Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a sexual difficulty that stems from a lack of proper blood supply to the penile. It can happen because of some underlying physiological health issue or some psychological factors.

Besides, injuries, chronic smoking, excessive alcoholism, recreational drug use, etc. can also trigger erection difficulties. If you are facing frequent struggles to get and maintain erections, then you might be experiencing erectile dysfunction.

There are some techniques through which you can test it yourself whether you are having ED. This blog will help you to explore those techniques.

How does ED happen?

A person with ED loses their ability to get and sustain erections. This happens even after adequate sexual stimulation. The reason why this happens is the lack of adequate blood supply to the penile.

The blood flow to the penile gets hindered because of the narrowing or hardening of the penile blood vessels. Some enzymatic hyperactivity contributes to the narrowing of the blood vessels, which prevents the flow of blood through them.

Lack of blood flow to the penile contributes to erection difficulties. There will not be sufficient blood to get trapped inside the penile to promote harder erections.

Self-tests for erectile dysfunction  

Here are some tests that may help reveal whether you are having erectile dysfunction:

Nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT)  

Nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT), also known as morning wood, is a natural phenomenon that is very common among males of all ages. It is more common in younger males comparatively.

Morning wood is characterized by spontaneous erections that usually occur suddenly upon waking up in the morning. However, these erections may also get triggered during the sleep state and the person may not even know.         

The phenomenon is quite frequent among younger males. It gives a strong indication that the health of your reproductive organs and erection function is optimal and that you are showing a healthy sexual response.    

With age, the frequency of men getting morning wood may decline. Such changes may occur because of the aging process, which makes morning woods the natural process. 

As men get older, their indulgence and inclination towards sexual activities decrease because of reasons such as physiological health issues, psychological factors, and emotional, and hormonal imbalances. Due to this, the physiology of their erection function is affected.

Sexual health inventory for men (SHIM)

One of the most accurate methods to ascertain if you have ED is SHIM. It obtains the most accurate results for conducting self-diagnosis of potential erectile dysfunction.

The sexual health inventory consists of a questionnaire. The individual has to fill out this questionnaire. The results of this test can obtain almost accurate information on whether an individual is experiencing the symptoms of erectile dysfunction or not.      

The questionnaire has to be taken in the healthcare provider’s office. But, it can also be done from the comfort of your home.

Potential causes of ED

Erection difficulties can occur due to physical or psychological factors. Both these play an equal part in influencing the sexual response. The primary cause of erectile dysfunction is the lack of blood supply through the penile blood vessels. 

Physiological causes of ED are injury, underlying health conditions, trauma, prostate enlargement (benign prostate hyperplasia), or surgery. These factors can give rise to such difficulties. 

Moreover, psychological factors like Chronic stress, performance anxiety, anxiety disorders, clinical depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), etc., can impact the sexual response by interfering with sexual arousal.  

Such factors can cause psychogenic erectile dysfunction, impacting your sex drive or libido and ability to become aroused sexually. They trigger chemical imbalances in the body and affect erection quality.

Treatment methods for ED

Oral ED medications

ED medicines are considered the safest remedy for managing impotence problems. They contain a key ingredient that kicks into action during sexual arousal. Medicines like Kamagra 50 trigger harder erections by boosting the blood flow to the penile.

These medicines work on the principle of vasodilation. They expand the penile arteries and boost the blood supply to the penile.  

Penile pumps

Penile pumps or vacuum erection devices can help boost blood circulation in the penile. It involves the use of a vacuum to draw blood inside the penile.

ED rings  

ED rings, also known as constriction rings, are bands to be secured around the base of the penile to hold and trap the blood inside the penile for sustaining erection.

The lowdown

Yes, you can test yourself for erectile dysfunction. You can do so by checking how frequently you are experiencing morning wood, or another technique is SHIMS, which is about answering a questionnaire. You can see your healthcare provider for guidance.