It’s important to identify the cause of your symptoms because erectile dysfunction can be an early sign of other conditions.
Most people with a penis will have an occasional episode of being unable to get and keep an erection. This can be caused by:
- stress
- tiredness
- anxiety
- drinking too much alcohol
However, if you frequently have erection problems, you could have erectile dysfunction (ED).
What is erectile dysfunction (ED)?
ED is when you regularly cannot get and keep an erection. It may only happen in some situations – for example, you may be able to get an erection when masturbating, but not when you’re with a partner.
It’s important to identify the cause of your symptoms because ED can be an early sign of other conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes.
If you think you have symptoms of ED, it’s important to see a GP or go to a genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic. They can assess whether you need any treatment.
Erection problems (impotence) are very common, particularly in men over 40. It’s usually nothing to worry about, but you should see a GP if it keeps happening. It could be a sign of a more serious problem.
Causes of erection problems
Most men occasionally fail to get or keep an erection.
This is usually caused by stress, tiredness, anxiety, or drinking too much alcohol, and it’s nothing to worry about.
If it happens more often, it may be caused by physical health or emotional problems.
How sexual health clinics can help with erection problems
Sexual health clinics treat problems with sexual health. They can provide the same treatment you would get at your GP surgery.
Many sexual health clinics offer a walk-in service, where you do not need an appointment.
They’ll often get test results quicker than GP practices.
What happens at your appointment
The doctor or nurse will ask about your lifestyle and relationships, and any problems you might be having.
They’ll carry out basic health checks, such as taking your blood pressure.
They’ll also examine your genitals to rule out any obvious physical cause.
If you have symptoms like needing to pee more often, you may also need to have an examination of your prostate.
Treatment for erection problems depends on the cause
Treatments for erectile dysfunction are usually effective and the problem often goes away.
There are also specific treatments for some of the causes of erectile dysfunction.
| Possible Cause | Treatment |
|---|---|
| Narrowing of penis blood vessels, high blood pressure, high cholesterol | Medicine to lower blood pressure, statins to lower cholesterol |
| Hormone problems | Hormone replacement (for example, testosterone) |
| Side effects of prescribed medicine | Change to medicine after discussion with GP |
Medicine such as sildenafil (sold as Viagra) is also often used by doctors to treat erectile dysfunction. It’s also available from pharmacies.
Because of changes in regulations, you no longer need a prescription to get sildenafil.
But you’ll have to have a consultation with the pharmacist to make sure it’s safe for you to take it.
There are other similar medicines called tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil (Levitra), and avanafil (Spedra) that work in a similar way.
You’ll still need a prescription to get these medicines.
Things you can do to help with erectile dysfunction
Healthy lifestyle changes can sometimes help erectile dysfunction.
Do
- lose weight if you’re overweight
- stop smoking
- eat a healthy diet
- exercise daily
- try to reduce stress and anxiety
Don’t
- do not cycle for a while (if you cycle for more than 3 hours a week)
- do not drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week
The Sexual Advice Association has factsheets on medicines and other treatments for erectile dysfunction.
Do vacuum pumps work?
Vacuum pumps encourage blood to flow to the penis, causing an erection.
They work for most men and can be used if the medicine is not suitable or does not work.
Speak to a doctor about where to get a vacuum pump.
Emotional (psychological) problems
It’s more likely to be an emotional problem if you only have erection problems some of the time. For example, you get an erection when waking up in the morning, but not during sexual activity.
Anxiety and depression can be treated with counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
A GP might recommend sex therapy, either on its own or in combination with other psychotherapy.
Feel free to get in touch with a team of our doctors to get consulted for free.