Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction affects the lives of
million’s men and their partners. Erectile
dysfunction (ED) or impotence is the inability
of a man to achieve or maintain an erection
sufficient for his sexual needs or the needs of
his partner. This means even though a man has a
strong desire to perform sexual act with a
cooperative partner, he cannot perform sexual
act because of looseness (absence of erection)
of his phallus (penis). Even if he performs sexual
act with his determined efforts he does not get
erection and gets afflicted with tiredness,
perspiration and frustration to perform sex.
Causes of Erectile Dysfunction
Physiological problems:
Erection
requires a sequence of events. Erectile
dysfunction can occur when any of the events
is disturbed. Nerve impulses in the brain, spinal
column, around the penis and response in
muscles, fibrous tissues, veins, and arteries in
and around the Corpora cavernosa constitute
this sequence of events. Injury to any of these
parts that are part of this sequence
(nerves, arteries, smooth muscles, fibrous tissue)
can cause ED.
Lowered level of testosterone
hormone:
The primary male hormone is
testosterone. After the age of 40 years, a man’s
testosterone level gradually declines. About 5%
of men that doctors see for erectile dysfunction
have low testosterone levels. In many of these
cases, low testosterone causes lower sexual
interest, not erectile dysfunction. The whole
male body responds to testosterone.
Overexertion - physically and
mentally :
Working for long hours in the office,
mental stress at office and home, short
temper tendency and insufficient sleep cause
erectile dysfunction.
These causes are explained in Ayurveda
as “shoka chintaa, bhaya, traasaat....” which
means that erectile dysfunction occurs due to
grief, fear, anxiety and terror.
Strained relationship with sexual
partner: Erectile dysfunction also occurs
when there is a disliking towards sexual
partner. Ayurveda describes
this as “naarinaamarasamjnatwaat...........”
means disliking for women.
Diseases that cause erectile
dysfunction:
Neurological disorders,
hypothyroidism, Parkinson’s disease, anemia,
depression, arthritis, endocrine disorders,
diabetes and diseases related to cardiovascular the system also become reasons for erectile
dysfunction.
According to Ayurveda the diseases
which cause erectile dysfunction are
“Hritpaandurogatamakakaamalashrama...”
Heart diseases, anemia, asthma, liver disorders,
and tiredness. Apart from these the imbalances
in tridoshas also cause erectile dysfunction.
Consumption of medicines, drugs
and tobacco:
Using anti-depressants,
tranquilizers and antihypertensive medicines for
a long time, addiction to tobacco especially
smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol,
addiction to cocaine, heroin and marijuana cause
erectile dysfunction.
In Ayurveda texts these
causes have been said in brief as
“rukshamannapaanam tathoushadham” -
“dry food, drinks and medicines” cause erectile
dysfunction.
Trauma to pelvic region:
Accidental injury to the pelvic region and
surgeries for the conditions of prostate,
bladder, colon or rectal area may lead to
erectile dysfunction.
Other reasons:
Obesity, prolonged
bicycle riding, past history of sexual abuse and
old age also causes erectile dysfunction.
Ayurveda describes the cause of impotence or
erectile dysfunction due to old age as diminution
of - tissue elements, strength, energy, the span of
life, inability to take nourishing food, physical
and mental fatigue leads to impotence.
Erectile dysfunction (primary and secondary impotence):
Primary impotence
refers to a man who has never been able to
maintain an erection for purposes of intercourse
either with a female or a male, vaginally or
rectally. Familial, societal, and intrapsychic factors contribute to primary impotence. Some of the more common influences are
(1) Performance anxiety
(2) Seductive relationship with a mother
(3) Religious beliefs in sex as a sin
(4) Traumatic initial failure
(5) Anger toward women and
(6) Fear of impregnating a woman.
In secondary impotence, a man cannot
maintain or perhaps even get an erection, but
has succeeded at having either vaginal or rectal
intercourse at least one time in his life. The
occasional failure to get an erection is not to be
confused with secondary impotence.
Rapid ejaculation:
Rapid ejaculation
is the most common dysfunction and it is the
easiest to treat. Premature ejaculation can be
defined as the inability to delay ejaculation long
enough for the woman to orgasm fifty percent
of the time or as the inability to delay ejaculation
for thirty seconds to a minute after the penis
enters the vagina.
Retarded ejaculation (ejaculatory
incompetence):
Ejaculatory incompetence is
the opposite of premature ejaculation and refers
to the inability to ejaculate inside the vagina.
Men with this difficulty may be able to maintain
an erection for 30 minutes to an hour, but
because of psychological concerns about
ejaculating inside a woman, are not able to
achieve orgasm. One of the reasons this
dysfunction goes undetected is because the
male’s partner is satisfied and indeed often is
able to achieve several orgasms. Most of these
men can readily achieve orgasm through
masturbation. Many factors contribute to this
condition, some of which are religious restrictions, fear of impregnating, and lack of
physical interest or active dislike for the female
partner. In addition such psychological factors
as ambivalence toward one’s partner,
suppressed anger, fear of abandonment or
obsessional preoccupation also play a significant
role in developing retarded ejaculation.
Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction
Psychotherapy:
Decreasing anxiety
associated with intercourse, with psychologically
based treatment, helps to cure ED. The patient’s
partner can help with the techniques, which
include gradual development of intimacy and
stimulation. Such techniques also can help
relieve anxiety when ED from physical causes
is being treated. The same treatment is illustrated
in Ayurveda. It has been said, “A woman who
understands a man and is liked by him, along with erotic environment act as best aphrodisiac.”
Diet and nutrition control:
Nutrition can also have a lot to do with sexual
vitality, which clearly decreases with
malnourishment. The focus of the diet is on
antiaging and a healthy cardiovascular system.
A wholesome diet low in fat and high in fiber and complex carbohydrates is a good thing to
begin. Any diet (and lifestyle) that maintains
good circulation and normal weight and contains
high-vitality fresh foods will lead to better sexual
function.
Vajikarana therapy in Ayurveda:
Charaka has mentioned numerous herbal
remedies for erectile dysfunction which
contain natural aphrodisiacs. These
preparations enhance one’s potency by leaps
and bounds by increasing the span of erection,
hardness and prevent premature ejaculation and
rejuvenating the male reproductive system. The
total treatment for impotence is called as
Vajikarana therapy in Ayurveda.
A third kind
of tonic herb, closely allied with Rasayanas, is
what is called in Ayurveda - Vajikarana.
A vaji is a horse or stallion.
These are substances that give the power
or vitality of a horse, particularly the horse’s
great capacity for sexual activity. More
commonly, one could call them “aphrodisiacs”.
Vajikaranas reinvigorate the body by
reinvigorating the sexual organs.
The semen or reproductive tissue (the
Ayurvedic concept includes both male and
female reproductive tissues) is the essence of
all the dhatus, the cream of all the tissue
elements in the body. It contains the power to
create life. This means not only the capacity to
bring a new life into existence, to create a
child, but also to renew one’s life, to return our
cells to the vigor of youth.
Numerous herbal preparations are
mentioned in Ayurveda to treat ED or
impotence. Some of these are Garlic, Bhanga, Orchis
mascula, root extracts of Bombax
malabaricum and Amaranthus adscendens,
Phalagrita, powdered root of Albizzia lebbek,
Saffron, nutmeg extract, pepper, clove and
gandhak. Most of these agents are used in
combinations.
Garlic The garlic or lasan consists
of ripe bulbs of the Allium sativum Linnbelonging to the family Liliaceae and contains
not less than 0.1% allicin.(5) Alongwith several
uses of garlic, its cloves are used as a vegetable
to treat preliminary stages of impotency.
Traditionally Lasun chatni or Lasun dal
alongwith ghee is taken to increase sexual
power. It is reported that garlic can exert some
of its therapeutic properties by increasing NO
production in the body.garlic can be used as a better
substitute of synthetic drugs for erectile
dysfunction and there is a possibility to treat
this disease with a natural product based
preparation.
Cannabis can improve sexual function in some patients affected by conditions or symptoms such as depression, anxiety disorder and pain.One of the possible mechanisms is attributed to the endocannabinoid system through the binding of receptors in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus which regulates erectile function and sexual behavior of males
In Ayurveda, Salep Orchid has traditionally been used as an aphrodisiac and nervine tonic. The tubers of Orchid contain bitter principals and volatile oil, which give the flower its key therapeutic properties.
Amaranthus adscendens,
Phalagrita, powdered root of Albizzia lebbek,
Saffron
nutmeg extract, pepper
clove
gandhak. Most of these agents are used in
combinations.
Local Application
Local application of Jaiphal,
Lavanga, Pista and Nirgundi on the penis has
been claimed to increase vascularity and
contractility
