Reduction is normal, but total loss isn't. It is estimated that 10 percent of adult men have severe erectile dysfunction and another 10 percent have a mild to moderate problem. An erection results from an increase in blood coming through the arteries into the penis and then being stored in an area called the corpora cavernosa. This process enlarges the penis and compresses the veins that drain blood from the corpora cavernosa so that the blood is retained in the penis, explains Jacob Rajfer, M.D., professor of urology at UCLA Medical Center. Erections can fail as a result of medical conditions that interfere with sexual interest, the flow of nerve impulses to the penis, the health of the blood vessels supplying the penis, or the tissue of the penis itself.
Erectile dysfunction occurs in men of all ages, but with the greatest frequency in older men.
One effective treatment for impotence is injecting with a very tiny needle the drug prostaglandin E1 into the penis up to 15 minutes before an erection is desired. A vacuum tumescence device can also be used to increase blood flow to the penis. Although every effort has been made to ensure that data is current, please note that some information may be outdated by more recent medical developments. This information is meant as an educational starting point, and is not a substitute for personal consultation with your own physician.