TAMPA — You can be pretty certain that if there’s a subject that guys find awkward, uncomfortable and painfully embarrassing to talk about — they’re not going to talk about it, period. And for more than a few men who are experiencing a diminishing of their sexual performance, that means they don’t seek out erectile dysfunction treatment – period.

Since John Hopkins Medicine has estimated that 52 percent of men between 40 and 70 years old deal with erectile dysfunction, that’s a lot of silently unhappy guys.

And that’s too bad, really, since ED is no longer about getting a prescription for Cialis or Viagra. Medical researchers have devoted quite a bit of their time studying ED and how it can be treated, and it’s far more than just a condition where you swallow a pill and hope something magical happens.

 

What’s the Latest Research on Erectile Dysfunction Treatment?

A good example: a new study indicating that eating a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil offers some hope for eliminating Lazy Peter. Scientists from the University of Athens studied 660 men who were consuming a diet high in vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts and olive oil. As it turns out, just one-fifth of those guys — on average, age 67  — reported erectile dysfunction.

Could this be the Olive Oil cure? Guys, skip the Ranch dressing and stick with oil and vinegar on the salad!

Then we have a new study on the genetics of ED. Researchers have identified the human genome that appears to have a possible link to ED, which may lead to breakthroughs on what causes this condition, and to improve erectile dysfunction treatment in the future.

While genetics has always been viewed as the likely cause, this new study involving 36,000 men from the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Genetic Epidemiology Research identified SIM1 — which regulates your weight and brain development — as the gene most associated with erectile dysfunction.

See, guys, the researchers are working pretty hard to help you. It’s it time for you to get hard as well?

 

Why Is This Such a Difficult Subject For Men?

A lot of the male discomfort over ED may come back to that single word, “impotence,” which could be among the most dreaded among the male species. And it may also be the assumption that impotence is one of those conditions that just happens to a lot of guys as we get older, and hey, if we seek out erectile dysfunction treatment, then pretty soon everybody’s going to know we can’t … ahem … perform.

Who needs that semi-humiliating feeling when you’re out and about, that people are glancing over at you and saying “Hey, did you hear he has …”

But it should also be noted that ED isn’t just an “older guy thing.” There really isn’t a simple “Hey, you’re getting older, so what do you expect” cause to ED, and there’s probably no typical ED guy. A whole host of causes have been linked to erectile dysfunction, including:

• Diabetes
• Vascular disease
• hormone imbalances
• Low testosterone
• Physical injuries
• Drug or alcohol use
• and smoking.

It could also be the side effects of some medications, such as ones to treat high blood pressure, cancer, depression, and heart disease.

It’s also not an “older guy” condition. Studies indicate that one in four men under the age of 39 experience erectile dysfunction — and even guys in their 20s can suffer from a decreased performance if they’re overweight, smoke a lot, and drink or use drugs.

The researchers understand this, which is why they keep studying ED, constantly looking for ways to treat it and, possibly in the future, eradicate it.

 

What Are New Ways to Treat Erectile Dysfunction?

Take, for example, the medical treatment center Tampa Rejuvenation, which has six offices in the Tampa Bay area.

Tampa Rejuvenation offers not one but multiple erectile dysfunction treatments — kind of like the salad bar for ED patients.

If you’re one of those “having difficulty in the bedroom” guys, Tampa Rejuvenation provides treatment options designed to improve your performance.

One option is Stem Cell Therapy, where stem cells are provided right into the source of the problem, and has been shown to rejuvenate tissue and dormant cells, reinvigorating the health of your penis.

Another is PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) which takes advantage of growth factors available in the patient’s own blood. Once  withdrawn, the blood is then reintroduced to the penis to help kick-start the cells in there.

A third option is Trimix, which combines three different medications to help maintain an erection. Done through an injection into the shaft of the penis, it’s been known to produce an erection in as little as five minutes.

And finally, there’s the innovative option called the GAINSWave treatment, which uses high-frequency acoustic waves to repair existing blood vessels and improve blood flow in the penis.

Who said men have to suffer alone, too embarrassed to go buy a bottle of pills?

 

Conclusion

A highly dreaded condition, yes, and one that causes more than a degree of shame in many, true, but ED is far also more common than a lot of guys think. It’s been estimated that erectile dysfunction affects up to 20 million men, so if you’re among them, you’re definitely not alone.

You should also keep in mind that times have changed, and sex isn’t really a private, behind-closed-doors topic anymore. ED and other sexual performance issues are commonly talked about on television and in the media all the time, so there’s no reason to delay or refuse to consider seeking medical treatment for this condition.

And today men have the benefit of a large number of therapeutic options — which essentially means that most men can be successfully treated – period.

One final tip: it’s definitely worth your time to seek out a consultation with a medical professional or trusted health care provider, and not attempt to keep it all a dark, dirty secret … by looking for one of those miracle cures on the internet.

There’s a lot of hucksters out there hoping to prey on your embarrassment about the subject and to avoid professional erectile dysfunction treatment. Don’t let them sell you on the latest “Better than Viagra pill from Europe,” exotic herbs that do wonders for the penis, or complex yoga instructions guaranteed to put the zing back in your thing.

The medical professionals know what they’re doing, and the research keeps coming in. Trust it to work for you.

Michael Freeman is an Orlando journalist, playwright and author of the book When I Woke Up, You Were All Dead. Contact him at Freelineorlando@gmail.com.