FAQs

What causes erectile dysfunction?

There can be a range of causes that are both physical and psychological. Physical causes include:

• hormonal problems

• narrowing of the blood vessels to the penis – this is commonly associated with high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes

Psychological causes include:

• anxiety

• depression

Diagnosis of erectile dysfunction

Your Consultant will carry out a thorough examination to determine the cause of the problem. ED can be an embarrassing condition for many men with a significant impact on both your quality of life and your partner’s. However, in many cases, it can be treated. It is important that a diagnosis is made, not least because ED is often an early sign that your blood vessels are narrowing and are clogged with fatty substances, such as cholesterol. As blood vessels in the penis are a lot smaller than the blood vessels elsewhere in the body, they are often affected first, which is risk factor for cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, stroke or heart attack.

If you have ED, your consultant will assess your risk of cardiovascular disease and suggest options to reduce this risk.

To determine the nature of ED your consultant will carry out a range of tests and examinations including:

• A full medical and sexual history examination

• Physical examination – this can help rule out other problems such as circulatory system problems and unusual characteristics of the penis.

• Psychological examination – consultants may question patients using a questionnaire relating to the man’s sexual partner to reveal or rule out any psychological explanations.

• Lab tests – these can help diagnose ED to test for systemic and endocrine problems