ED, or erectile dysfunction, is a common condition in American men. It is the inability of men to get or maintain penile erections. Many things can contribute to erectile dysfunction, including stress, injury, poor blood flow toward the penis, low testosterone level, and underlying conditions like depression, diabetes, hypertension, etc.
If you’re one of those 30 million Americans suffering from erectile dysfunction, the ED clinic in Phoenix can provide you with a lasting solution. Let’s talk about some steps through which our ED doctor at the ED clinic in Phoenix will treat your erectile dysfunction.
Step #1 Thorough Evaluation of Your Condition
First, the ED doctor in Phoenix will carefully review your symptoms, medical history, and other medical and lifestyle factors that may contribute to your problem. To determine the root cause of your erectile dysfunction, your ED doctor will do several tests, including physical tests (your penile nerves are checked for sensation), blood tests (signs for low testosterone, heart disease, and diabetes are checked), and doppler test (the blood flow toward the penis is checked).
From the result of these tests, your ED doctor will provide you with a diagnosis.
Step #2 Devise A Personalized Treatment Plan
Based on the severity of your erectile dysfunction and the underlying cause of it, your ED doctor will devise a treatment plan. The treatment plan will be highly personalized, which means your doctor will take into account your age, health history, and preferences before developing the treatment plan.
Your ED doctor will also explain the risks and benefits of each treatment included in your treatment plan.
Commonly the ED treatment options include:
Medications
Oral medications like sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis), vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn), and avanafil (Stendra) can successfully treat erectile dysfunction in men. These medications work by enhancing the effects of nitric oxide in your body. Nitric oxide relaxes the muscle of the penis and increases penile blood flow, thus allowing you to get an erection.
Your ED doctor may also administer medications in the form of injections or urethral suppositories.
Hormone Therapy
A low level of testosterone hormone can not only contribute to erectile dysfunction but can also complicate it. In such cases, hormone therapy, i.e., testosterone replacement therapy, is recommended as the first step to treat erectile dysfunction.
Your ED doctor may also recommend hormone therapy in combination with other therapies.
Penis Pumps
Penis pumps, also known as external vacuum erection devices, are recommended when medications are not appropriate or effective. A vacuum erection device consists of a hollow tube placed over the penis and a battery-powered or manual pump that creates a vacuum in the hollow tube. The vacuum created in the hollow tube pulls the blood into your penis and thus helps you achieve an erection. You can maintain this erection by slipping a tension ring around the base of the penis.
Penile implants
A penile implant is a device that is surgically placed into both sides of your penis to help achieve and maintain an erection. The device consists of inflatable or bendable rods.
A penile implant is not recommended until other nonsurgical treatments like medication, lifestyle changes, and penis pumps have been tried first. Penile implants aren’t recommended in men who suffer from urinary tract infections.
Step #3 Follow-up visits
During follow-up visits, your ED doctor will ask about improvement in your symptoms and evaluate if your treatment plan is working for you. Your ED doctor may add or remove a particular treatment option from your treatment plan based on the treatment outcomes.
ED Treatment in Phoenix
Have erectile dysfunction? Visit us at Ironwood Urology. Our ED expert Dr. Desi Avila Jr. has years of experience in treating a full range of health conditions that are specific to men, including erectile dysfunction. Our ED doctor at the ED clinic in Phoenix will carefully review your symptoms, underlying medical conditions, and medical history to give you an accurate diagnosis and develop a customized treatment plan for you.
To make an appointment with us, call today at (480) 961-2323 or request an appointment online.
