Erectile Dysfunction Pills – Is There An Alternative?
Erectile dysfunction pills are often the suggested solution to impotence and other symptoms of ED, but they’re not always effective or suitable.
Many men choose not to take erectile dysfunction pills because they can suffer side effects or cannot take medication because of existing conditions. While some men just don’t get the desired results from them. If this sounds like you, you’re probably wondering what other treatment options are available.
The good news is that there are alternatives to erectile dysfunction pills, and we’re here to tell you what they are.
Erectile Dysfunction: An Overview
Almost half of the men in the UK have experienced difficulty getting or keeping an erection. That’s around 16.5 million men. It can happen at any age, but it is more prevalent in men over 40.
Erectile problems can happen for many reasons, and it’s a subject that a lot of men find difficult to talk about.
Men with erectile dysfunction tend to fall under two categories: physical causes and emotional causes. It can impact relationships, lower self-esteem and confidence, and affect your overall mental well-being.
Physical causes can include:
- Age
- High blood pressure
- High blood sugar
- Cardiovascular
- High cholesterol
- Smoking
- Drug use
- Diabetes
- Alcohol consumption
- Obesity
- Lack of exercise
- Peyronie’s Disease
Emotional causes can include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Mental health conditions
- Stress
- Relationship problems due to stress, poor communication, or other concerns
The Traditional Treatment
Erectile dysfunction pills are the most common prescription offered to men suffering from ED. The medication could be Sildenafil (Viagra), Vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn), Tadalafil (Cialis), and Avanafil (Stendra).
The most popular and well-known erectile dysfunction pill is Viagra.
Viagra is a brand-name prescription drug approved to treat erectile dysfunction. Pills are taken to relax the muscle cells in the blood vessels supplying the penis, allowing an increased blood flow.
Viagra restores impaired erectile function by increasing blood flow to the penis. By increasing blood flow, an erection can occur, improving your sex life and enabling you to have sexual intercourse without interruptions.
You should expect to feel the effects 30-60 minutes after taking it.
Effects can last up to 4 hours for some men, but like all medications, there are risks of side effects. These can include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Flushing
- Upset stomach
- Fainting
- Vision loss
- Erections lasting more than 4 hours
The Problem With ED Pills
The problem with erectile dysfunction pills is that they can take spontaneity from your sex life.
For most men, Viagra requires at least 30-60 minutes to take effect, so you must take your pill at least one hour before you intend to have sex. However, the time it takes to work can be affected by various factors such as food and alcohol consumption.
Long-term use can cause medical problems such as indigestion and can lead to stomach issues such as diarrhoea, gastritis, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
In some cases, users can also experience erections that won’t go away, also known as priapism, sudden vision loss in one or both eyes and sudden hearing decrease or hearing loss.
Is There An Alternative?
If you don’t like the idea of taking medication or have been taking it and hate the side effects, the good news is that erectile dysfunction pills aren’t your only solution.
You can manage the symptoms of ED with many alternatives.
Lifestyle Changes
You can make small lifestyle changes that could reduce or even eliminate the need for erectile dysfunction pills in the future.
Regular Exercise & Healthy Diet
A healthy diet and lower body weight can do wonders for your overall mental well-being, and it is also proven to help improve symptoms of ED.
Strength training can increase your testosterone levels, too, which could also help with ED.
Penis Exercises
These penis exercises can help with ED:
- Penile Stretching – These exercises require you to use your hands or a device to increase the length or girth of your penis. It is a simple technique that you can do at home quite easily.
- Penile Traction Therapy – A device consisting of a plastic support ring, a silicone band, and two dynamic rods. The device cradles and stretches the penis to promote penile growth. At Elite Aesthetics, we recommend and use the Phallosan Forte.
Penis Pumps
A Vacuum Erection Device is a plastic tube operated by a battery or an electric pump. To use a VED, you place your erect penis inside the cylinder tub, and the suction gently pulls in your penis. Using a penis pump can help a man get and maintain an erection by creating a vacuum around the penis, encouraging blood flow.
Reduce Stress
Men suffering from ED often feel higher stress levels because of the anxiety of getting and maintaining an erection. This heightened stress can exacerbate ED, so lowering stress levels will improve symptoms. Mindfulness meditation, yoga, and exercise all reduce stress and anxiety.
Reduce Alcohol Consumption And Stop Smoking
During a scientific study undertaken in 2022, over 100 men suffering from ED were asked to abstain from drinking alcohol, and after three months, 88.5% (92) showed improvement.
Smoking reduces blood flow and circulation, and it is proven to increase the risk of erection problems by 50%. Stopping smoking could help reduce the symptoms and even lead to firmer, more reliable erections simply by improving circulation.
Natural Remedies
Red ginseng and pomegranate juice are two natural ED treatments that have shown promise.
Ginseng is believed to increase nitric oxide production, improving blood flow. While pomegranate juice is a potent antioxidant that can help prevent plaque buildup often associated with Peyronie’s disease, a condition commonly associated with ED.
Herbal remedies are unreliable, and many men won’t experience any difference after taking them.
Non-Surgical Solution
The Priapus Shot, also known as the P Shot, is a treatment often used to help treat erectile dysfunction issues such as impotence or the inability to maintain a firm erection.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), made from a sample of your blood, is used to stimulate the growth of new, younger tissue and increase blood flow. PRP treatments have been used successfully to repair damaged muscles and nerves for many years in the medical field.
Experts have found that using the same process can combat erectile problems, giving men more treatment options.
PRP contains cell-regenerating growth factors that are essential for treatment. The procedure works by drawing a small amount of your blood, which is then spun at a high frequency within a centrifuge to separate the platelet-rich plasma.
At Elite Aesthetics, we use a specific FDA-approved centrifuge to give the best possible results, and we’re the only clinic in the UK to use this particular centrifuge for the P Shot.
A skilled clinician injects the PRP into your penis. While this might sound uncomfortable, we carry out the procedure under local anaesthetic, so you’ll experience little to no discomfort.
Following treatment, many men experience firmer, stronger erections and reduced or resolved erectile dysfunction symptoms.
The P-Shot is growing in popularity because patients no longer have to rely on taking erectile dysfunction pills to get and maintain an erection. You can be more spontaneous with your sex life and the results last for up 18 months.
Because PRP is extracted from your body, the treatment is 100% natural, and there is no risk to your health.
Some men even experience increased sensation and penis size following the treatment.
Next Steps
If erectile dysfunction pills aren’t working for you and you want an alternative, you should book a consultation with our professional team of qualified men’s health doctors. We are highly experienced in treating ED and are happy to offer any advice and guidance.
If you want to hear more, you can book a private consultation by contacting us on 01322 381 205, emailing info@elite-aesthetics.co.uk, or WhatsApp us.
Consultations are held in our award-winning clinic based in Greenhithe, Kent, which is just 10 minutes from Dartford Station & Gravesend Station.
