Limpness issues or the inability to get hard, is a clinical condition where men fail to achieve and maintain an erection during sexual intercourse.
As a result, men are unable to maintain a satisfactory sex life.
It is a fairly common condition.
And it is often seen in men between the ages of 40 to 70 years.
Up to 70% of men over the age of 70 can develop limpness.
It has a significant impact on the physical and psychological status of the individual, leading to a variety of different symptoms.
Let’s take a brief look at this clinical condition and how it can be managed.
Causes of Limpness
What causes limpness in men?
There are a number of different reasons that may lead to it.
Common causes include high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and high blood cholesterol levels.
These conditions affect the structure and function of the blood vessels in the body, including the one in the penis, and this can compromise the blood flow that is required to achieve an erection.
Other problems such as hormonal problems and any injury to the nerves and blood vessels within the penis can also cause erection issues.
High alcohol intake and smoking are other causes.
Medication such as beta blockers can result in the inability to get wood.
While these are the physical causes, there are also psychological causes at work here.
Common ones include depression and anxiety.
More recently, erection issues have been found to be closely related to heart disease, and has been identified as an indicator for cardiovascular disease.
Symptoms
The symptoms of limpness include a combination of physical and psychological.
The physical symptom is the failure to achieve an erection.
While the psychological impact can be one of loss of confidence and low mood.
Diagnosis
Clinical diagnosis is clear from the history.
Some patients have selective erection issues that occur during sexual intercourse, without occurring during masturbation or during the early hours of the morning.
Simple blood tests to identify the underlying causes may be also needed such as blood sugar levels, blood cholesterol levels and an electrocardiogram.
Blood pressure assessments will be needed.
Options
A clinical assessment will identify the cause, which can then be specifically treated.
Discussing your little man who doesn’t show up can be an embarrassing encounter.
Fortunately, healthcare professionals are always around to help.
These days, new treatments are available that block a particular enzyme pathway.
These treatments allow for increased blood flow to the penis and the achievement of an erection.
They may not be effective in a small number of patients.
Other treatments such as injection therapy can help.
In rare cases, patients may be offered a prosthesis that is inserted within their penis to help cause an erection.
Of course, it is essential to change certain habits such as alcohol intake and smoking.
In addition to change of unhealthy habits, other lifestyle modifications like regular exercise should be adopted.
Finally, counseling can help certain patients with erectile issues as well.
Any mental health issues can also be dealt with through counseling.
And patients may find that these limpness options can help them achieve normal sexual function again.