Illnesses that can affect erections
Diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, depression. Failing to get a hard-on can be due to all sorts of things. But in order to treat the problem correctly, it is necessary to know what is behind it.
Erection problems are not only a diagnosis in themselves, but can also be due to another underlying disease. A common reason for erectile problems is, for example, that you have some type of cardiovascular disease or reduced functionality of the vessels.
Erection issues can be down to another illness
“Having potency problems can be an early warning sign that you have ongoing or incipient cardiovascular disease. Often you have problems with erections a couple of years before other symptoms make themselves known,” says Stefan Arver, specialist in endocrinology and senior physician at Anova, the center for andrology, sexual medicine and transmedicine at the Karolinska Institute.
To be able to get an erection, you need to increase the blood flow in the penis by up to 100 times compared to how it is in a relaxed state. This places great demands on the function of the blood vessels and means that the erection itself is a clear indication of how healthy and well-functioning the vessels are.
“If you have constrictions in the small blood vessels in the penis, the blood can’t get through, which means you don’t get an erection. It is the same type of condition that can lead to heart attacks if they are in the heart, and we can see that men who have erectile problems in their 40s run a greater risk of having a heart attack before the age of 50,” says Stefan Arver.
Impotency can be a sign of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease
The fact that cardiovascular disease can be behind the erection problems is also a reason why it is important to seek help in good time. When a patient comes to Stefan Arver with erection problems, he always starts by checking their blood pressure, blood sugar and blood fats. And for many of his patients, the results are an eye-opener.
“Approximately a fifth of the people I meet don’t know that they have problems with high blood fats or high blood pressure, but it comes to light when they seek help for their erectile problems.” Stefan Arver, specialist in endocrinology and senior physician at Anova.
“Approximately a fifth of the people I meet don’t know that they have problems with high blood fats or high blood pressure, but it comes to light when they seek help for their erectile problems.” Stefan Arver, specialist in endocrinology and senior physician at Anova.
Age-related diabetes can be behind erectile problems
Another disease that can lead to erectile problems is diabetes. Erectile problems are twice as likely to affect men with diabetes, and the problems begin much earlier in life than in other men.
“Type 2 Diabetes increases the risk of high blood fats and high blood pressure, among other things, and this negatively affects potency. Diabetes also often leads to high blood sugar and in the long run this can damage nerves and blood vessels and impair blood flow and sensitivity.”
If you’d like to read more about how diabetes can affect your sex life, you can do so at the diabetes association
Nerve damage can lead to reduced erections
Other diseases that can lead to reduced potency are neurological diseases that affect nerve functionality, such as MS and Parkinson’s.
Surgical interventions can also damage the nerves and lead to the possibility of causing your erections to decrease or disappear completely.
“When you operate on patients with prostate cancer or perform surgical procedures on the bladder and rectum, for example, you risk damaging the nerves that you need to be able to get an erection. Radiation treatment and damage to the spinal cord can also cause the nerve signals to not work as they should,” says Stefan Arver.
If you’d like to know more about how cancer treatment can affect erections, you can do so at Cancerfonden.
Depression increases the risk of erectile problems
Psychological factors such as depression and anxiety can also have a huge impact on the ability to get an erection. For example, the risk of erectile problems is 16 times higher for those suffering from depression, and certain medication for depression can also have a negative effect on erections.
“Suffering from depression and anxiety have a strong negative effect on the erection and your whole sexuality. It’s often a case of performance anxiety and that you place too high demands on yourself.”
But regardless of whether the potency problems are due to physical or psychological problems, there is effective treatment available.
“There are lots of diseases that can lead to erectile problems, but most people can regain their ability to get an erection with simple methods. And even if you don’t think they are that important to be able to have intercourse, it can be good to investigate the matter. It can be a warning sign that you have some other disease that may need to be treated.”
