While erection problems were once thought to be solely the problem of old men, it is now common knowledge that erectile issues affect men of all ages. For younger men, finding yourself suddenly unable to achieve an erection can be downright scary. While your friends may tell you that your missed erections can be attributed to too much drinking or psychological problems, that may not always be the case. New findings presented at the American Urological Association 2014 annual meeting suggest that a significant portion of young men have anatomic abnormalities in vasculature contributing to the condition.
For the study, lead researcher Dr. Blake Wynia and his colleagues at New York University Langone Medical Center in New York retrospectively reviewed 120 consecutive men aged 18-35 years who were evaluated for erectile problems. The researchers found that all of the young men were offered penile Doppler ultrasound examination, but only a measly 32 (26.7%) of the men took the offer. Of the men who accepted, 15 (46.9%) had significant anatomic abnormalities that lead to their erectile problems.
Dr. Wynia stressed that the studies findings add credence to the fact that penile ultrasounds should be conducted on all young men experiencing erectile problems. While Dr. Wynia conceded that anatomic abnormalities aren’t to blame for all cases of erectile problems in young men, he believes that too many young men are not getting screened, leaving their abnormalities diagnosed. Dr. Wynia and his team hope the findings of the study will eventually lead to penile ultrasounds becoming more commonplace.
Evan Hopkins is a 24 year old writer operating out of Atlanta, GA. When he isn’t writing, he enjoys reading books, drinking coffee, and folk music.