The Medical perspective of Impotence

DSM-IV-TR: 302.72 Male Erectile Disorder

Impotence

Also known as Male Erectile Disorder or Erectile dysfunction, impotence is where men find it difficult to get an erection, or cannot maintain an erection during sex. This can lead to feeling like a failure, frustration, feelings of inadequacy, feelings of rejection and feeling 'on the spot'.

    A very common problem for men, the inability to gain an erection or maintain an erection for the full duration of sexual act.

   Quite obviously this symptom causes many problems, for the individual. Feelings of inadequacy feelings of frustration and rejection for the partner.

Associated Features:

Mood Disorders
Anxiety Disorders

Establishing a Diagnosis:

Some disorders have similar or even the same symptoms. The clinician, therefore, in his/her diagnostic attempt, has to differentiate against the following disorders which need to be ruled out to establish a precise diagnosis.

Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

What triggers the problem?

It can be due to psychological or a combination of psychological and physical factors, and it can occur in most or just some settings. For some, the onset occurs at a specific time in life (acquired) as in response to a specific situation. For others, it may be of lifelong duration. Erectile disorders may accompany a fear of failure. Sometimes this disorder is present throughout life. In many cases the erectile failure is intermittent and sometimes dependent upon the type of partner or the quality of the relationship.

Treatments:

Psychosocial factors are important in all forms of erectile dysfunction. Careful attention to these issues and attempts to relieve sexual anxieties should be a part of the therapeutic intervention for all patients with erectile dysfunction. Psychotherapy is effetive for those patients in whom there is no organic cause of erectile dysfunction  detected.

Other forms of treatment may involve: Injection of vasodilating drugs into the penis. penile prosthesis or implants, vascular surgery and vacuum device therapy.

Injection of vasodilator substances into the corpora of the penis has provided a new therapeutic technique for a variety of causes of erectile dysfunction.

Vacuum constriction devices may be effective at generating and maintaining erections in many patients with erectile dysfunction and these appear to have a low incidence of side effects.

Three forms of penile prostheses are available for patients who fail with or refuse other forms of therapy: semi rigid, malleable, and inflatable.

Pharmacotherapy:

A trial of androgen replacement may be worthwhile in men with low serum testosterone levels if there are no other contraindications. In contrast, for men who have normal testosterone levels, androgen therapy is inappropriate and may carry significant health risks, especially in the situation of unrecognised prostate cancer. If androgen therapy is indicated, it should be given in the form of intramuscular injections of testosterone enanthate or cypionate.

Our clinic is ideally situated in St.Neots town centre  - 5mins from the AI

St. Neots Hypnotherapy Clinic is within easy access of many surrounding villages and towns such as Huntingdon, St.Ives, Bedford, Kempston, Wyboston, Eaton Socon , Peterborough and Cambridge

Stneots , Saint Neots or St.Neots is a small bustling market town which borders both Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire and is only 20 mins from both these larger towns.

The clinic is close to ample parking both on market square and (a 3min walk over St.Neots bridge) free parking at the riverside carpark which is just before the bridge as you enter the town from the A1.

directions to the clinic -  28 Market Square, St.Neots, Cambs, PE19 2AJ

Hypnotherapy  psychotherapy