Erectile Dysfunction Treatment Methods
All methods of erectile dysfunction treatment are divided into:
- conservative;
- operative.
According to XL Pharmacy, conservative methods of erectile dysfunction treatment include drug therapy (tablets, injections), as well as the use of vacuum-constrictor devices.
Treatment of Psychogenic Erectile Dysfunction
An experienced therapist – psychotherapist conducts a course of psychotherapy aimed at eliminating psychogenic erectile dysfunction causes. Treatment course duration is chosen individually. The effectiveness of the treatment of psychogenic forms of erectile dysfunction is very high – more than 80%. However, psychogenic erectile dysfunction is not so common (about 20% of all those who complain of erectile dysfunction). Often when examining a patient with psychogenic impotence, they also reveal organic disorders. Treatment of psychogenic erectile dysfunction is carried out both in the form of monotherapy and in the form of a supplement to the treatment of mixed erectile dysfunction form.
Medications in Erectile Dysfunction Treatment
Modern medicinal preparations used in clinical practice allow achieving high erectile dysfunction treatment efficiency, which reaches 70-80%. To prescribe these drugs, you need to consult a doctor, as these drugs have contraindications.
- headache;
- sudden face and neck reddening;
- hyperemia of the nasal cavity;
- change in color perception and visual acuity.
Vacuum-Constrictive Therapy
The essence of this method is to create a negative pressure in penile cavernous bodies with the help of a vacuum cylinder and a pump, which causes blood flow and erection held by applying a special compressive ring at the penis base, limiting the venous outflow. Thus, it becomes possible to have sexual intercourse. The compressing ring can be applied no more than 30 minutes. The effectiveness of erectile dysfunction treatment method is 40-50%.
The disadvantages include:
- practical use of the device (it is impossible to hide from the partner, etc.);
- painful ejaculation caused by the constricting ring;
- hemorrhages on the penis;
- the feeling of penile numbness.
Intracavernous Injections of Vasoactive Drugs
The essence of the method is the microinjection of vasoactive drugs directly into the penis before sexual intercourse. The method of intracavernous injections of vasoactive drugs has become one of the most common and most effective among conservative methods of treating erectile dysfunction. For treatment, prostaglandin is used, both in monotherapy form and in various combinations.
- The combination of drugs is used to reduce the side effects of each of them by reducing the concentration and potentiation of pharmacological action.
- This method’s effectiveness in the Clinic of Andrology reaches 98%. Treatment (if necessary) is carried out in conjunction with physiotherapy.
- A comprehensive program approach to the appointment of intracavernous therapy makes it a possible application of this method effective and safe.
Surgical Method
Operative intervention in recent years is used increasingly rarely because of the high effectiveness of drug therapy. Surgical erectile dysfunction treatment methods are used in extreme cases when conservative treatment does not give the desired results.
Operative treatment of penile venous insufficiency is performed in case of defeat of the vein-inclusive mechanism of the penis. The effectiveness of this method is more than 50%. In the Andrological sphere, this operation’s effectiveness reaches 60-70%. This is achieved by means of examination and application of the more modern technique of surgery. Even if after this operation it was not possible to fully restore sexual function, performed operation in most cases intensifies drug action (tablet or injection) therapy, which allows for more complete sexual function restoration. Elimination of venous leakage of blood from the penis in a state of erection allows you to make erection stronger and more prolonged.
Surgical treatment of penile arterial insufficiency is indicated in case of insufficient arterial blood flow to cavernous tissue. Arterial microvascular shunting is performed, the efficiency of which varies from 30 to 50%. This operation shows high efficiency only in young patients.
A penile prosthesis is now the main operative method of restoring the rigidity of the penis. Implantation of prostheses is the final stage in the treatment of erectile dysfunction when all previous methods of treatment failed.