Erectile dysfunction is known in layman terminology as impotence and relates to the inability to achieve and maintain an adequate penile erection which can appropriately perform the function of penetration and ejaculation. Erectile dysfunction can be due to a variety of causes, some of which can be functional and temporary, while others can be organic and more serious in nature.
Anxiety, apprehension, stress, fears, physical and emotional fatigue, and side effects of medication can cause temporary erectile dysfunction. Rest, simple advice, and an explanation of the normal anatomy and physiology of penile erection is usually enough to adequately treat these causes. The more serious and organic causes of erectile dysfunction include high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, heart disease, diabetes, metabolic and neurological disorders, hormonal problems, dysfunctions due to trauma and accidents, physical causes such as insufficient blood flow to the penis or venous leakage, and as a natural aging process. These causes need to be addressed specifically to improve erectile dysfunction and eventually cure it.
Ayurvedic herbal treatment can be judiciously used to completely treat erectile dysfunction. For the simple and functional causes of erectile dysfunction, in addition to counseling, Ayurvedic herbal remedies can be used to relieve anxiety, stress, fatigue and help the genitourinary organs to function at an optimal level. Ayurvedic medicines can provide temporary sexual stimulation to overcome the problem and help the affected person adjust and overcome the situation.
High blood pressure should be treated aggressively so that the blood pressure can be controlled and at the same time its long term complications can be avoided or minimized. Herbal remedies are also effective in treating high cholesterol levels and normalizing fat metabolism in the body. Heart disease should also be treated aggressively in order to reduce morbidity and mortality and also help the individual to resume normal sexual activity at the earliest. Diabetes mellitus and other metabolic disorders must be the subject of specific treatment and be strictly controlled. Hormonal disorders should also be treated depending on the known cause of the disease.
Neurological disorders can cause pelvic nerves and related organs to malfunction, causing impotence. Structural or congenital defects as well as trauma and vehicle accidents can cause a combination of physical and neurological dysfunction of the penis in which there is insufficient blood flow, which prevents the desired erection for the required duration of sexual performance. Even with adequate blood flow to the penis, if the valves in the veins draining blood from the penis are incompetent, it again hinders sexual performance as an adequate erection cannot be maintained. Neurological or sphincter dysfunction can also cause incomplete ejaculation, no semen ejaculation, or retrograde ejaculation. A few individuals may have complete ejaculation, but without detectable or viable sperm. This may be due to azoospermia or a complete lack of sperm production resulting from the absence of seminiferous tubules, hormonal disturbances, or complete mechanical blockage.
Herbal remedies that have specific strengthening and corrective action on the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves are needed to treat neurological deficits in order to treat erectile dysfunction. Alternatively, drugs which have a specific action on blood flow to the penis or on the valves of the draining veins are needed to provide specific corrective action to maintain an adequate erection. Treatment may also be needed to stimulate sperm production and to normalize proper and timely ejaculation.
Depending on the known cause of the condition, most people with erectile dysfunction require treatment for periods ranging from a few weeks to a few months. Ayurvedic herbal treatment has an important role to play in the effective management and treatment of erectile dysfunction.
