This article is written to you, dear DeRosa Medical patient, but it is written for the man in your life. Because that’s how it works, right? In fact, I always say there are two ways to get a man to go to the doctor: in an ambulance or with erectile dysfunction. All joking aside, there is more truth to this than you’d imagine. Unfortunately, by the time men are experiencing ED, there could be a host of underlying health issues.
As a doctor specializing in Internal Medicine and Hormonal Health, a lot of male patients come to see me — oftentimes prompted by you — because they’ve “lost their mojo”. In guy speak, they mean they’re having trouble getting or maintaining an erection. Unfortunately, pharmaceutical ads have many believing the answer is as simple as popping a pill, but it’s far more important to treat the cause, not just the symptom.
While it’s the erection itself worrying your partner, the source of men’s plumbing problems may stem from heart disease, diabetes, low testosterone, anxiety or other health issues. Viagra, Cialis and other erectile dysfunction drugs are simply vasodilators, which enhance blood flow to the penis, allowing for erections to occur, leaving underlying — and often dangerous — causes unaddressed. It’s important for your partner to know that problems with blood flow usually results from years of smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity and other things that damage all your man’s arteries and veins… not just those in his pants.
As we age, testosterone levels decline, affecting mental clarity, glucose metabolism, fat burning, moods, libido, and for men, the ability to get an erection. Since testosterone primes the body’s pump, it’s smart to begin there. If levels are low, testosterone replacement usually does the trick. But if it doesn’t, there may be an issue with blood flow, and that’s when using an erectile dysfunction drug would be indicated. In very severe cases, testosterone coupled with a drug like Viagra won’t do it, and direct penile injections, urethral gels or pumps may be helpful. But all of these options begin with his first visit to our office.
Bottom line: if your man’s groove is gone, it’s important to understand that Viagra is not the answer to all that ails him. He may in fact be prescribed that little blue pill, but don’t start there. See a doctor that specializes in hormonal health first.
Recognize any of these signs or symptoms? Call our office for an appointment: 480.619.4097