Decreased libido can be caused by several factors, including medications, fatigue, drugs, alcohol, depression, relationship problems, fear, systemic illness, and testosterone deficiency. Difficulty maintaining an erection is a common symptom of erectile dysfunction that can create frustration during sexual intercourse. In most cases, it is caused by one or more health problems or unhealthy lifestyle habits, but it can be improved or resolved by acting on the root cause, which can be vascular, neurological, penile, hormonal, drug-induced or psychogenic.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Change Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Improve your nutrition
Fatty, fried, sweetened and processed foods can cause a decrease in blood circulation at a systemic level and, consequently, promote vascular erectile dysfunction. Increase your consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats to improve blood circulation and increase erection duration.
- A diet rich in animal fats puts pressure on the cardiovascular system, damaging blood circulation.
- Try to limit your consumption of meat and cheese.
Step 2. Train regularly
Some studies suggest that a sedentary lifestyle can aggravate erectile dysfunction. Aerobic movement, such as running and swimming, helps prevent this problem. In fact, it stimulates blood circulation and naturally lowers high blood pressure and cholesterol, but it can also improve hormonal balance and promote weight loss; all factors that allow you to fight erectile dysfunction and have satisfying sexual intercourse.
- Watch out for sports that put particular pressure on the perineum (the space between the scrotum and the anal area).
- If you like long bike rides, make sure you have a suitable bike. Buy a padded seat cover, wear a pair of padded shorts, and make sure you get up on the pedals regularly.
Step 3. Pay attention to your weight
By following a healthy diet and exercising plenty of exercise, you will improve your overall health and blood circulation. A healthy body weight combined with a proper diet and exercise also helps reduce the risk of diabetes, which is involved in the onset of erectile dysfunction.
- If you are overweight, you may be at greater risk of hypertension and high cholesterol, two health problems that can damage blood vessels.
- It is important to have good blood circulation to maintain an erection.
- If you are overweight, you can fight erectile dysfunction by losing weight.
Step 4. Quit smoking and use tobacco products
Smoking constricts blood vessels and impairs circulation, leading to erection problems. Cut out cigarettes and start a nicotine quit program to get rid of this addiction for good.
According to some studies, smokers are much more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction than non-smokers
Step 5. Drink alcohol in moderation
Excessive alcohol consumption can interfere with the proper functioning of the body, compromising the ability to maintain an erection. Consult your doctor to find out how much alcohol you can consume or should avoid based on your health needs.
It is not uncommon for a man to be unable to maintain an erection if he has been drinking a lot in the previous hours
Step 6. Learn to manage stress
Psychological stress can increase cortisol and adrenaline levels in the body, promoting hormonal imbalances and vasoconstriction. If you are prone to severe tension, try to eliminate or reduce the most stressful factors in your daily life or find a healthier way to manage them.
Practice yoga and deep breathing exercises, listen to music or spend more time on your favorite activities
Method 2 of 3: Engage the Partner
Step 1. Talk to your partner
Tell your loved one about your difficulties in maintaining an erection. Couples unable to speak openly struggle to develop a deep sexual understanding. If there is no communication, each partner can blame the other. If you feel uncomfortable disclosing this problem, psychotherapy can help you.
- It is possible that your partner will suggest an idea or a way to maintain an erection during sexual intercourse.
- By exposing the most delicate aspects of everyone's life, you will improve the intimacy of the couple and make you feel more at ease.
Step 2. Find new ways to improve sexual understanding
If your relationships are based solely on penetration and orgasm, you may feel compelled to achieve and maintain an erection, making the situation worse. Then, find a different way to share intimacy with your partner that isn't limited to crossing a line. Take your time: try bathing or showering together or massaging each other.
- You can also try different positions that promote the blood flow to the male genital organ.
- For example, the missionary position and the standing position can improve circulation and help keep the penis swollen during sexual intercourse.
Step 3. Consider couples therapy
If you suspect erection problems are psychological in nature, consider taking a psychotherapeutic path. A professional in this field will allow you to deal with the difficulties arising from erectile dysfunction.
- Generally, erection problems do not originate from psychological conditions. Emotional factors are more common in young people, while in older men the causes are organic.
- If you have erections early in the morning or during the night, the difficulty in maintaining an erection during intercourse probably does not stem from physical problems.
Method 3 of 3: Treating Erectile Dysfunction Following Medical Advice
Step 1. See your doctor
If you still have trouble maintaining an erection despite lifestyle changes, see your doctor. The problem may be related to certain diseases (such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension), certain medications, stress, and even excess body weight.
- Your doctor will check your blood circulation, examine your penis and rectum, assess the health of your nervous system, and ask you a few questions about your physiological functions, such as how long you have been unable to maintain an erection.
- He will then consider whether the cardiovascular risk factors you are exposed to are mild, moderate or severe and make sure you have a healthy enough heart to have sex.
- After outlining the clinical picture, he will recommend the most appropriate treatment to solve the problem. For example, if your testosterone levels are low, he may prescribe testosterone transdermal release patches.
- If you are healthy, the dysfunction can be psychogenic in nature, i.e. generated by a mental or emotional obstacle that prevents you from achieving and / or maintaining an erection.
Step 2. Get blood tests to detect testosterone levels
Testosterone naturally peaks during adolescence and early adulthood and declines as we age. If blood tests indicate a drop in testosterone levels, this is most likely the cause of erectile dysfunction. Your doctor will likely advise you to make some lifestyle changes first, such as losing weight or gaining muscle. However, if testosterone levels remain below average for age, he may prescribe a testosterone supplement.
If testosterone values are low due to age, remember that it is a physiological phenomenon. Testosterone supplementation is not recommended
Step 3. Consider oral medications
Your doctor may prescribe a drug that helps you maintain an erection by increasing the blood supply to your penis. The most used to treat erectile dysfunction are Viagra, Cialis and Levitra.
- If he prescribes Cialis for you, he will probably tell you to take 10-20 mg at least 30 minutes before sexual intercourse. Stop taking it if you experience severe hyperactivity or if you use nitrates, such as nitroglycerin, for chest pain.
- If he prescribes Levitra for you, you will need to take it 60 minutes before sexual intercourse, on a full or empty stomach. This drug should also not be taken if nitrates are used.
Step 4. Learn about mechanical devices
You can also ask your doctor for more information on using tools that help achieve and maintain an erection. Some men use so-called "vacuum devices" (mechanical devices that exploit the vacuum created by a suction pump) and special rings to promote erection. The vacuum device is used by inserting the penis inside. The pump sucks in the air causing a draw of blood in the genital organ and ensuring an erection.
- The erection is maintained by placing a band or ring at the base of the penis, which remains turgid for a maximum of 30 minutes.
- However, it is a device that can create discomfort and embarrassment during sexual intercourse.
Step 5. Use injection therapy
An alternative method that may be recommended by the doctor is penile therapy. You will be taught how to inject a drug into the penis that relaxes blood vessels and promotes blood flow to ensure an erection. This treatment has been shown to be effective in treating various physiological and psychological problems.
- If the dosage is wrong, potential side effects include scarring and the risk of priapism (prolonged and painful erections).
- You may suffer from high blood pressure and lightheadedness following injection therapy.
Step 6. Learn about transurethral therapy
Your doctor may suggest you try this treatment, which involves inserting a suppository into the urethra. Contains alprostadil, a vasodilator drug which, when absorbed into the bloodstream, relaxes blood vessels and improves circulation in the penis. It is considered less effective than the vacuum device and injection therapy.
Step 7. Evaluate surgical procedures
If no treatment has worked, your doctor may recommend an operation to implant a prosthesis consisting of a pair of cylinders which, once inserted into the penis, can be inflated and deflated using a device connected and inserted into the scrotum.
- The prosthesis does not alter the sensations on the skin surface nor does it affect the ability to reach orgasm and ejaculation.
- The surgery involves two small incisions and leaves no obvious marks after healing.
Warnings
- Check with your doctor before you stop or start taking any medications designed to combat erectile dysfunction.
- Some medicines designed for this type of difficulty can negatively interact with others you are already taking and aggravate erection problems.
