Erectile Dysfunction and the Journey to Generic Viagra

What is Erectile Dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction(ED) also called impotence exists when an erection can’t be developed or sustained for sexual activity on a regular basis.  ED is different from the occasional erection problems because of its recurrent nature. About 40% of men above the age of 40 are reported to suffer from ED.

There are two classes of ED; primary and secondary. A primary ED is very rare; it refers to a case where a man has never had an erection. Most ED is secondary meaning that the person’s erection was once normal before it became weakened. In this article, we discuss ED, its causes and the treatments available.

The Erection Process

The process starts with mental or physical stimulation which causes the brain to send specific messages to the penile muscles leading to their relaxation. A relaxed muscle allows for the increase of blood flow through the arteries into the 2 erection chambers (corpus cavernosum) where blood is retained. The pressure from the blood in the erection chambers makes the penis erect.

Symptoms of ED

Weak and irregular erection is the hallmark of ED but it does come with other issues such as:

  • Low self-esteem
  • Performance anxiety and stress
  • Depression

Causes of ED

Problem with Circulatory, Nervous and Hormonal systems can affect your ability to get an erection. The side effects of some drugs can also cause this issue. ED can result from psychological or physiological causes or both.

  1. Psychological ED: Your brain plays an important role in starting events that leads to erection, primarily the arousal from a physical or visual sensation. When the brain is unable to send signals to the penis muscles or the signals are being blocked, the result is dampened sexual excitements causing ED. Being depressed, feeling guilty or anxious due to relationship or work-related problems can negatively impact your sexual health.
  2. Physiological ED Majority of erectile dysfunction is caused by other medical conditions and health issues. These conditions include diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol. The aftermath of some surgeries and certain medications are also known to trigger impotence in men.

Risk Factors

Any condition or lifestyle that interferes with the free flow of blood to the penile blood vessels increases your risk of developing ED. The following are well-known risk factors:

  1. Age: While age is itself not a major cause of erectile dysfunction, it ups the odds of getting ED. Even though age is often associated with ED, about 27% of men under 40 have also been reported to suffer from ED.
  2. Diabetes: People with Diabetes have an increased risk of developing ED because Diabetes is often associated with other chronic health conditions. Diabetes may lead to early onset of erection problems with ED starting in some diabetic people 10 years earlier compared with non-diabetics.
  3. Heart Disease and Obesity: Impotence arise from impaired blood flow, thus your heart condition is very vital for developing and maintaining erections. Diseases that affect the heart ultimately lead to poor blood supply to the penis so does Obesity which comes with various forms of circulatory system problems.
  4. Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco use: Long-term drugs and alcohol abuse can predispose you to ED. Smoking causes the narrowing of your arterial walls including those required for erection.
  5. Medical procedures and Surgeries: Cancer radiotherapy and surgeries such as prostatectomy (removal of the prostate) increase your risk of getting ED.
  6. Medications: Your risk increases if you are on certain medications such as antihistamines, antidepressants, and drugs for controlling high blood pressure. Many of these drugs directly inhibit blood flow, thus weakening your erection.

Diagnosis

Erectile Dysfunction diagnosis can be done through physical examination and the use of your medical history. Self-diagnosis is possible and is usually the starting point. Your doctor can make a definite diagnosis of the disease and attempt to determine its origin. The root cause might be diagnosed through one or more of the following methods:

  1. Your doctor might physically examine your penis and nerves for sensation.
  2. Checking your blood or urine for conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and low testosterone.
  3. Checking the blood vessels around your penis for blood flow problem using ultrasound.
  4. Your nighttime erections may be measured using Nocturnal Penile Tumescence (NPT) Test to detect nerve or blood supply problems.
  5. Psychological exams may be administered to screen you for stress and anxiety.

Working with your doctor will ensure that they are able to rule out factors that weren’t involved in causing your ED and create appropriate treatment plans.

Prevention and Management

Impotence can be caused by a lot of factors but there are measures you can take to prevent it or manage an existing condition.

  1. Physical Exercise: Aerobic exercises have been shown to improve ED and reduce the risk of the disease.
  2. Manage Underlying Conditions: Go for regular medical screening and if you have Diabetes or Heart disease, follow the management plan as recommended by your doctor.
  3. Balanced Diet: Eating a nutrient-rich diet will boost your sexual health.
  4. Avoid Smoking: Smoking is directly linked to poor sexual performance, make effort to quit smoking.
  5. Don’t Abuse Drugs or Alcohol: Staying away from alcohol and drugs can help prevent ED.
  6. Treating Anxiety and Depression: Your mental health is important to your sexual health, so take anxiety and depression serious and go for professional counseling when necessary.

ED Treatments

Treating ED may involve the use of medication, surgery or lifestyle changes depending on the cause or severity. Your doctor may recommend any of the following treatments:

  1. Penis and Urethra injections: Some ED requires the injection of a drug such as Alprostadil into the side of the penis to create a sustained erection. A less invasive and less effective method involves placing a medicated pellet of Alprostadil in the urethra.
  2. Vascular Surgery: This is a surgical intervention to treat injured or blocked blood vessels in the penis. Some vessels may be reattached to a different artery to bypass the injured site. Surgical methods are a used as a last resort.
  3. Penile Prosthesis: These are implants surgically placed inside the body to produce an erect penis. They can be the bendable silicone rods which allow downward and upward movement only or fluid-filled inflatables connected to a pump in the scrotum which allows a full range control of a penis’ size, motion, and rigidity.
  4. Penis Pumps: External vacuum pumps can also be used to get an erection.
  5. Testosterone Replacement Therapy: The development of male sexual characteristics is directed by the hormone, Testosterone. When a low level of Testosterone is discovered to be responsible for a particular ED, a replacement therapy can often improve the condition.
  6. Oral Medications: Oral medications are used for the treatment of ED when appropriate. The drugs used are PDE-5 inhibitors, the most popular example being Viagra(Sildenafil). They are the first line of treatment for ED as oral administrations of the drugs are usually safe and effective.

The Breakthrough Sildenafil

ED treatments have come a long way, from the cure-all concoctions of the Renaissance to the electric shocks of the 18th-20th century and other dangerous and weird “prescriptions”.  However, the discovery of Sildenafil marketed as Viagra® changed ED treatment. Initially researched as a drug to lower blood pressure, Sildenafil proved otherwise to be an effective treatment for ED. Sildenafil works by relaxing blood vessels in the penis thus allowing for improved blood flow which is necessary for sustained erection. Before Viagra, most ED treatment methods required complex procedures while the relatively simple ones are often ineffective or unreliable.

Viagra offers up to four hours window for an erection and could be expected start working in 30-60 minutes after ingestion. With its minimal side effects in majority users, it became the frontline drug for ED. Its direct advertisement to consumers has also helped to raise awareness about erectile dysfunction and sexual health.

Enter Generic Viagra®

Viagra discovery greatly improves the treatment for impotence, but its price tag makes it inaccessible to many men with ED. To make matters worse, many insurance companies refuse to provide cover for the drug. So your only option before now is to fork out big money from your pocket to get your required pills.

With the launch of generic Viagra, the price concerns and accessibility have been addressed. A 20mg generic Sildenafil now goes for as low as $99 for 50 20mg tablets instead of the $20-60 per 50mg tablet in previous years.

Generic Viagra isn’t that new, it has been in existence in some European countries such as Germany and United Kingdom since 2013, where it was first launched by Teva Pharmaceuticals.

You might be wondering if the generic drug will be as effective as the patented version since it is a lot cheaper? Yes, it is, according to the FDA, generic drugs work just as well as branded drugs and they have to meet the same rigorous approval standards as other drugs.

Online Ordering

A further step in getting your Viagra prescription with ease is being able to order them online. An online pharmacy may allow people to:

  • Order products in an efficient manner and get quick delivery.
  • Ordering products that are capable of causing embarrassment in a discreet manner.
  • Get expert advice and guidance right from home.
  • Order prescriptions at competitive prices.

However, not all online pharmacies are the same, you need one which is able to work with your doctor to get your required prescription. You will need to screen an online drug store for safety concern based on additional factors including:

  • Having a state-licensed pharmacist
  • Willing and able to protect your personal information
  • Being located in the USA

At dev.mydrhank.com, we have licensed pharmacists that take your privacy seriously and will take care of your Viagra prescriptions as instructed by your doctor.

Erectile Dysfunction can change a person’s life and self-esteem due to its negative effect on male sexual health, the good news is that it is a treatable condition and many options exist to manage the condition. If you are already on the patented Viagra, you can talk to your doctor about switching to the generic version that can be easily ordered online.

Still contemplating a doctor’s visit?

There is no need to suffer in silence anymore, schedule an appointment with your doctor to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. Even if a permanent cure is not possible, there is the generic Viagra that can significantly improve your condition at an affordable cost.