It depends on what your doctor thinks is causing your erectile dysfunction. Your doctor might run several tests, including:
Blood tests.
Complete blood count (CBC).
Lipid panel.
Liver function tests.
Kidney function tests.
Thyroid tests.
Testosterone test.
Urinalysis.
Penile Doppler ultrasound.
Tests that check if the nerves in your penis react to vibrations (penile biothesiometry).
Drugs that help make your penis erect temporarily (vasoactive injections).
Magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA).
Before any test, your doctor will explain what to expect and answer your questions.
If you’re not comfortable, you can choose not to do the test at any time.
Treatment And Management
What Is The Best Way To Treat Erectile Dysfunction?
The first step in treating ED is finding out what’s causing it.
Your doctor will help you choose the best treatment. Possible options include:
Cardiovascular Exercise
Doing vigorous aerobic activity for 45 minutes at least three times a week may help improve mild cases of ED. Activities like walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, or jumping rope fit this.
Stopping Smoking
For men with mild ED, quitting smoking can lead to improvement over a few months.
Talking To A Sex Therapist
Oral medications that improve blood flow to the penis, such as sildenafil (Viagra), vardenafil (Levitra), tadalafil (Cialis), or avanafil (Stendra).
These usually start working within an hour.
Penile Low-Intensity Focused Shockwave Therapy (LISWT).
This non-invasive treatment uses sound waves to improve blood flow and can take up to two months to show results.
Injections given directly into the penis to create an erection, such as alprostadil (Caverject), papaverine (Papacon), phentolamine (Regitine), or a mix of these medications. Also read Erectile dysfunction treatment singapore for more information.
These begin working in about 10 minutes.
Vacuum Erection Devices (Penis Pumps)
These work almost immediately.
Testosterone replacement therapy, which is available in forms like gels, injections, patches, or pellets.
These usually start working within four weeks.
Penile Implant Surgery
This involves placing a device in the penis to allow for an erection. The device doesn’t affect sensation, urination, or orgasm.
Will ED Go Away On Its Own?
ED is unlikely to go away without lifestyle changes or some kind of treatment.
Outlook / Prognosis
What Can I Expect If I Have Erectile Dysfunction?
The outlook for ED is positive, and it’s a treatable condition.
While there’s no cure for some causes of ED, many treatments can help you get and maintain an erection strong enough for sexual activity.
Can ED Be Prevented?
Making certain lifestyle changes can help reduce your risk of developing ED, such as:
Lowering cholesterol.
Being more physically active, especially doing aerobic exercises like running, jogging, or cycling.
Keeping a healthy weight.
Getting good quality sleep.
Eating healthy foods with low saturated fat, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Stopping smoking.
Reducing or stopping alcohol use.