Though it may seem to be a natural and effortless occurrence, performing sexual intercourse requires any number of physical functions in both men and women to occur. In the absence of these physical functions occurring as they normally do, sexual intercourse can be difficult or even impossible to perform. Though women can and do have difficulty with sexual functioning, what's likely the most commonly occurring sexual dysfunction is a man being unable to achieve erection.

Erection problems aren't infrequent, though not all men have erection problems and erection problems certainly don't always occur. Erectile problems are common enough that there's a medical terminology to describe the problem. The specific medical term for erection difficulty is erectile dysfunction, or ED. As there's a medical term for erection difficulties, there's also naturally enough pharmaceuticals available to treat the disorder. Pharmaceuticals for the treatment of erection problems in fact have nearly become household names, with the Viagra brand leading the way.

Treatment options aside, what are the actual causes at work when a male is unable to achieve an erection? As with any medical problem, various reasons explain the difficulty, but a few specific causes are the most typical. Anxiety is one potential explanation. Males may feel a pressure to take the lead role during intercourse, and to consistently please their partner. This sort of expectation pressure can lead to performance anxiety, which when significantly internalized can prevent the male from being able to sexually function at all.

There are also medical conditions that can prevent a male from achieving an erection. Problems with the prostate gland can affect erection capability. The prostate is in direct proximity to the penis and an irregular prostate, a condition older men tend to have, can disrupt erection as well as cause urinary problems. Diabetes is another condition that's linked to erection difficulties. Erection problems due to diabetes is nearly certain to be caused by the circulatory problems diabetes presents. Circulation often gets overlooked in the erection process, but it's an absolutely critical factor.

Another frequent factor in erection problems is stress. Modern life presents a multitude of challenges and difficulties. People can feel burdened and unappreciated, something that's true for men and women. Stress can occur as well from some specific problem appearing, an occurrence that happens to all of us. Under enough stress, any person is going to be compromised in how they are able to physically perform. Still, stress rarely remains in place indefinitely, and once stress has drained off, erection problems caused by stress will become resolved.