|
 Erectile Dysfunction
Causes of Erectile
Dysfunction
Diagnosing Erectile Dysfunction
Treating
Erectile Dysfunction
Diagnosing Erectile Dysfunction
The first step for any doctor diagnosing erectile dysfunction
is taking in-depth medical history, including any health
problems or medications currently being taken or taken in the
past, as well as a history of the erectile difficulties. Any
physical or emotional changes recently experienced will also
be examined.
There are a number of methods used to determine if there are
physical causes at work.
1) Blood tests
Blood tests are undertaken to
measure hormones and any presence of diabetes. Following blood
tests, there are several specialized tests available.
2) Neurological Evaluation
This will test for any potential nerve damage in the genital
area.
3) Ultrasonography
This test measures arterial circulation in the genital organs.
Ultrasonography employs a transducer (a wand like device)
which is held over the blood vessels that supply blood to the
penis. The transducer emits sound waves that pass through body
tissues and reflect back, creating an image to assess whether
blood flow circulation is adequate.
4) Cavernosometry/Cavernosography
Cavernosometry is a test that measures penile vascular
pressure.
Cavernosography is a test
carried out by injecting a dye into the blood vessels to
permit a doctor to assess any possible problems in blood flow
into and out of the penis.
Because there are any number of nonphysical factors that can
produce erectile difficulties, an assessment of whether
erections can be achieved during masturbation or while
sleeping is frequently a first step of diagnosis. One of the
most common and simple tests involves wrapping a special type
of tape around the penis before bed to confirm the presence of
erections while asleep. If the tape is broken in the morning,
psychological causes are often deemed present.
For more information about
erectile dysfunction and it's treatment, read through the
Mayo Clinic's erectile dysfunction
pages. The
National Institutes of Health offers excellent
information
about erectile dysfunction and it's causes and treatments. |
