Erectile dysfunction (impotence) is when you are unable to:
- get an erection
- keep an erection for long enough to have sex
Erectile dysfunction is very common, particularly in men over 40. If it happens, and keeps happening, talk to your GP.
Depending on the cause, you may be able to get an erection sometimes. For example, when you wake up.
You may also have low sex drive (loss of libido).
Causes of erection problems
Most men occasionally fail to get or keep an erection.
This is usually caused by:
- stress
- tiredness
- anxiety
- some medicines
- drinking too much alcohol
How alcohol affects your sex life
Things you can do to help with erectile dysfunction
Healthy lifestyle changes can sometimes help erectile dysfunction.
Do
-
lose weight if overweight
Don't
-
do not cycle for a while, if you cycle for more than 3 hours a week
Non-urgent advice: Contact your GP or go to a sexual health clinic if:
- erection problems keep happening
It could be a sign of another health condition, including:
- high blood pressure
- high cholesterol
- diabetes
- depression
- anxiety
- hormone problems, such as low level of testosterone
- heart and circulatory disease
- prostate cancer
What happens at your appointment
Your GP or nurse may:
- ask about your lifestyle and relationships
- take your blood pressure
- examine your genitals to rule out any obvious physical cause
If you have symptoms such as needing to pee more often than usual, they may examine your prostate.
Treating erectile dysfunction
The cause of erectile dysfunction is not always obvious. But treatments can usually help. The main treatments aim to improve blood flow to your penis.
If another health condition is causing erectile dysfunction, you may be treated for the other condition.
Medicines to improve blood flow
The main medicines used to improve the blood flow to your penis are called PDE-5 inhibitors.
These include:
- sildenafil (Viagra)
- tadalafil (Cialis)
- vardenafil (Levitra)
- avanafil (Spedra)
You can get sildenafil on prescription or you can buy it from a pharmacy. You need a prescription for the other types.
Buying medicines online
We would warn against buying any medicines online. They are not always regulated and the quality of their ingredients can vary.
It's important that you ask your GP for advice on medicine.
Vacuum pumps
Vacuum pumps encourage blood to flow to the penis, causing an erection.
They work for most men and can be used if medicine is not suitable.
Talk to your GP about where to get one.
Treating the cause
There are specific treatments for some of the causes of erectile dysfunction.
For example, your GP may recommend:
- changing a prescribed medicine - if erectile dysfunction is a side effect
- taking medicine for high blood pressure, high cholesterol or hormone problems
Emotional (psychological) problems
If you only have erectile dysfunction some of the time, it is more likely to be an emotional problem. For example, you may still get erections in the mornings, but not during sexual activity.
Anxiety and depression can be treated with counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
A GP may recommend sex therapy. This could be on its own or in combination with other talk therapy.
