Erectile dysfunction is the inability of a man to achieve or maintain an erection that is effective enough for a gratifying sexual experience between him and his partner.
Erectile dysfunction is caused by different factors, and an effective treatment of this condition will require you give the doctor, in this case a urologist, complete honest answers to all the questions he will ask you. Also, it is usually advised and has been found to improve treatment outcome, if the man involves his partner (wife) and has her total support and encouragement in every aspect of his treatment.

If you have difficulty achieving an erection or low libido and have been wondering on how to go about treating this condition, below are important things to note:

Counselling for Erectile Dysfunction

The most important part of the treatment of erectile dysfunction is psychological counselling and which should involve your partner. A man with erectile dysfunction can lose self-confidence if he cannot achieve an erection and will shy away from anything sex with his partner. This can negatively affect their relationship, and one of the key things most urologists do is to counsel you and your partner on the importance of having a positive image about yourself and your partner encouraging you even when you try to have sex and nothing satisfying happens.

  1. You will be required to give the urologist complete information on all the questions he will ask you as your answers will help him identify the specific cause of your erectile dysfunction. These questions fall under your sexual history, medical and surgical history, drug history including intake of herbal concoctions and psychological history.
  2. After you must have provided the doctor with answers to all his questions, he will want to examine you to see if there are any physical findings, especially in your private part, which will point to and consolidate the relevant answers he got from your history. The physical examination includes checking your blood pressure and pulses and the status of your heartbeat; examining your lower abdomen, penis, and testes; and every other body system.
  3. Some medical tests will be carried on you depending on the findings from your history and physical examination, all of which will now be used to inform you of the most likely cause of the erectile dysfunction.
  4. Finally, the doctor will counsel you on the need for lifestyle modification such as stopping smoking and minimizing alcohol intake. Then, he will explain the various treatment options available (these include medications, external erection-enhancing devices, and surgery) and the ones most suitable for the cause of your erectile dysfunction. He will also educate you on the efficacy and outcome of the various options, and their possible side effects. Then, he will let you think and discuss these options with your partner and choose which treatment option you prefer.

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For women out there, your man/husband needs all the support and encouragement he can get if he is struggling with erectile dysfunction. Your unconditional support goes a long way in providing him with a mental uplift.

Most cases of erectile dysfunction can be successfully treated. Many federal university teaching hospitals in Nigeria such as the University College Hospital, Ibadan, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, and the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, have urology departments with consultant urologists with years of experience in treating erectile dysfunction. Visit a urologist (male gynaecologist) today if you have erectile dysfunction.

For more advice and help, feel free to ask a Doctor via The Reliance Care App