In Las Vegas or anywhere else, the first thing that any doctor should do in dealing with your erectile dysfunction is to perform tests to rule out any underlying health problems that could be behind an ED problem.

There are plenty of options these days for treating erectile dysfunction. In consultations, a doctor should discuss the pros and cons of each treatment, and weigh benefits against possible risks in your discussions. Make sure that your doctor also takes your partner’s preferences into account.

Before proceeding with any course of treatment, a doctor or clinic should take into account:

  • Physical exam of the penis and testicles to check the nerves for sensation
  • Blood test to rule out heart disease, low testosterone, diabetes or other underlying problems.
  • Urinalysis to check for many of the same problems
  • Ultrasound to check blood flow to the penis itself
  • Overnight erection test. This involves wrapping a special tape around the penis before going to bed. If the tape is broken or separated in the morning, then you achieved an erection at some point in the night. This is important in ruling out physical problems and pointing towards a psychological root of the dysfunction.

Oral Medications

The three primary ED medications on the market today are sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis) and vardenafil (Levitra). All three work off the effects of nitric oxide, a chemical produced in your body that relaxes muscles in the penis, increasing blood flow allowing an erection. The three vary in dosage, effectiveness and side effects. Your doctor should discuss this with you, and should remind you that they may not work (or might be donwright dangerous) if you:

  • take nitrate-related drugs for angina, such as nitroglycerin
  • have suffered a stroke
  • have a history of heart disease
  • take any anticoagulants, alpha blockers or blood pressure medications
  • have abnormally low blood pressure or uncontrolled hypertension
  • have untreated diabetes

Lifestyle Issues

There are things you can do for yourself to help your ED problem:

Quit Smoking. Smoking interferes with circulation and can worsen an ED condition. Try smoking cessation strategies like nicotine gum or lozenges, or electronic cigarettes.

Lose Weight If you’re overweight, it can easily worsen an ED problem

Exercise Regularly Exercise reduces stress and increases oxygen and blood flow

Think about alcohol or drug problems Drinking to excess can aggravate ED as well as causing other long-term health issues

Psychological Causes

This is where ED treatment can get tricky. Many, many cases of erectile dysfunction have their roots in depression or anxiety. Once the ED problem presents itself, it can be hard to not think about it and it starts to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Even if the ED has physiological causes, it can still aggravate the psychological end by causing stress and anxiety. A good ED physician should know when to hand off a case like this to a therapist or couples counselor to get to the bottom of the psychological roots of the problem.

Got Erectile Dysfunction in Las Vegas? Call Patient First Wellness Center at (702) 474-6300 for an appointment today!