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Return to Sexual Problems - Overview

Erectile dysfunction (ED), or impotence, is what most people think of when they hear the term “male sexual problem.” The National Institutes of Health estimates 15 million to 30 million American men do suffer from erectile dysfunction and need drugs to have sexual intercourse. However, other forms of sexual dysfunction can affect men. These include:

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder: Men with this disorder have a persistent lack of sexual desire or appetite, absence of sexual fantasies and complete lack of interest in and avoidance of sexual contact with a partner. Possible physical causes include drug side effects and hormonal deficiencies. Sometimes, boosting abnormally low testosterone levels helps. It may also be caused by or result from traumatic events in childhood or adolescence. Depression also may play a role.

Male orgasmic disorders: Also called ejaculatory disorders, these include inhibited ejaculation (orgasm does not occur) and premature ejaculation (when ejaculation occurs before, during or soon after penetration and before the man desires such as buy viagra). Inhibited orgasm is usually caused by a psychological disorder such as depression or anxiety, or use of substances like alcohol or drugs. The man’s emotional state and feelings such as guilt, boredom or resentment also may play a role. The cause of premature ejaculation is unclear but is thought to result from a combination of psychological and physical factors. Both problems are typically treated by teaching the man and his partner techniques for either producing or slowing down orgasm. In some cases, premature ejaculation can be treated with small doses of an SSRI antidepressant such as Prozac®, Paxil® or Zoloft®, taken either daily, or one to two hours before a sexual encounter.

Children, teens and adults being treated with antidepressants, particularly anyone being treated for depression, should be watched closely for worsening of depression and for increased suicidal thinking or behavior. Close watching may be especially important early in treatment, or when the dose is changed, either increased or decreased. Bring up your concerns immediately with a doctor.

Peyronie’s disease: Thought to affect about 1 percent of men usually between the ages of 40 and 60, Peyronie’s disease is characterized by the formation of a hard, fibrous layer called plaque under the skin on one side of the penis. This disorder usually starts out as an inflammation, leading to a hardened scar that causes the penis to bend sharply when erect. If hardening occurs on both sides, indentations and shortening may result. The scarring or hardening can make erections painful and intercourse difficult or impossible. The bent or misshapen appearance of the penis can lead to emotional distress, which in turn worsens any sexual difficulties. Doctors are not sure what causes Peyronie’s disease, but in many cases, the condition resolves itself. A physician will usually monitor the man closely for about a year, watching the plaque development and checking erectile function. Medications that might help to alleviate plaque buildup include topical vitamin A, collagenase ointment, B-complex vitamins or calcium channel blockers. These treatments are still unproven.

Some researchers have given vitamin E orally to men with Peyronie’s disease in small studies and have reported improvements. Yet, no controlled studies have established the effectiveness of vitamin E therapy. Similar inconclusive success has been attributed to oral application of para-aminobenzoate, a substance belonging to the family of B-complex molecules. Researchers have injected chemical agents such as verapamil, collagenase, steroids, calcium channel blockers, and interferon alpha-2b directly into the plaques. These interventions are still considered unproven because studies included small numbers of patients and lacked adequate control groups.

If treatment doesn’t work and the condition doesn’t go away on its own, surgery may be necessary. Surgeons have developed techniques for removing the plaque without affecting the proper functioning of the penis.

Dyspareunia: Men who experience dyspareunia, or pain during intercourse, usually have an underlying problem such as prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate gland) or some kind of nerve damage.

Tags: Male Sexual Problems

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009 at 3:38 pm and is filed under General Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.