For those sufferers with a purely physical cause, the first medical step is a series of blood tests to check for hormonal abnormality. If the blood work is normal, the patient undergoes what is called a nocturnal penile tumescence study. A rubber band is fitted around the base of the penis and hooked up to an apparatus that measures volume change. But patients with erectile dysfunction will have no activity at all. A cylindrical cap is placed over the penis.
Doctors can then visually check the movement of blood.
If there is a blockage of some kind, no blood flow will be registered. Both these tests are non-surgical and painless. Based on the test information and the patient's preference, a doctor will suggest a course of action that can be anything from a mild herb to implanting a penile prosthesis. Taken orally, it works on the para-sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible, among other things, for erections. Results are mixed, but this treatment has the advantage of being easy and painless to administer.