Helping Your Partner With Erectile Dysfunction

Helping Your Partner With Erectile Dysfunction : Is your partner suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED)? It’s not an uncommon situation to find yourself in. ED is a widespread sexual health issue among men, particularly in the over 40s. Younger people certainly aren’t immune, however – in fact, the rate of ED in men under 40 may well be increasing.

For many men, ED is a particularly personal matter. It’s something that you’d rather keep private, often for fear of embarrassment. But if you’re in a sexually active relationship with a partner, ED can’t be kept to yourself. It can become an obstacle to your shared sex lives, and can even start disrupting the relationship outside of the bedroom.

If your partner is suffering from ED, you might start feeling confused, frustrated or even hurt. These emotional responses are understandable and normal. But ED is also understandable, and treatable. Once you recognise this fact, you can start taking steps for Helping Your Partner With Erectile Dysfunction.

Understanding ED

If you want to help your partner deal with their ED, you’ll need to know what the condition is. A lot of misinformation is spread about the issue, and it’s easy to make uninformed assumptions. So having a basic understanding of the medical facts is essential to moving forward.

The first thing to realise is that basically all men will struggle to maintain an erection at some point in their lives. This isn’t necessarily dysfunctional – it’s just situational. If your partner is tired, or stressed, or drunk, don’t be surprised if they can’t get hard. That’s just normal!

But if your partner is frequently unable to get or keep an erection and it starts to disrupt your sex lives, that’s when it becomes dysfunctional. This threshold will vary from couple to couple, but if it’s really bothering you, it’s safe to say it’s become an issue.

So why is your partner suffering from ED? It’s easy to experience a knee jerk emotional response, and even start to blame yourself for their condition. You might start wondering:

Do they still find me attractive?
Am I failing to physically pleasure them?
Do they feel comfortable around me?

These are the kind of anxious thoughts that may pop into your head, and it’s important to discuss this with your partner. In truth, there are many reasons your partner might be suffering from ED, and most of them can be classified into physical and psychological causes (although as we mentioned before age is also a key factor).

Physical Causes

ED can sometimes be traced to a physical cause in the body, particularly among older men. There are a variety of health issues that can disrupt the ability to maintain an erection, including:

Conditions affecting blood flow, such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
Conditions affecting the nervous system, such as a spinal injury or a stroke.
Conditions affecting hormonal balance, such as low testosterone levels or thyroid problems.
Injuries or surgery to the penis or pelvis.
The side effects of medication or recreational substances such as alcohol.
Frequently riding bikes in a position that affects the genitals.

If your partner goes to see a doctor about their ED, they might undergo physical examinations and tests to check for any of these potential issues. Try and think together if any of these physical causes could be the culprit, and whether or not the cause(s) could be avoided or treated effectively.

Psychological Causes

If your partner can keep erections in some situations – for example, with ‘morning wood’ – but is struggling with ED in the bedroom, it’s potentially a psychological issue.

Examples of psychological causes of ED include:

Stress and anxiety.
Depression and fatigue.
Issues with self-esteem and body image.
A lack of sexual experience.
A history of sexual problems.

Remember that your partner’s condition could be influenced by both physical and psychological causes – it’s not exclusively one or the other.

Talking It Over

Effective communication between partners is the key to solving many relationship issues. If you feel like your partner’s sexual health issue is negatively affecting your relationship together, it’s something that should be discussed. But it’s absolutely imperative that you discuss the matter in an empathetic and understanding way. Of course, you need to understand the condition itself, but you also need to know when and how to approach the issue.

Your partner might approach you to talk about the issue, or perhaps you’ll make the first move. Regardless, it’s probably best to avoid the big discussion in the middle of intercourse or when emotions are running high. You’ll want to make sure you’re both in a relaxed and comfortable environment, and you both feel ready to chat – there’s no forcing it if you want the talk to be truly constructive. Remember, you’re here to help one another.

Your partner might have a clear idea of the cause of their ED, or might be as confused as you are. Either way, you’ll want to walk away from the talk with some constructive steps in mind. These could include:

Identifying the cause and making a plan to address it.
Seeking a diagnosis from a medical professional.
Attending therapy, such as sex therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy or couple’s therapy.
Organising activities together which encourage healthy habits, such as exercise.
Reading educational material on ED, sexual health and relationship issues in order to stay informed.

The best way you can help your partner with ED is by being understanding, supportive and demonstrating motivation to get through the issue as a couple. You should also be accepting and honest with your own feelings, and likewise expect your partner to listen to your own concerns on the matter.

Getting Medical Treatment

These days, there are a variety of effective medical treatments for ED. Tablets or pills for ED are widely prescribed by doctors and pharmacists, and can even be bought over-the-counter. You’ve probably already heard of a few big names – Viagra comes to mind. ED sufferers now have access to licensed medicines such as Sildenafil Tablets for erectile dysfunction which are a safe, effective and a relatively cheap solution to this men’s health issue. We would always recommend consulting your doctor or GP before starting any new treatment as they can work with you to rule out any underlying health issues.

Your partner might be unsure or apprehensive about taking medication for ED, but it’s really very common, with tablets like Sildenafil being well regarded by medical professionals for their ability to treat the issue. With the increasing popularity of online pharmacies such as e-Surgery prescription service and pharmacy, it’s also easier than ever to order ED treatments straight to your front door, completely discreetly.

As you can see, ED is a relationship problem that really can be overcome with just a little knowledge, a positive mindset and with the right treatments to hand.