Assessment
Questionnaire
Have a symptom?
See what questions
a doctor would ask.
See what questions
a doctor would ask.
Impotence is the inability of a man to achieve or maintain an erection that is sufficient to complete sexual intercourse. Impotence is a common condition that may temporarily affect most men at some time in their lives. If impotence is short-lived and does not recur frequently, it is generally considered normal. If impotence persists, impotence can result in complications, such as male infertility and mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression.
Achieving and maintaining an erection is a complex process that involves a complex interplay of psychological elements as well as processes of the nervous system and the circulatory system. In a normal erection, sexual stimulation or arousal triggers nerves to increase the blood flow in the penis, which enlarges, strengthens, and becomes hard. Normally, the penis will maintain the erection until after ejaculation or when sexual excitement has ended.
Impotence, also called erectile dysfunction or ED, can result from diseases that impede normal circulation to the penis, such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, alcoholism, kidney disease, and multiple sclerosis. Impotence can also be due to conditions that interfere with normal nerve impulse transmission to the penis. These include neurologic diseases and some types of spinal cord trauma. Impotence can also be caused or worsened by psychological causes, such as depression, anxiety, guilt, and low self esteem.
Other causes of impotence include testosterone deficiency, obesity, testicular trauma, and some surgical procedures, such as those for prostate cancer or bladder cancer. Certain medications, such as some high blood pressure medications, may also cause impotence in some men.
The primary symptom of impotence is an inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient to complete sexual intercourse at least 25 percent of the time. For more information on symptoms, refer to symptoms of impotence.
Making a diagnosis of impotence begins with taking a thorough personal and family medical history, including symptoms, and completing a physical examination and neurological evaluation. It also includes performing blood and urine tests and other tests that check blood flow to the penis. These tests help diagnosis the cause and/or any other conditions, such as diabetes, that may underlie impotence.
A diagnosis of impotence can easily be missed or delayed due to a variety of factors. For more details on misdiagnosis, refer to misdiagnosis of impotence.
Treatment of impotence varies depending on the specific cause of the condition, a patient's goals, and the individual case. Treatment may include medications, the use of special devices, psychotherapy, sex therapy, addressing underlying causes of the condition, and/or surgery. For more information on treatment, refer to treatment of impotence. ...more »
Impotence: Impotence or "erectile dysfunction" is the inability to attain or sustain an erection for long enough for sexual activity. About 70% of cases of impotence are actually caused by an underlying disease, such as diabetes or kidney disease, rather than a mental or physical problem. Secondary impotence from various drugs and medications is common. Physical damage from injury or surgery is another common cause of impotence. Psychological causes of impotence are estimated to be only 10-20% of cases. Although psychological aspects such as anxiety and fear of sexual failure are commonly associated with impotence, they are not usually the real case, but are a reaction to having impotence. ...more »
An inability to achieve or maintain an erection is the primary symptom of impotence. This condition occurs to most men at some point in their lives but is only considered abnormal if it results in an inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient to complete sexual intercourse at least 25 percent of the time.
Impotence can lead to other ...more symptoms »
Although impotence is more common in older and elderly men, it should not be considered a normal part of aging. Impotence can often be treated successfully in men of all ages.
The first step in treating the development of impotence is prevention early in life. Prevention measures include getting regular medical care so that diseases that can cause impotence, such as ...more treatments »
Fear, embarrassment, and shame are key reasons that a diagnosis of impotence can be missed or delayed. In addition, many men do not seek medical care for a diagnosis and treatment because they assume that impotence is a normal part of aging. It is important to understand that impotence is not a natural part of getting older and that it often can be successfully ...more misdiagnosis »
Read more about symptoms of Impotence
See full list of 26 treatments for Impotence
Home medical testing related to Impotence:
Read more about Deaths and Impotence.
Alternative treatments or home remedies that have been listed in various sources as possibly beneficial for Impotence may include:
Read more about Types of Impotence
Test for Impotence in your own home
Click for TestsSee full list of 9 diagnostic tests for Impotence
Read more about complications of Impotence.
See full list of 196 causes of Impotence
More information about causes of Impotence:
Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Impotence:
Commonly undiagnosed diseases in related medical categories:
Alzheimer's disease over-diagnosed: The well-known disease of Alzheimer's disease is often over-diagnosed. Patients tend to assume that any memory loss or forgetulness symptom might be Alzheimer's, whereas there are many other less...read more »
Dementia may be a drug interaction: A common scenario in aged care is for a patient to show mental decline to dementia. Whereas this can, of course, occur due to...read more »
Tremor need not be Parkinson's disease: There is the tendency to believe that any tremor symptom, or shakiness, means Parkinson's disease. The reality is that there are various...read more »
Rare diseases misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease: A rare genetic disorder is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease for men in their 50's. The disease Fragile X...read more »
Misdiagnosed weight-related causes of infertility: A woman's weight status can affect her level of fertility. Although obesity or overweight can in themselves...read more »
Read more about Misdiagnosis and Impotence
Research related physicians and medical specialists:
Other doctor, physician and specialist research services:
Research quality ratings and patient safety measures for medical facilities in specialties related to Impotence:
Hospital & Clinic quality ratings »
Choosing the Best Hospital: More general information, not necessarily in relation to Impotence, on hospital performance and surgical care quality:
Rare types of diseases and disorders in related medical categories:
See full list of 19 latest treatments for Impotence
More Impotence animations & videos
Prognosis for Impotence: Impotence is treatable in all age groups, and awareness of this fact has been growing. More men have been seeking help and returning to near-normal sexual activity because of improved, successful treatments for impotence. (Source: excerpt from Impotence: NIDDK)
More about prognosis of Impotence
Visit our research pages for current research about Impotence treatments.
The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.
Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Impotence include:
See full list of 44 Clinical Trials for Impotence
Related forums and medical stories:
Read about other experiences, ask a question about Impotence, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:
Impotence is a consistent inability to sustain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. Medical professionals often use the term "erectile dysfunction" to describe this disorder and to differentiate it from other problems that interfere with sexual intercourse, such as lack of sexual desire and problems with ejaculation and orgasm. (Source: excerpt from Impotence: NIDDK)
The inability to perform sexual intercourse. - (Source - Diseases Database)
An inability (usually of a male) to copulate - (Source - WordNet 2.1)
Tools & Services:
Medical Articles:
Search Specialists by State and City
By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use. Information provided on this site is for informational purposes only; it is not intended as a substitute for advice from your own medical team. The information on this site is not to be used for diagnosing or treating any health concerns you may have - please contact your physician or health care professional for all your medical needs. Please see our Terms of Use.
Copyright © 2011 Health Grades Inc. All rights reserved. Last Update: 7 May, 2013 (1:58)
