Is erectile dysfunction the key to unlocking the crisis in men’s health?

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Is erectile dysfunction the key to unlocking the crisis in men’s health?

A recent Washington Post article, “A Silent Crisis in Men’s Health Gets Worse,” highlighted the fact that men are at a greater risk of dying from most causes than women. Men’s life expectancy is almost 6 years shorter—73.2 years vs 79.1.

While there are a multitude of physiological and behavioral reasons that drive these differences, there’s one obvious contributing factor, Hims reports. Most men do not attend to their health as well as women. CDC data from 2018 shows that the physician visit rate is 40% higher for women than for men.

Unlike women, who are accustomed to pregnancy visits in their childbearing years and a lifetime of regular breast cancer screenings and gynecologic visits, many men do everything they can to avoid seeing the doctor.

Many men don’t want to “appear weak” or “complain” about physical or emotional problems. Some may be afraid of uncovering a medical vulnerability that upsets their sense of control or puts a chink in their proverbial armor.

Pair that with the lack of symptoms associated with potentially serious illnesses like high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol and diabetes, and it all adds up to a silent crisis affecting most men in the U.S.

Erectile dysfunction: The great motivator

There is one condition, however, that gets our attention and is likely to lead us to a healthcare provider: erectile dysfunction. Men with the courage to seek help tend to beeline straight for the first healthcare provider they can access when their penises aren’t working right.

And ED is common: The 2021 National Survey of Sexual Wellbeing survey found just under a quarter of men over 18 in the U.S. experience ED, with rates generally increasing with age. This phenomenon, the ability of ED to break through many of the barriers that have been preventing men from engaging with the healthcare system, presents a tremendous opportunity for urologists to help.

Erections and body function

Getting a strong erection is a complicated physiological process that requires precise coordination of many body systems.

Dysfunction of any one of these body systems can cause ED. So, erections can go wrong in a lot of ways. But that also means that if a man has ED, it might be a warning sign that something undiagnosed is wrong with one of the body systems that is important for getting and maintaining strong erections. And that “something” could be critical to a man’s overall health.

ED and other medical conditions

Erectile dysfunction is not just a standalone condition. Men with ED are more likely to have chronic conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and depression.

That’s because these conditions share pathophysiology with ED—the same things that go wrong inside the body that cause these diseases and conditions can also cause or worsen ED. In addition, claims data of close to a million men with documented ED found an association between ED and many other serious health problems. They include immune system, liver, lung, prostate, and myoneural (muscle-nerve) conditions.

Treatment for erectile dysfunction and more

The process for diagnosis can be pretty simple. A physician may start with detailed medical and sexual histories looking for symptoms or contributory factors (e.g., anxiety, smoking, low testosterone).

A doctor may check for high blood pressure, which is a “silent cause” of both cardiovascular disease and ED, as well as look for signs of problems with the penis or hormonal imbalances. And, if a patient hasn’t had them checked recently, blood tests can screen for diabetes, high cholesterol, and hormone deficiencies.

Treatment for ED is tailored to each patient. It generally involves medication to support erectile function, such as sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil (Levitra) or avanafil (Stendra).

Other treatments, like testosterone replacement therapy or medication to reduce blood pressure or cholesterol, may be appropriate, based on clinical signs and blood test results.

Sometimes physicians may refer patients to other healthcare providers like a sex therapist (if there is a psychological component to the sexual dysfunction), dietitian, primary care doctor (if they don’t have one), or endocrinologist (if a patient has diabetes).

The penis as a barometer: How it reveals overall health

National polls are barometers of election results; the way you feel on a first date is a barometer of the way a relationship may develop; and the penis is absolutely a barometer of general health. So, take your penis seriously. If it is misbehaving, your body might be warning you of a serious but hidden medical problem.

This story was produced by Hims and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.