How is erectile dysfunction diagnosed? Patient history
Erectile dysfunction is a term which refers to the condition in which a man is unable to achieve or sustain an erection for long enough. ED is diagnosed if the problems with erection lasts for at least 3 months. It is extremely important for a patient to be in touch with the doctor in order to estimate the severity of erectile dysfunction, the causes of it and the way of treatment. The doctor has to interview a patient and ask the following questions:
- Is the patient experiencing erectile dysfunction or a lack of sexual desire or an ejaculation disorder?
- Is erectile dysfunction caused by psychological or physical factors? If a patient is healthy and erectile dysfunction is caused only by psychological factors such as stress, depression, fear, responsibility, etc. then such a man will still experience involuntary erections in the morning and during REM sleep (it’s a part of sleep with rapid eye movements). If a patient suffers from erectile dysfunction caused by physical factors then the early morning erection will not occur. In that case ED may be caused by atherosclerosis, cigarettes smoking, diabetes.
- Is erectile dysfunction caused by physical factors? A history of smoking, heart attack, strokes suggest that ED may be caused by atherosclerosis. A prior history of cigarette smoking, heart attacks, strokes, and poor circulation in the extremities suggest atherosclerosis as the cause of the erectile dysfunction. Lower sensation of the penis and the testicles, bladder dysfunction, and decreased sweating in the lower extremities suggest nerve damage caused by diabetes. Lack of sexual desire, sexual fantasies, gynecomastia and decreased facial hair suggest a lower level of testosterone.
- Is the patient using any medication which can cause erectile dysfunction as a side effect?