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Maintaining and Restoring Sexual Function
Researchers
say that one in three men over age 40 has erection problems. Actually,
I suspect the number is much higher, because so many men are so unwilling
to admit to, let alone confront, the problem.
The average man seems to assume—and his club house interactions
with other men encourage the notion—that erections fade right along
with the hair line. Let me assure you that it's not so. True, a 70-year-old
man's testosterone levels may not be quite so high as when he was 18,
but there is nothing about growing older that inherently destroys sexual
function.
Most erection problems are caused by the same things that bring on heart
disease, the number-one killer of men. Smoking, cholesterol, high blood
pressure, and diabetes all stiffen and clog blood vessels, and the penis
is dependent on good blood supply to inflate. In a study at the V.A. Hospital
in St. Louis, 25 percent of all men who sought treatment for flow-related
erection problems had a heart attack or stroke within five years.
So you probably won't be surprised to learn that one of the best ways
to prevent, or even reverse, erection problems is to take care of yourself.
A low-fat diet and regular moderate exercise help prevent or reverse high
cholesterol, high blood pressure, and even diabetes. Smoking? It's up
to you.
It's never too late to turn around a potency problem. Aside from you turning
over a new leaf in self-care, your doctor has an impressive array of help
to offer. For one thing, although most erection problems have a physical
basis, once you've failed, you also have an emotional problem.
The single most powerful influence on regaining function may be learning
to control performance anxiety. The fear of being unable to perform produces
chemicals that have a powerfully deflating effect. With counseling for
both a man and his partner, it can be overcome.
Urologists can take care of the physical side of most any erection problem.
There are a number of new pharmacological solutions that can be injected
or absorbed into the penis to produce strong and lasting erections. Oral
medications are helpful for some. Mechanical devices such as vacuum pumps
prove effective for many men. Occasionally, surgery can correct flow problems.
And if all else fails, a penile implant will do the job.
Erection problems may be common in older men, but they're not inevitable
and they're always correctable. Don't give up on one life's great gifts—especially
now that you've finally got the time to really enjoy it.
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