 70% of ED patients in clinical practice. The manifestation of erectile dysfunction in some people is not a true response to male sexual function, but is caused by certain mental and neurological disorders, which temporarily cause abnormal erectile function. This condition is medically known as psychogenic ED, or in colloquial terms, "pseudo ED".
Li Bo believes that psychogenic ED is often related to male personality traits, and sexual accusations, complaints, and even coercion and punishment from partners can exacerbate male ED symptoms. In fact, in foreign countries, when doctors diagnose ED as a result of psychological factors, they will converge with psychologists for psychological and physical combined treatment. However, there is currently a lack of such a 'combined treatment' mechanism in China, resulting in many patients not receiving the most appropriate treatment
ED treatment requires cooperation from both spouses
Professor Li Liangming from Wanfang Hospital affiliated with Taipei Medical University stated that in Taiwan, the treatment of ED usually involves psychological counseling, sex education, and medication; For organic ED, symptomatic treatment can be given as needed, such as oral medication, injection reagents, and the use of physiological therapy equipment. For severe organic ED, surgical treatment can also be considered. But before ED treatment, various psychological factors that may affect erection are removed, such as emotional disharmony between sexual partners, poor living conditions, discontinuation of drugs that may affect erection, and quitting smoking and alcohol.
Li Liangming believes that the harmony of sexual life depends on the joint efforts of both spouses, so the treatment of male sexual dysfunction must receive the cooperation of their wives. Many times, patients cannot have an erection in front of their wives, but it is completely normal in front of other women. Through understanding, we have found that the marital relationship of these patients is usually disharmonious, resulting in a psychological fear and tension towards sexual life, which hinders the treatment of sexual life. Therefore, ED treatment requires the cooperation of couples
(Intern Editor: Chen Hao)
