{"id":7545,"date":"2016-10-20T02:07:43","date_gmt":"2014-10-20T02:07:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.edrugstore.md\/blog\/?p=7545"},"modified":"2014-10-20T19:15:02","modified_gmt":"2014-10-20T19:15:02","slug":"what-are-the-most-common-remedies-for-erection-problems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/erectile-dysfunction\/what-are-the-most-common-remedies-for-erection-problems\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are the Most Common Remedies for Erection Problems?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"For
For some men whose erection problems seem linked to their low levels of testosterone, hormone replacement therapy may help overcome their symptoms of impotence.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The introduction of Viagra, the first of the PDE5 inhibitors, in the late 1990s gave men with erection problems a generally safe and effective new way to overcome their symptoms of impotence.<\/p>\n

For millions of men in the United States and around the world, Viagra and the PDE5 inhibitors subsequently brought to market — Levitra, Cialis, Staxyn, and Stendra — were little short of miracle drugs, allowing impotent men to resume relatively normal sex lives.<\/p>\n

However, PDE5 inhibitors are not suitable — nor affordable — for all men with erection problems. To overcome their difficulties in the bedroom, these men have had to turn to alternatives, many of which have been around in one form or another for decades.<\/b><\/p>\n

TechNavio Report<\/b><\/p>\n

In September 2014, TechNavio, a leading international technology research and advisory company, released a report forecasting that the global market for impotence drugs<\/a> would decline by a compound annual rate of 4.47 percent over the period from 2013 through 2018.<\/p>\n

The company\u2019s forecast is a bit of misnomer in that it covers six distinct segments of the market for various modes of treatment for erection problems, some of which aren\u2019t what most people typically consider drugs. These market segments include the popular PDE5 inhibitors, testosterone replacement therapy, penile injection therapy, vacuum constriction devices, penile prostheses, and vascular reconstruction surgery.<\/p>\n

Although the press release announcing publication of TechNavio\u2019s market analysis doesn\u2019t explain the reason for the predicted shrinkage of sales between now and 2018, the arrival of cheaper generic versions of Viagra undoubtedly plays a significant role.<\/p>\n

Patent Expiration’s<\/b><\/p>\n

Pfizer, the manufacturer and marketer of Viagra, has lost its patent on the drug in a number of key world markets, including much of the European Union, China, South Korea, and Canada. In coming years, patents on some of the other PDE5 inhibitors also will expire in markets around the world.<\/p>\n

Although Pfizer\u2019s U.S. patent for Viagra won\u2019t expire until April 2020, it has reached an agreement with Teva Pharmaceuticals that will allow the latter to begin selling a generic version of the drug in the United States in late 2017. For this privilege, Teva will pay Pfizer a royalty, ensuring that the pharmaceutical giant will continue to profit handsomely from the little blue pills for some time to come.<\/p>\n

PDE5 Inhibitors<\/b><\/p>\n

Viagra and the other PDE5 inhibitors all work in much the same way. They get their name from their ability to temporarily block the effects of the phosphodiesterase-5 enzyme that interferes with optimal blood flow to the penis, which is essential for the achievement and maintenance of an erection strong and long-lasting enough for intercourse.<\/p>\n

However, as previously noted, these pills are not for everyone. Men who are taking nitrate-based medications to treat angina pectoris or other symptoms of heart disease should not take a PDE5 inhibitor concurrently, because the two drugs together can cause a dangerous, potentially fatal drop in blood pressure.<\/p>\n

Although other side effects of PDE5 inhibitors are generally mild and tend to disappear upon continued use, some men may find they are particularly sensitive to some of the drugs\u2019 adverse effects and decide to seek another mode of treatment.<\/p>\n

Testosterone Replacement Therapy <\/b><\/p>\n

Among the alternatives to the Viagra-like drugs is testosterone replacement therapy. Although it is not effective for all men with erection problems, it can be helpful for those who are found to have abnormally low blood levels of the male sex hormone. According to MayoClinic.com<\/a>, men in need of bolstering their testosterone levels can take oral medication to accomplish this goal. Alternatively, the sex hormone replacement can also be delivered by injection or a gel that is applied topically.<\/p>\n

Still another alternative delivery method for testosterone replacement therapy is the Striant buccal patch. The patch can be applied to the patient\u2019s gum or inside cheek. It delivers a measured and sustained release of the hormone into the patient\u2019s blood stream.<\/p>\n

\"Injection
Injection of alprostadil directly into the penis helps expand blood vessels, maximizing blood flow and making it easier to get and keep an erection.<\/figcaption><\/figure>Penile Injection Therapy<\/b><\/p>\n

While the very notion of injecting a needle into the penis may send a shiver of fear down the spines of even the most manly of men, those who have used this form of therapy insist that it\u2019s nearly not as bad as it sounds and, better yet, it works for them. The drug injected is alprostadil, a medication designed to expand blood vessels and increase blood flow throughout the body, including the penis.<\/p>\n

According to WebMD<\/a>, alprostadil injected directly into the penis in clinical tests allowed more than 80 percent of impotent men to get and keep an erection strong enough for intercourse. Alternatively, the drug can be delivered via a suppository that is inserted into the urethral opening at the tip of the penis. However, the delivery of alprostadil via suppository resulted in a success rate of only 30 to 40 percent.<\/p>\n

Vacuum Constriction Devices <\/b><\/p>\n

Still another method to treat erection problems is the vacuum constriction device, which consists of an external cylinder-shaped pump that is placed over the penis. The pump may be either battery- or hand-powered. Once the pump is placed over the penis, the user pumps all the air out of the cylinder, creating a vacuum. According to Cleveland Clinic<\/a>, \u201cthe vacuum draws blood into the shaft of the penis and causes it to swell and become erect.\u201d Once a satisfactory erection has been created, the user slides a retaining band down the outside of the pump device to the base of the penis, where it keeps the blood from flowing out of the penis until sexual activity is completed.<\/p>\n

According to Cleveland Clinic, studies have shown that 50 to 80 percent of the men who have used vacuum constriction devices are satisfied with how they work and the quality of the erection they produce. Most others stop using the VCD after a brief trial.<\/p>\n

Penile Prostheses <\/b><\/p>\n

Typically recommended after other treatments for erection problems have failed, penile prostheses are surgically implanted and come in two basic varieties: inflatable and semi-rigid. The latter involves surgical replacement of the spongy erectile tissue of the penis with a semi-rigid prosthesis that is always firm. For the purposes of sexual activity, it can be manipulated up and away from the body into place. When not in use for sex, the prosthesis can be pushed down and out of the way so that it is concealed by clothing.<\/p>\n

The inflatable implant consists of a cylinder inserted in place of the penis\u2019s spongy erectile tissue, a reservoir filled with salt water, and a pump to move the salt water from the reservoir to the cylinder for sexual activity and then return the water to the reservoir after sex. The reservoir is typically implanted beneath the skin of the belly near the base of the penis or into the scrotum, while the pump and release valve is usually placed in the scrotum.<\/p>\n

\"Surgical
Surgical revascularization of the penis may be the answer for impotent men with a congenital defect or traumatic injury to blood vessels supplying the penis.<\/figcaption><\/figure> Vascular Reconstruction Surgery<\/b><\/p>\n

For men who were born with vascular defects restricting blood flow to the penis or who suffered traumatic injury that compromised blood flow, the last segment of the global market for impotence drugs covered in the TechNavio report is vascular reconstruction surgery. For those candidates who qualify for penile revascularization, this surgery has the potential to cure erection problems, according to CornellUrology.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

First introduced in the early 1970s, penile vascular reconstruction surgery has undergone many changes and refinements over the past four decades. Candidates for this procedure are carefully screened and subjected to multiple diagnostic tests to rule out any alternate causes of erection problems. Generally speaking, the surgery involves replacement of the injured blood vessel with one harvested from elsewhere in the body or a bypass of the blocked artery.<\/p>\n

In addition to the six segments of the impotence treatment market reviewed in the TechNavio report, still other means of treating erection problems are available to men. These include herbal remedies used in the traditional medicine systems of China and India, as well as folk remedies that are used among other cultures; acupuncture; and counseling for erection problems that are thought to be psychological in origin.<\/p>\n

Don Amerman<\/i><\/a> is a freelance author who writes extensively about a wide array of nutrition and health-related topics. <\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The introduction of Viagra, the first of the PDE5 inhibitors, in the late 1990s gave men with erection problems a generally safe and effective new way to overcome their symptoms of impotence. For millions of men in the United States and around the world, Viagra and the PDE5 inhibitors subsequently brought to market — Levitra, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7544,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_autoblog_aioseo_focus_keyphrase":"","_autoblog_aioseo_title":"","_autoblog_aioseo_description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-erectile-dysfunction"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t