Tuesday 24 October 2017

Erectile dysfunction and diabetes: the connection

Erectile dysfunction and diabetes

 

Diabetes is estimated to reach 322 million cases worldwide by 2025, and the third most common complaint from men who are diagnosed with the condition is erectile dysfunction.  Erectile dysfunction and diabetes go hand in hand, as a matter of fact, men who have diabetes are as much as 75% more likely to develop sexual dysfunction (ED) then men who are not diabetic.

Why are so many men effected with diabetes also prone to experience erectile dysfunction?  What is the correlation?  Are their ways to avoid erectile dysfunction and diabetes?  Are the risk factors similar?  Are the risk factors avoidable?  In this article, we will explore these topics, treatment options, and answer some of the most common questions around the correlation between erectile dysfunction and diabetes.

Erectile Dysfunction and diabetes : the connection

 

What Causes Diabetes

 

There is no single cause of diabetes.  Any number of the following can contribute to the condition:

  • Family history
  • Obesity
  • Dietary choices
  • A sedentary lifestyle
  • Increasing age
  • Chemical toxins in food
  • Viral or bacterial infections
  • Smoking, drinking, illicit drug use
  • Unidentified component causing autoimmune reaction

The underlying causes of people with diabetes are numerous, and go beyond the factors mentioned. The health of nerves, muscle function, and blood vessels are all potentially affected by diabetes. At its root, diabetes occurs when the pancreas produces very little, too much, or no insulin. Insulin is one of the main hormones that helps to regulate blood glucose levels.  Diabetes also occurs when the body does not respond appropriately to insulin.

 

Erectile Dysfunction and diabetes

 

What is erectile Dysfunction

 

Erectile dysfunction is the repeated inability of a man to achieve or sustain an erection.  It is characterized by the inability of the penis to expand from the flaccid state to the erect.  In addition to engorgement or expansion to the erect state, blood must stay in erectile tissues long enough to maintain an erection for sexual function.

What Causes erectile dysfunction

  • Heart Disease
  • Clogged blood vessels (atherosclerosis)
  • High Cholesterol
  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Metabolic syndrome- a condition involving blood pressure, high insulin levels, body fat around the waist and high cholesterol
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Certain prescription medications
  • Tobacco use
  • Peyronie’s disease – development of scar tissue inside the penis
  • Alcoholism and other substance abuse
  • Sleep disorders
  • Treatment for prostate cancer or enlarged prostate
  • Surgeries or injuries that affect the pelvic area or spinal cord.

 

Diabetes and erectile dysfunction couple

 

Diabetes and erectile dysfunction

 

What is the relationship between diabetes and erectile dysfunction? Diabetes can produce harmful physical effects.  The primary effect is damage to blood vessels and nerves. Blood vessel health can be injured in individuals who have diabetes. Blood carries glucose as well as insulin. High blood glucose levels long term lead to damage of blood vessels if blood sugar levels aren’t managed properly. If levels of blood sugar remain high for extended periods of time nerve damage, limited nitric oxide production, and atherosclerosis may occur.

High blood sugar can also injure nerves that control the penis.  This is called diabetic neuropathy, or more specifically, diabetic penile neuropathy. Damage to penile nerves can interfere with your body’s ability to send messages related with sexual stimulation through the nervous system to and from the brain and penis, which can lead to ED.

Nitric Oxide levels in the blood is often lowered as a by-product of diabetes.  Nitric oxide tells the arteries and the muscles in the penis to relax, which allows more blood to flow into the penis. Erections occur when neurotransmitters in penile nerve tissue release nitric oxide.  Low levels of nitric oxide can prevent healthy erectile function.  This is a common experience in diabetic men with high glucose levels in their blood for extended periods of time.

Diabetes is often known to also accelerate a condition known as atherosclerosis by driving inflammation and slowing blood flow.  Atherosclerosis creates a state in which blood vessels become narrow or harden.  Blood flow is reduced when narrowing or hardening of the blood vessels prevent blood flow from moving into and out of your penis.

 

                            Diabetes and hypertension

Diabetes and Hypertension

 

Arteries that are damaged by atherosclerosis, a complication of diabetes, can cause high blood pressure.  High blood pressure is also known as hypertension. Diabetes and hypertension lead to narrowing of blood vessels going to the penis.  Hypertension and Diabetes are both predecessors to erectile dysfunction.

 

5 ways to prevent diabetes and erectile dysfunction

 

Lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of both erectile dysfunction and diabetes are:

  1. quit Smoking. Smoking puts you at higher risk for cancer, heart disease and poor blood flow.
  2. lose weight. Obesity is a risk factor for both diabetes and erectile dysfunction.
  3. eat heathy. Avoid processed foods, include vegetables, fish, nuts, and seeds in your diet
  4. physically activity. Thirty minutes of daily aerobic exercise reduces stress levels and prevents obesity
  5. get plenty of sleep. Sleep deprivation increases the risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

 

How to increase blood flow to the penis

Poor circulation, nerve damage, or both are the underlying conditions for men with diabetes who are suffering from erectile dysfunction.  Men with type 2 diabetes are subject to a higher risk of reduced blood flow to the penis, because of diabetes associated bodily changes, that can inhibit sexual intercourse.

Blood flow reduction to the penis must be overcome once peripheral artery disease or Peripheral neuropathy have become advanced.  As reported in Diabetes Self-Management Viagra is not an effective ED treatment for a significant number of men who experienced advanced cases of diabetes and erectile dysfunction.  Effective and popular ED treatments that increase blood flow to the penis are available when Viagra fails.

 

 

Penile Injection Therapy

 

Penile Injection therapy is an effective treatment when Viagra fails for men with diabetes related erectile dysfunction.  Intracavernous injection involves the insertion of a vasodilator into the penis.  Due to the invasive nature, it is often used in men who have failed or have contraindications to other treatments such as oral therapies.

FDA approved penile injections are Caverject and Edex. Alprostadil is currently the most commonly used drugs for injections into the penis.  However, it may be associated with penile pain. Combinations of Alprostadil, phentolamine, and papaverine are often more effective but require a compounding pharmacy to make them.  Penile injections require prescriptions from a physician.

For diabetic men who do not respond well to oral medications, penile injection therapy is a good alternative.  Costs, side effects, and regular visits to see the doctor are a deterrent for many.  The use of needles is often a reason why men discontinue penile injections after initially trying this form of treatment.

 

Erectile Dysfunction Pump

 

Erectile dysfunction pump

 

Diabetic men who utilize a vacuum erection device, also known as an erectile dysfunction pump immediately see positive results.  This treatment is non-invasive, affordable, and over 90% effective. Erectile dysfunction pumps are the only FDA approved treatment available without a prescription or visit to the doctor, every diabetic man should have Soma Therapy ED.

Clinical Studies conclude that combined use of Viagra and an erectile dysfunction pump often work when Viagra fails on its own.  Therefore, combination therapy of oral medications and an erectile dysfunction pump can be effective, or Soma Therapy-ED can be effective without oral medications. 

For more information on purchasing Soma Therapy-ED you can contact customer support at 800-827-8382 or see our product page to place your order.

The post Erectile dysfunction and diabetes: the connection appeared first on Augusta Medical Systems.



source https://www.augustams.com/erectile-dysfunction-diabetes-connection/

No comments:

Post a Comment