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This article is from the Impotence FAQ, by Sine Nomine llama@drizzle.com with numerous contributions by others.

1.5 What causes Erectile Dysfunction?

There are two broad classes of causes: organic and psychological. In
many cases, both types of factors are present.

Organic causes can generally be traced to nerve or vascular damage in
the penis, or hormonal imbalance. Normally, when a male is sexually
stimulated, several things happen:
1. The smooth muscle tissue inside the penis relaxes and the blood
vessels dilate.
2. Blood flows into the erectile bodies of the penis (the corpora
cavernosa).
3. The spaces in the corpora cavernosa become engorged with blood,
and the penis swells, lengthens, and becomes rigid. The swelling
exerts pressure on veins in the penis, trapping the blood
inside.
Anything that interferes with this process can cause Erectile Dysfunction.

Specific conditions that increase risk for Erectile Dysfunction
include diabetes mellitus, prostate surgery, hypogonadism, high blood
pressure, vascular disease, multiple sclerosis, Peyronie's disease,
priapism, renal failure, alcoholism, spinal injury, genital trauma,
and stroke. Use of certain drugs, including tobacco, can also increase
the likelihood of ED.

Psychological causes can include depression, fears of inadequacy or
other phobias, lack of confidence, lack of information about sexual
functioning, and poor sexual technique.

 

Continue to:

• prev: 1.4 I {can't have an orgasm, come too soon, have retrograde ejaculation, etc}; is this Erectile Dysfunction?
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• next: 1.6 What medications can cause Erectile Dysfunction?

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