Erectile dysfunction is the inability to sustain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse and it affects millions of men worldwide.

The term 'impotence' is generally avoided by the medical professions since it may refer to any number of different problems - e.g. loss of libido, premature ejaculation, or the inability to orgasm.

Erectile dysfunction can be caused by a variety of reasons. It was commonly believed to be due to psychological problems (psychogenic) but it is now known that 80 to 90 per cent is caused by physical problems (organic), usually related to the blood supply of the penis.

It is usually very simple to establish whether an erectile problem is physical because most men experience erections during sleep (when psychological factors are minimal). Health care professionals check for nocturnal erections by using high-tech equipment but there is a low-tech alternative you can try at home, called the postage stamp test.

Take a strip of postage stamps, wrap it snugly around the base of the flaccid penis, overlapping the ends and making a sealed loop. If the loop is broken in the morning, this usually indicates there was a nocturnal erection. Whilst this test is easy and inexpensive, it’s not completely accurate so consult your doctor for more accurate tests.

Causes of erectile dysfunction can include:

Alcohol

Chronic diseases, especially renal failure and dialysis

Depression

Diabetes

Drugs – use and abuse

High levels of blood cholesterol

Hormonal Abnormalities

Hypertension (high blood pressure)

Lack of sexual knowledge

Vascular disease and vascular surgery

Peyronie’s disease (distortion or curvature of the penis)

Poor sexual techniques

Priapism (inflammation of the penis)

Prostate problems

Poor interpersonal relationships

Smoking

Spinal cord injury

I talk to hundreds of impotent men every week. Some are suffering from stress, diabetes or the effects of advancing age or illness. In most cases I am able to help them.

How to treat erectile dysfunction

Creams and lotions

Many of the erectile dysfunction creams and lotions on the market can have a very positive effect, with the majority designed to stimulate blood flow into the penis.

Vacuum therapy and penis rings

Many erectile dysfunction clinics around the world actively promote the use of vacuum developers as a means of treatment. Vacuum developers are highly effective in producing erections, even when other treatments have failed. Some couples are attracted by a method that does not involve the use of drugs. If the couple select a vacuum developer as their treatment of first choice, most will be very satisfied as even the most reluctant penis usually succumbs to the attention of the pump.

The resulting erection is retained by the use of a penis ring and the new found erection put to the desired use. Used in conjunction with specialist erectile dysfunction creams, excellent results can be achieved.