Myths and Facts About Erectile Dysfunction

We want to start this discussion with one very important fact when it comes to erectile dysfunction (ED) — you’re not alone. ED affects more than half of men in the United States at some point in their lives.

At Kane Health, Dr. Chris Threatt and our team of men’s health experts routinely help men who are struggling with ED, allowing them to regain a happy and healthy sex life.

To give you an idea of what may lie behind your ED, we want to outline a few myths and facts about this common condition.

ED comes with aging

Many people believe that ED is a product of aging, and there’s some truth to this, but this type of sexual dysfunction can affect men of all ages. Statistics reveal that the prevalence of ED among men at age 40 is about 40%, while 70% of men report ED at the age of 70. These numbers support the fact that the prevalence of ED does rise with age, but a worldwide study found that the issue affects 8% of men between the ages of 20 and 29 and 11% of men between the ages of 30 and 39.

Our point here is that your risks for ED certainly do increase with age, but the problem can affect men of all ages.

ED is confined to penis function

There’s a lot that goes into getting an erection, and it’s far from confined to the function of your penis. To illustrate this, let’s take a look at how an erection occurs.

First, there’s arousal, which involves your central and peripheral nervous systems; your mental and emotional health; and your metabolic health (testosterone controls your libido to a large degree). Once your brain registers the arousal, it sends signals to the muscles in your penis to relax, allowing blood to flow in and engorge your penis.

As you can see, any hurdle along the way, such as low testosterone, nerve damage, or poor circulation, can affect your ability to achieve an erection.

ED isn’t serious, medically speaking

We understand that ED can be frustrating to deal with, and it can have a serious impact on your quality of life. Beyond these considerations, however, the development may be a symptom of another problem, such as compromised blood flow or nerve malfunction.

For example, it’s not uncommon for men to first discover the presence of a cardiovascular issue on the heels of developing ED.

This means that, when you have ED, you should seek our medical counsel so that we can not only remedy your ED, but check other areas of your health, as well.

ED is something you have to live with

Due to our understanding of all that can impact your sexual function, we have more resources than ever to treat the problem. Whether through medications, lifestyle changes, or addressing an underlying medical issue that’s leading to your ED, we have a wide range of treatment options that can restore your sex life.

The first step is to come see us so that we can perform an extensive evaluation of your health to determine what’s behind your ED. To get started, contact our office in Atherton, California, to set up an appointment.