Hormonal and topical treatments are not so popular and have taken a backseat ever since oral medications hit the scene, however for some they are excellent options. Please note that the information in this article is purely for educational purposes. A physicians advice is of utmost importance.

Hormonal Treatment For Erectile Dysfunction

Hormonal therapy should normally be restricted to the patients who are suffering from erectile dysfunction of endocrine origin. Even when various psychogenic or organic factors are absent, severe deficiency of androgen can be present if the amount of testosterone in the body is below 12 nmol/l. It is important to first check the values that are present in either lower part of the normal range or minutely lower than the normal range. Only one on the borderline measurement cannot justify the initiation of testosterone substitution.

Early morning is the best time to determine the level of testosterone because the level of serum in younger men reflects a significant circadin rhythm and there are possibilities of observing variations up to 30%. As the substitution of androgen is not better than placebo in cases where there is normal serum testosterone, it does not make much sense to go for hormone therapy without any proven deficit because of its known expected side effects.  However, when the values of testosterone are subnormal time and again, then it should be remembered that for both central and peripheral intracavernosal signal transduction(which is reponsible for NO synthetase), testosterone is a very important deciding as well as conditioning aspect. In a case like this, an increase in the low testosterone levels back within the physiological range is expected to improve the actualization of PD5 inhibitors or in certain cases, the erectile dysfunction getting normalized automatically.

In case of hyperprolactinemia, measurements must be done repeatedly to rule out minor increase in the serum levels induced due to stress. Exclusion of causes that are pharmacological and may be responsible for increase in prolactin levels is important. For patients with prolactinoma, treatment using dopamine antagonist may be started.

Topical Treatment For Erectile Dysfunction

Topical treatments can help in erection, although in more recent times oral medications have taken precedence. Topical solutions include Nitroglycerine paste that can aid in increasing arterial perfusion as well as improve erection with the help of proper stimulation. It is a must to use condoms in these therapies. One can expect to see a positive result in the patients with either psychogenic issues but the patients suffering from intense impairment of penile circulation do not benefit so much with it.

Prostaglandin gels have not proven very effective as the local resorption through tunica albuginea into the corpora cavernosa is not adequate. Their intraurethral application however may reduce this problem. MUSE is one such product that does not required application through needle. Even with its doses of 500-1000µg, it cannot be compared with inracavernosal usage of vasoactive components in terms of efficiency. It’s notable side effect is the sensation of burning in the urethra. If the partner is pregnant, and patient’s dose of PGE1 is high, then the use of condoms is highly important.

Penile injection is one of the oldest yet most effective therapy for dealing with erectile dysfunctional. This therapy was first introduced into the market in 1980’s and since then hundreds of thousand of men continue to benefit from it. However, they have their own set of inconveniences and disadvantages.

Penile injection is delivered using a small “insulin style” needle and the medication is injected directly into the shaft of the penis. It is important to drive the length of the small needle into the penis so as to release the medicine deep into the shaft. It is the central part of the penis that facilitates the erection by engorging itself with blood, so its important to inject deep into the shaft. After the injection, a firm erection may develop within 10 to 30 minutes and usually last for 30 to 60 minutes. The dosage required to produce the desired erection may vary from one person to another and one needs to get a doctor’s expert opinion.

The penile injection should not be delivered to the top portion of the penis as there is a higher risk of hitting some arteries that can cause bleeding. It is also unadvised to deliver the injection to the base as that is where the urethra is. The injection is to be delivered to the side of the penis. For more detailed explanation, please watch the video.

Penile injection can be a good alternative for men who fail to adequately respond to oral medication. Research has shown that up to 40% of such patients respond effectively to penile injections. However, not everybody can use this kind of therapy and men suffering from conditions such as deformed penis, cavernosal fibrosis, penis angulation may have to look for alternate therapies. In addition, men taking blood thinner drugs such as Coumadin are advised not to use this kind of a therapy. The therapy is considered to be reasonably safe, although it may have side effects such as bruising, penile scarring and in some cases may lead to priapism (prolonged erection).

This article is purely for educational purposes only and a doctor’s physical examination and expert advice is a must in such medical cases. Unlike oral medications like Viagra and Cialis, penile injections cannot be prescribed online in the UK.

Penile Pumps For Erectile Dysfunction

Penis pump or penile pump is a popular means to treat individuals suffering from erectile dysfunction and is opted by many men for whom PDE5 inhibiting oral medications dont work. Also known as  VCD (Vacuum constriction device) it is used by many men post recovering from prostate cancer. It  is basically a plastic tube with a pump on the end of it. This device attaches directly to the body, and the pump helps create a vacuum that can help you get an erection. Then, a constriction band is used to help maintain the erection.

The are many different brands of VCD’s or penis pumps on the market, and you should always follow the direction provided by your doctor and also study the information leaflet provided by the manufacturer of your specific model, to use it effectively, however let’s have a quick overview of how a penile pump can be used.

• The first step is to place the pump over the penis. These pumps can be run by hand, or by batteries, depending on your model.
• The second step is to pump the air from the tube, either by hand or by turning the device on. This draws the blood down the shaft of the penis, and gives you an erection.
• The third step is to use some lubricant, and slide the constriction band off the pump, and to the base of you penis. Release, the vacuum, and remove the pump.

You can safely have intercourse with the constriction band in place, and you can leave it in place for up to 30 minutes.

VCD’s work for a large portion of people with erectile dysfunction (50%-80%), and may be a good solution for you. As with anything done to treat or ease a medical condition, there are some risks involved. You should go over these risks and benefits with your doctor before trying any treatment. A vacuum constriction device may not going to solve the problem permanently, and will need to be used right before intercourse, so it can be quite restrictive, but for some this could be the answer to their problem.