How Does Impotence Affect Human Biology?
Impotence is generally erectile dysfunction. The man, who is unable to achieve or maintain penile erection and hence unable to fully participate in sexual intercourse is known as impotent. The term impotence refers to both men and women, who have the inability to sexual arousal. In general practices per traditional method, it termed male sexual dysfunction. The impotence can occur at any age. It is more common in older men, but it is not only because of aging. About 70% causes of impotence are diabetes and atherosclerosis. Another 10 - 20% of the infected population is experiencing due to psychological factors and the remaining percentage is experiencing due to injury, medication, lifestyle, etc.
Types of Impotence
Sexual dysfunction is mainly a physical or psychological problem. Male dysfunction is a common problem among aged people. There are four types of impotence, which usually occurs in male.
Erection dysfunction → difficulty in keeping erected
Premature ejaculation → reaching orgasm quickly
Delayed or inhibited ejaculation → delay in reaching orgasm
Low libido → Low sex interest, because of low testosterone secretion.
Signs of Impotence
The Signs of impotence vary from male to female. The person who is facing a problem in sexual dysfunction may have the following symptoms.
Sign of Male Impotence
The person who is facing issues like, unable to get an erection. Being erected for the minimum time. Unable to maintain the erection ..etc may have the problem of male impotence.
Sign of Female Impotence
One who is facing vaginal dryness, low desire, painful sex, arousal problem, and trouble in reaching orgasm may have the risk of female Impotence. The vaginal dryness mainly occurs due to hormonal changes during pregnancy and breastfeeding. About half of the women experiencing vaginal dryness in the earlier stage of menopause. Women between the age of 30-50 are facing a low desire even before menopause. They are suffering from a lack of lust. About 30% of the women population are suffering from painful sex. It mainly occurs due to vaginal dryness and may stay as an indicator for some medical problems like ovarian cyst and endometriosis. The arousal problem is mainly due to anxiety and inadequate stimulation of hormones. Hormonal changes during menopause may also be the problem. The trouble in reaching orgasm have wide reasons like anxiety, insufficient foreplay, chronic infection, and certain medication push them to a certain situation.
Causes of Impotence
There are numerous factors that cause impotence. The reasons listed below stay as the causes of ed.
Low testosterone level is responsible for male impotence.
Negative feelings towards sex partners
Atherosclerosis is a kind of cardiovascular disease. It is mainly caused due to the development of plaque on the wall of arteries.
The person with anxiety and depression easily undergoes impotence.
A person with diabetes for the long term.
Person, who got infected by Kidney disease
A person who has a brain or spinal cord defect like multiple sclerosis has a chance to undergo impotence.
Obese human easily infected by sexual impotence
People who are taking medicines have a high probability of being impotence.
Penile or testicular trauma or surgery of the bladder or prostate
A person with a problem in the nervous system or peripheral neuropathy
Person with spinal cord injury or tumor
Trauma or structural injury
Emotional conflicts beyond relationships.
Risk Factors of Impotence
Many factors may increase the risk of experiencing sexual impotence. This will stay as causes of ed for impotence. There is a high probability for those people to have impotence who undergo the risk factors as listed below.
Aged person
Alcohol addiction
A person with heart disease
Chain smoker
Diabetes
Psychological conditions
Overweight or obesity
Neurologic disorders
Drug addiction
Possible Methods to Reduce Risk Factor of Impotence
Some risk factors for impotence are controllable and can help to come out of possible risks. The person who is experiencing the above-mentioned risk factors can protect them accordingly as listed below. This stays as an instant cure for Impotence.
Can check blood pressure and maintain it
Should control blood sugar
Should restrict illicit uses of drug
Must control the intake of alcohol
Must maintain a healthy diet
Should be engaged with physical activity
Maintaining BMI
Participating in counseling to address emotional or psychological issues
Must quit smoking
Impotence Treatment
Most of the erection dysfunction is curable. It may depend on the cases. Some causes of erection dysfunction require natural ed treatment. And others may require intensive care with proper diagnosing support. The medicinal impotence treatment is listed below.
Male Impotence Treatment.
To relax blood vessels of the penis, Alprostadil urethral pellets (MUSE) method can be used.
To improve intimacy, couples therapy will provide the best solution.
To relax the blood vessels of the penis, the injectable medications such as papaverine, alprostadil (Caverject, Edex), and phentolamine can be used.
To improve the blood flow into the penis, the Oral phosphodiesterases (PDE) promoters such as sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), or vardenafil (Levitra) to improve blood flow to the penis
Psychotherapy can be used to decrease anxiety
Can undergo surgery to treat erection dysfunction and increase blood flow into the penins.
To prevent blood leakage from the penis, surgery will stay as the best solution for an instant ed cure.
People with low testosterone levels are recommended to undergo testosterone replacements.
To pull blood into the penis, the vacuum devices can be used for engorgement.
Necessary surgical implants provide necessary treatment for erection dysfunction.
Female Impotence Treatment
Estrogen therapy increases the elasticity of the vagina, increases lubrication, and enhances the vaginal blood.
Ospemifene (Osphena) is the selective estrogen receptor. It reduces the pain during sex with vulvovaginal atrophy
Androgen therapy improves testosterone in both male and female and helps to get away from sexual Impotence
Flibanserin (Addyi) allows reducing the sex desire of women in premenopause women.
Bremelanotide (Vyleesi) is the same as Flibanserin, it decreases sex desire. The medicine injected in the skin of the belly and thigh will promote sexual activities
Phosphodiesterase inhibitors are selected as the best ones to treat both male and female impotence.
FAQs on Impotence Explained: Types, Causes & Treatments
1. What is impotence in a biological context?
In a biological context, impotence, more specifically known as erectile dysfunction (ED), is the inability to achieve or maintain a penile erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance. It is primarily a physiological issue involving the vascular, nervous, and endocrine systems. A successful erection requires a complex sequence of events, including nerve signals from the brain and spinal cord, and adequate blood flow to the penis, which can be disrupted by various health conditions.
2. What is the main difference between the terms impotence and erectile dysfunction?
While often used interchangeably, the terms have different scopes. Impotence is a broader, older term that can refer to various issues with male sexual function, including lack of sexual desire, problems with ejaculation, or orgasm, in addition to erection difficulties. Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is a more precise medical term that specifically refers to the inability to get or keep an erection firm enough for intercourse. Modern medicine prefers 'erectile dysfunction' because it is more specific and less judgemental.
3. What are the main types of physical causes behind erectile dysfunction?
The physical causes of erectile dysfunction can be grouped into several categories based on the biological system affected:
- Vascular Causes: These are the most common and relate to blood flow. Conditions like atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), high blood pressure, and high cholesterol can restrict blood flow to the penis.
- Neurological Causes: These involve nerve damage that disrupts signals between the brain and the penis. Examples include diabetes, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, and nerve damage from pelvic surgery.
- Endocrine (Hormonal) Causes: Imbalances in hormones, particularly low levels of testosterone, can lead to ED. Other hormonal issues related to the thyroid or pituitary gland can also play a role.
- Anatomical Causes: Structural problems with the penis, such as Peyronie's disease (which causes curved, painful erections), can also be a cause.
4. How do psychological factors contribute to impotence, and how does this differ from physical causes?
Psychological factors contribute to impotence by interfering with the brain's ability to send the necessary nerve signals to initiate an erection. Unlike physical causes, which involve a breakdown in the vascular, nervous, or hormonal systems, psychological causes originate in the mind. Common examples include stress, anxiety, depression, and performance anxiety. These conditions can trigger the sympathetic nervous system (the 'fight or flight' response), which actively works against the physiological processes needed for an erection. A key difference is that a person with purely psychological ED might still get erections at other times, such as during sleep (nocturnal erections), whereas someone with a severe physical cause may not.
5. What is the biological link between lifestyle choices and the risk of developing impotence?
Lifestyle choices have a direct biological impact on the systems required for an erection. For example:
- Smoking: Damages blood vessels and reduces blood flow throughout the body, including to the penis (a vascular effect).
- Obesity and Poor Diet: Can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis, all of which are major physical causes of ED.
- Lack of Exercise: Contributes to poor cardiovascular health, reducing the body's ability to pump blood effectively.
- Excessive Alcohol Consumption: Acts as a depressant on the central nervous system, impairing nerve function and reducing testosterone levels over time.
Essentially, lifestyle choices that harm cardiovascular and neurological health are major risk factors for developing impotence.
6. How can certain medications cause erectile dysfunction as a side effect?
Certain medications can cause erectile dysfunction by interfering with key biological pathways. They may affect nerve signals, blood flow, or hormone levels. For example:
- Antihypertensives (Blood Pressure Drugs): Some types, like diuretics and beta-blockers, can decrease blood flow to the penis or affect nerve signals.
- Antidepressants: Certain antidepressants can interfere with neurotransmitters that are essential for sexual arousal and nerve function.
- Antihistamines: Can sometimes cause ED by blocking certain nerve pathways.
- Hormonal Medications: Drugs that affect testosterone or estrogen levels can disrupt the hormonal balance required for sexual function.
7. Why is impotence more common in older individuals from a physiological standpoint?
From a physiological standpoint, impotence becomes more common with age due to several natural and cumulative factors. Firstly, the elasticity of blood vessels tends to decrease over time, which can impair blood flow. Secondly, the prevalence of underlying health conditions that cause ED, such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, increases significantly with age. Thirdly, there is often a gradual, age-related decline in testosterone levels. Finally, the sensitivity of nerves can also decrease, potentially weakening the signals required to achieve and sustain an erection.
8. What are some examples of treatments for impotence and how do they work?
Treatments for impotence target the underlying cause. Common examples include:
- Oral Medications (e.g., Sildenafil): These are often vasodilators that work by increasing the effect of nitric oxide, a chemical that relaxes muscles in the penis and improves blood flow.
- Hormone Therapy: If the cause is low testosterone, replacement therapy can restore normal levels and improve erectile function.
- Lifestyle Changes: For many, addressing factors like diet, exercise, smoking, and alcohol intake can significantly improve the underlying vascular and neurological health, thereby resolving ED.
- Counselling or Therapy: If the cause is primarily psychological, addressing issues like stress, anxiety, or depression can be a very effective treatment.
