Impotence

The continuing disability to achieve and/ or maintain a penile erection sufficient to complete agreeable intercourse is called impotence or erectile dysfunction. In 1992, the National Institute of Health defined erectile dysfunction as the inability to attain or sustain an erection adequate for satisfactory sexual intercourse. Impotence should not be confused with male infertility. They are two very separate conditions; a man unable to maintain an erection may be perfectly normal in every other way as well as capable of fathering a child.

Although this condition increases progressively with age, it is not an inevitable consequence of aging and steps can be taken to minimize the risks of erectile dysfunction:

• Antidepressants and anti-psychotic drugs can lessen the chances of impotence by treating the psychological factors associated with this Malfunction of mind or body.


• Consult your physician for alternative medication if the one you are using currently has been known to impair erectile functioning as a side effect.


• Education and reassurance can go a long way in aiding individuals experiencing erectile difficulty.


• Avoid excessive smoking and alcohol consumption.