Erectile Dysfunction, sometimes referred to male impotence, refers to the loss of a man’s ability to have an erection. This means a man can’t get an erection to have sex or can’t keep an erection long enough to finish having sex.

Erectile dysfunction can occur at any age, but it is more common in men older than 65. It’s true that as you get older, you may need more stimulation (such as stroking and touching) to get an erection. You might also need more time between erections. But older men should still be able to get an erection and enjoy sex.

Some men may become impotent after having diabetes for a long time because the nerves or blood vessels have become damaged. Sometimes the problem has nothing to do with diabetes and may be treated with counselling.

Here’s a brief list of common physiological causes for impotence in men:

• Blood circulation issues in the penile area
• Diabetes
• Prostate diseases
• Peyronie’s disease
• Nervous system issues
• Hormone imbalance
• Accidents or injury
• Surgical operations
• Smoking
• Drug and alcohol abuse

And these are common psychological causes for impotence:

• Stress, frustration and anxiety
• Fear of failure
• Relationship issues
• Depression
• Feeling nervous about sex, perhaps because of a bad experience or because of a previous episode of impotence
• Feeling so self-conscious that you can’t enjoy sex

How erectile dysfunction is treated depends on what is causing it. Treatments of ED tomorrow.