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How is Erectile Dysfunction Treated?

How is Erectile Dysfunction Treated? : Hello friends, in my last blog post I explained basic details about Erectile Dysfunction. Today, we will learn about what are the best and most used treatment modalities for erection problems. Like I mentioned in the previous post, erectile dysfunction is often secondary to some other underlying health condition. Therefore, always remember, when you treat the underlying health condition, erection problems will gradually improve.

Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction Jaipur Best Urologist Dr. Rajan Bansal

However, there are some very specific tests and treatment options that we have which are targeted to treat erectile dysfunction. Let us talk more about them below.

What are the Tests Performed to Diagnose Erectile Dysfunction?

If Erectile dysfunction is being caused due to other problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol etc, we can diagnose these by doing simple everyday clinical and blood tests. Some of the specific tests used for diagnosing erectile dysfunction are listed as follows:

  1. Blood Hormone Test – Testosterone and Prolactin levels are checked specially in cases where the patients complain of loss of libido (loss of desire).
  2. Penile Doppler Test (with Pre and Post Papaverine injection) – Penile doppler is a simple non invasive test conducted with the help of ultrasound where blood flow to the penis is checked. Initially, the ultrasound in done in the flaccid state of penis and then, 0.2% papaverine is injected which causes the penis to get stiffen. Now again, ultrasound is performed at intervals of a few minuted to check for the proper blood flow to the penis.
  3. Psychological Exam – Sometimes, when the urologist suspects depression or other psychological cause which might be indirectly related to erection problems, you might be requested to undergo a psychological exam to understand the exact cause.

How is Erectile Dysfunction Treated?

Once a cause is ascertained, the treatment is based on the diagnosis. There are a lot of Non Surgical treatment Options available and usually surgery is not required. But in advanced cases surgical treatment options are also available.

Non Surgical Treatment Options include – Education about Sex, Sexual behaviours and Partner counselling. Sex therapies and hormonal therapies also have a role. There are various medications available about which we will discuss in detail below. Other non surgical options include mechanical aids like a vacuum pump device, penile injections etc.

Surgical Treatment Options – advanced surgical options have come forth in the recent years. A lot of them involve Implants or Prosthesis for the Penis. We will discuss in detail below.

What are the Medications or Drugs used to treat Erectile Dysfunction?

Oral Medications – Oral medications are one of the commonest treatment modalities for erectile dysfunction. The 4 main medicines used for erectile dysfunction are:

  1. Sildenafil (Viagra)
  2. Tadalafil
  3. Vardenafil
  4. Avanafil

All the above 4 medicines have a common mode of action. All of them increase the blood supply to the penis. When the blood flow to the penis increases, it becomes easy to get an erection on sexual arousal.

All these medicines work in a similar way however they differ in dose, duration of action and side effects. Therefore, it is very important to take these medicines only after prescription from a urologist. He will select the best fitting medicine for you and adjust the dose and duration as per your needs. It is mandatory to open up to your urologist about any other medication that you might be taking on a regular or frequent basis.

Some people have a doubt that just by taking the medicine, they will get an erection. This is a false statement. These medications only aid erection after sexual stimulation. It is very important these medicines are not to be used by the people who get normal erections. Hence, please consult a good urologist and discuss your problems properly before thinking to start any such medications.

What is Penile Injection Therapy? ( Penis Injection for Erectile Dysfunction)

Alprostadil is the only FDA approved drug for penile injection therapy. This injection can be self injected after proper instructions and training from your urologist. It is injected on the side or base of the penis.

What are Bimix or Trimix Injections for Erectile Dysfunction?

Sometimes along with Alprostadil, some other drug like Phentolamine, VIP can be used for injection. If the injection mixture consists of 2 drugs, it is known as Bimix and if the injection mixture consists of 3 drugs, it is known as trimix.

How Long do the Effects of Injection for Erectile Dysfunction Last?

Every Injection dose for Erectile Dysfunction is titrated in such a way that it causes erection for 1 hour and no longer than that. Nowadays, very fine needles are available for injection, so the pain on injection site is also very less.

What are the surgical treatments for erectile dysfunction?

If medications and injections do not work for a patient, then surgical options are evaluated. The surgery for erectile dysfunction involves a Penile Implant or a Prosthesis which helps gain erection. These implants are surgically placed and are usually designed in a way that the penis stays rigid for as long as the patient wants.

What are the Implants for Erectile Dysfunction?

Usually, there are 2 types of implants which are used for erectile dysfunction. Malleable implants and Inflatable implants.

  1. Malleable Implants – These are semi – rigid devices. Malleable implants are quite simple to implant and it is easy for the patient to use, and these are the biggest advantages of such type of implants.

    Malleable implants are made of a material called as silicon rubber, these are positioned in the penis. 2 of these implants are placed in the penis at one time. Now a person can mould it with hands to make the penis as erect as he wants. There is a hinge in these implants. One can bend the hinge when erection is not required and straighten it in order to make the penis erect.

    The problem with these implants is that the hinge tends to loosen over a period of time. And therefore after around 10-15 years there may be a need to replace the implant with another. Another limitation with malleable implants is that they are difficult to conceal sometimes. There are further lot of categories available in these malleable implants like malleable implants with memory hinges and malleable implants without memory hinges. Please discuss with your urologist so that he can offer you the best available option as per your need.
  2. Inflatable Implants – Inflatable implants create a more natural looking erection as compared to malleable ones. These implants are easy to conceal and are costlier than the malleable implants.

    Inflatable implants consist of 2 main parts. There are 2 inflatable cylinders that are positioned inside along the length of the penis and there is a pump which is placed in the scrotal sac. When the erection is required, the patient presses the pump which fills up the inflatable cylinders and erection is achieved. After completion of intercourse, it can be easily deflated to make the penis go into flaccid state.

    Of late, there is a 3 piece implant available as well. In a 3 part implant, besides the inflatable cylinder and the pump, there is a saline reservoir as well which is fixed in the abdomen. These 3 piece inflatable implants are the most commonly used implants in the USA.

Are Penile Implants Successful and Effective?

Penile implants have a very high success rate. More than 95% penile implant surgeries are successful in creating satisfactory erection for intercourse. According to a data received from a leading USA based hospital, more than 90% men who underwent implant surgeries said they would chose the surgery again if needed be. If we compare surgery to oral pills, the satisfaction rate after surgery is much higher.

Erectile Dysfunction Treatment in Jaipur

At Institute of Urology Jaipur, we have created a very safe and confidential space for patients to speak freely about their problems. There are VIP services available and discreetness is assured. So there is no need to be embarrassed about anything. You can freely speak to us and discuss your problems with us. We will carefully analyse and suggest the best treatment modality for you.

You can send me a whatsapp or call me on 8601539297 or you can come and see me at Institute of Urology, C Scheme, Jaipur all 7 days a week during working hours. You can book an appointment on 9829013468.

If you have anymore questions, please leave a comment below this post and I will answer you as soon as possible. Thank you.

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DR RAJAN BANSAL

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