Erection Challenges After 60? You’re Not Alone

Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects your ability to get or maintain an erection and affects men of different age groups who struggle with it. ED inevitably becomes more common as you age. Statistics show that 40% of men have some issues with this condition by age 40, and nearly 70% have issues with it by age 70. 

Complete dysfunction happens in 5% of men by age 40, and 15% have this problem by the time they’re 70. No matter your age, ED damages self esteem and can be difficult for relationships. However, getting older doesn’t mean it has to happen. To find out why you’re struggling with it, we need to look at the causes, see what links it to aging, and treat it accordingly.

Drs. Craig Herman and Steven Kester and the dedicated medical staff at the Urology Center of Florida have decades of experience helping the men of Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, and South Florida with many urinary issues, including ED. 

Causes of erectile dysfunction

To disrupt the penis’s ability to get or maintain an erection, several vascular, neurological injuries, or mental health conditions can play a part, including:

Circulatory system problems

Anything that speeds up or slows down the rate at which blood flows through the body can have repercussions on your ability to maintain an erection. Vascular disease, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and stroke are some illnesses that affect blood flow.

Nervous system problems

Damage to the brain, spinal cord, or other parts of the nervous system can reduce the penis’s ability to get and stay erect.

Endocrine system problems

Sexual desire and the act of sex are functions that rely on hormones, so testosterone imbalances can lead to a lack of interest and an inability to have an erection.

Diseases

Diabetes, high cholesterol, chronic kidney disease, and epilepsy can affect how your penis performs. Peyronie’s disease causes the penis to curve, resulting in painful erections.

Injury

Damage to your penis, pelvic bones, bladder, prostate, or spinal cord can lead to ED, and surgeries in the pelvic region, such as on your colon, prostate, or bladder, raise the risk of erectile dysfunction.

Some medications increase the chances of ED. These include antidepressants; blood pressure, anti-anxiety, prostate cancer, chemotherapy, and Parkinson’s disease drugs; and medications used to regulate the heartbeat. Sedatives, muscle relaxers, and antiseizure medications can have similar effects.

The ED-aging link

The correlation between erectile dysfunction and aging is complicated; while medical issues and other problems that can affect men of any age, common factors as we get older can increase the chances. Stress and anxiety, fatigue, excessive drinking, and obesity can all affect your likelihood of developing ED.

In addition to many of the diseases and conditions already mentioned, other issues linked to ED include sleep disorders, tobacco use, depression, relationship problems, and low testosterone. It’s important to understand that while these problems increase in frequency as we get older, they’re not a natural part of aging.

Treatment options

We treat issues with ED individually, as every case has unique factors and underlying causes. Psychological problems causing ED can be managed with couples or individual therapy. Medications to treat underlying conditions are a vital step in restoring function, and hormone replacement therapy can treat problems with hormone imbalances.

In some cases, implant prostheses and drugs that improve blood flow can help with ED. We’ll tailor each option to your needs and avoid the choices that make other medical issues worse. To find the treatment for ED that best suits your needs, call or message the Urology Center of Florida team today to schedule an appointment.