Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a very common condition that affects around 30 million men in the United States alone. While medications like Viagra are often the first line of defense, they don't always work. In fact, according to Harvard Health Publishing, they may not work in up to 30 percent of people who take them. If medications for ED don't work for you, there are other options available.
One reason medications may not work is because ED is caused by an underlying health condition. This could include problems with nerves, blood vessels, or hormones. If you think this might be the case, talk to a healthcare provider about being evaluated for other factors that could be causing the problem. Another factor that can affect the effectiveness of ED medications is what you eat.
Eating a large meal right after taking an ED medication may not be the best idea. If you take sildenafil (Viagra) with a high-fat meal, such as a steak dinner, it may take longer to work. Testosterone replacement is not usually recommended as the first-line treatment for ED, but your doctor may recommend it or try it in combination with another ED treatment option depending on your individual symptom profile. A penile implant is another option that can provide reliable control over when and how long an erection lasts.
This procedure involves placing a water-based device in the penis's erection chambers and takes around 30-45 minutes to complete. According to Dr. Starke, this is the closest thing to a cure that exists for ED.Viagra and other ED medications may lose their effectiveness over time due to changes in your body or changes in your health. If this happens, you can try switching to another drug in the same class (another PDE5 inhibitor).
Certain medications, such as antiandrogens, antidepressants, tranquilizers and blood pressure medications, can also cause ED as a side effect. In clinical practice, the failure rate of oral medication for ED can reach up to 50%, since patients may have more serious vascular conditions that hinder the drug's effectiveness. If medications for ED don't work for you, there are still other options available. These include lifestyle changes such as exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet, as well as psychological therapies and other treatments like penile implants.
No matter what treatment option you choose, it's important to talk to your doctor about any concerns or questions you have about ED.
