Situational Erectile Dysfunction: When Should You Worry?

April 12, 2021

4 mins

Every man will eventually experience erectile dysfunction in one form or another. There is a common misconception that it’s only suffered by old men who just don’t have the testosterone or virility required for sexual activities anymore but that’s not exactly accurate. 

It is true that the risk for developing long term erectile dysfunction, the type caused by a medical condition that interferes with nerves or blood supply, increases with age. For example, men in their 50s only have a roughly 4% chance of developing erectile dysfunction while men that are 65 will have a 25% chance. 

However, that does not mean that you have to be a certain age before experiencing erectile dysfunction. Most men will experience something called short term, or situational, erectile dysfunction. There can be many factors and circumstances that can increase the likelihood of situational erectile dysfunction, but the reality is that it will happen at some point or another. 

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What is a Diagnosis of Situational Erectile Dysfunction? 

For a man to have issues achieving or maintaining an erection for as much as 20% of the time they engage in sexual activity, that is considered normal. So if one of every five times you engage in sex, results in an issue, then it’s generally nothing to worry about and totally normal. 

However, if the problems are occurring more often than this ratio, it may be best to seek medical help. A doctor will usually have a fairly simple time diagnosing erectile dysfunction by checking a patient for a few physical problems and going over their health history. A monitor that will measure the penis for erectile activity while the patient sleeps may also be prescribed. 

Another common misconception is that not having sex as much as you did when you were younger is not the sign of a sexual problem. It’s perfectly normal for sex drive to slow with aging.

What Causes Situational Erectile Dysfunction? 

There are many factors and potential causes of situational erectile dysfunction. One of the more common issues found in younger men is anxiety about their first encounters and experiences. For older men it’s often found that fatigue may be affecting their ability to maintain their erection more than it did when they were younger. 

Some of the more common situational factors that could create situational erectile dysfunction include:

Alcohol 

One of the most common culprits of situational erectile dysfunction is, of course, alcohol. Although having a drink or two may help to dispel stress and anxiety, too much can severely depress your sexual response. Alcohol has several negative effects on sex as it affects the blood flow to the penis along with numbing nerve endings which can impact erections and lessen the quality of orgasms. Older men will find that alcohol will interfere with sex much more than it did when they were younger, but any man who is under the influence of alcohol is unlikely to have as good of an experience as if they were sober. 

Lifestyle 

When it comes to what is required for an erection, the chemical nitric oxide is one of the absolute most crucial molecules. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator, which means that it helps your blood vessels to relax causing blood to flow easier and is absolutely necessary for an erection to occur. Chronic inflammation of these blood vessels can be caused by smoking, eating a poor diet, or being overweight and can lead to problems with your blood vessel function and decrease the availability of nitric oxide altogether. 

Stress and Anxiety 

When a person gets stressed it will cause the release of certain brain chemicals that can keep an erection from even getting started. Performance anxiety is a popular term for this phenomena. Just one erection related failure can lead to fear and anxiety that could produce more issues and lead to a problem with erectile dysfunction. Stress is a common side effect of issues in the relationship. Poor communication, unresolved anger, or other similar issues over time can build up to a lot of emotional strain, including stress and anxiety. Both of these emotions have a very strong link with erectile dysfunction. 

Exhaustion 

Sometimes a person is just too tired to engage in even their most favorite activities. Fatigue and exhaustion can decrease the overall desire for sex in general and attempting to push through and having sex while being fatigued can end up with erectile issues. This is often fairly common in the evening, as the events of the day will have most likely worn them down too much.

Side Effects of Medications 

There are many common medications, including over the counter ones, that can cause someone to experience erectile dysfunction. Cold medications that include antihistamines, certain drugs to treat blood pressure issues, prescription pain relievers, sleep aids, and pills for anxiety or depression can all be potential triggers. 

Condoms 

Having unfamiliarity with exactly how to use a condom, or having to interrupt the flow of sexual activities to put on the condom, can cause erection deflation or dysfunction, particularly for younger and inexperienced men. Condoms can also cause erectile dysfunction for older men as well because they will cut down on the physical stimulation required in order to maintain an erection or to achieve orgasm. 

How Can You Avoid Situational Erectile Dysfunction? 

While it’s virtually impossible to completely avoid any erectile-related issues in your lifetime, there are ways to reduce the risks that they will happen. For the most part, situational erectile dysfunction can be avoided just by making a few healthy lifestyle choices. 

Essentially, if it’s good for your heart, then it’s good for your erection. 

Some other tips that can help include:

• Oral medications such as Viagra®, Cialis®, or Levitra will help treat erectile dysfunction in all forms

• Quit smoking and other nicotine or tobacco based products as they damage your blood vessels and reduce blood flow to the penis

• Limit alcohol to two drinks a day

• Maintain a healthy weight -- 79% of people with erectile dysfunction have a body mass index greater than 25

• Eat less refined carbohydrates and sugar, eat more fruits and vegetables

• Get plenty of exercise, 160 minutes of exercise per week for six months is enough to reduce erectile dysfunction caused by cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, and obesity

• Plan sexual activity for a time when you and your partner will both have time and energy for it

• Avoid over the counter medications that could influence your erection and ask you doctor whether any of your prescriptions could be an issue 

• Talk to your partner about any anxiety you have relating to erectile dysfunction

• Take supplements such as panax ginseng, rhodiola rosea, yohimbe, or l-arginine to naturally help boost sexual function

• Have an open and honest communication with your partner about what arouses each of you and keep in mind that intimacy can help to relieve performance anxiety

When to Talk to a Doctor 

The best time to seek out the advice of a medical professional is as soon as you start to feel concerned or worried about erectile dysfunction. Whether you are experiencing issues for the first time or it’s been happening for a while, your doctor can help you determine if the problem is temporary or if it’s the symptom of an underlying condition. 

Even if the erectile issues are revealed to be temporary, at least you will have the peace of mind and the reduced anxiety may be enough to fix the problem. In the event the erectile dysfunction is related to a more serious medical problem or psychological issue, then talking to your doctor would be the first step toward diagnosis and treatment. There really is no down side to talking with your doctor if you are feeling concerned. 

How Rex MD Can Help

Situational erectile dysfunction will almost certainly be experienced by every male in their lifetime and it's nothing to be concerned about. There could be any number or reasons why this may have occurred and they are all natural and normal. If the issue happens frequently, it could be the sign of something more serious. However, periodic and situational erectile dysfunction is completely normal. 

There are plenty of things that you can do in order to reduce the risks and likeliness of having erectile dysfunction.

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