Treatment Erectile Dysfunction
Finally, any injury, birth defect, scarring or other physical defect of the penis that interferes with the penis’ nerve supply or blood flow is considered an anatomical cause of ED. A relatively common example (up to 5% of the male population) of an anatomical ED cause is Peyronie’s disease, an abnormal curvature of the penis resulting from autoimmune disease that scars the lining of the corpora cavernosa. This irregular curvature of the male sex organ impairs function of the erectile chambers by restricting their ability to perform the blood flow activities required for erection. 
The second major classification of ED causes is psychogenic. Again, psychogenic means having to do with the mind. The list of psychogenic causes includes mental concerns that interfere with normal transmission of chemical messages from the brain to the nerves in the penis. This in turn results in the blood flow changes leading to erection. Common psychogenic causes of ED are depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, severe work or other life stress, history of sexual abuse, PTSD, performance anxiety associated with prior erectile failures, a new partner, and many others.
Another very common ED cause is medications that interfere with the physical events that must occur in order to achieve effective and sustained erection. An unfortunate result of our medicalized society — especially amongst seniors — is many of us take multiple medications. Tens of thousands of prescriptions are written every day that can contribute to ED. Examples of drugs which — either by themselves or in combination with other drugs or already-existent medical conditions — can cause ED include:
- diuretics used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure and kidney disease
- many types of blood pressure pills such as beta-blockers
- fibrates used to treat high cholesterol
- antipsychotics used to treat mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, dementia, treatment-resistant depression, and severe sleep problems
- chemotherapy agents taken by cancer patients
- antidepressants — newer drugs targeting serotonin are extremely common ED offenders due to their widespread use
- corticosteroids used in treating allergy, asthma, autoimmune and severe arthritic disorders, and hormonal imbalance
- H2-blockers such as Cmetidine and Ranitidine used to treat stomach and esophageal disorders
- anti-epilepsy drugs used in seizure disorders and chronic pain management
- antihistamines used for allergic and other conditions
- anti-androgens used in prostate cancer and other conditions
Finally, this lengthy list of ED causes includes lifestyle and behavior items. Examples include excessive alcohol use; excessive tiredness; cigarette smoking; illegal drug use such as cocaine, heroin, and cannabis (marijuana). Many men find that instituting a simple change in their life, such as not drinking alcohol on days they plan to engage in sexual activity, can help reduce or even completely overcome their ED. That being said, the greatest risk by far for developing ED is cigarette smoking. The first step any smoker with ED should take to improve their erectile function is immediate and permanent smoking cessation.
