WTF, how many of you have to take pills to get it up? And what's the cause of your ED? Age (if so how old), smoking, excessive drinking, obesity or???
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erectile_dysfunction
Causes of Erectile Difficulties
A wide range of diseases, medications, injuries, and psychological problems can cause erectile difficulties. Here are some of the most common causes:
Circulatory problems: An erection occurs when the penis fills with blood and a valve at the base of the penis traps it. Diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, clots, and "hardening of the arteries" can all interfere with this process. Such circulatory problems are the number one cause of erectile difficulties.
Peyronie's disease: This disease causes fibres and plaques to appear in the genitals, interrupting blood flow.
Cancer: Cancer can interfere with nerves or arteries that are vital to erection.
Surgery: Surgery to the pelvis, and especially prostate surgery for prostate cancer, can damage the nerves and arteries that are required to gain and maintain an erection.
Spinal cord or pelvic injury: The nerves that stimulate erection can be cut by injury to them.
Hormonal disorders: A lack of testosterone (male hormone or androgen) can result from thyroid and nervous disorders.
Depression: This condition is a common cause of erectile difficulties. Depression is a physical disorder as well as a psychiatric one, and it can have physical effects. This may be true even if you feel comfortable in a sexual situation.
Alcoholism: Chronic alcoholism can produce erectile difficulties, even if there is no alcohol in the blood at the time of sex.
Smoking: Smoking cigarettes causes constriction of blood vessels. This may decrease blood flow to the penis, causing erectile difficulties.
Performance anxiety: Most men have had erection problems at some point due to worrying about performing well during sexual intercourse. If this happens often, the anticipation of sex can trigger nervous reactions that prevent erection, setting up a vicious cycle.
Situational psychological problems: Some men have problems only in certain situations or with certain people. In troubled relationships, men may be unable to achieve erection with their partner but have no problem away from home.
Sexual aversion: Being repelled by sex is rare. It is most common in people who suffered child abuse and those who have been brought up in strict religious surroundings. Aversion can also exist in homosexuals or bisexuals who attempt to lead a heterosexual life against their basic inclinations.
Drugs: The following can cause erectile difficulties:
alcohol
antianxiety medications
anticancer medications
cocaine
estrogens
ganglionic and adrenergic (beta) blockers
MAOI and tricyclic antidepressants
narcotic pain relievers
narcotics
thiazide diuretics that are prescribed to control high blood pressure
sedatives
Symptoms and Complications of Erectile Difficulties
When a man is unable to get or maintain an erection, it is termed erectile difficulties. It may also be called erectile dysfunction.
A man may have erections sometimes, for example when he wakes up in the morning, but be unable to get an erection during sex with his partner. This is often a sign of a psychological problem that may or may not have to do with that particular relationship.
If a man had regular erections in the past, but suddenly begins to have problems getting an erection, there's a chance that it's a nerve or hormonal problem, a circulatory problem, or the effect of alcohol, drugs, or medicine.
If a man still gets erections but they're not as hard or long lasting as in the past, it's quite likely that a circulatory problem is causing the dysfunction.
If surgery or injury is involved, the sufferer may already know what's causing the erectile difficulties. A doctor should be consulted about possible solutions.
While erectile difficulties are inevitably going to cause some anxiety, it's vital for sufferers to keep their relationship with their partner or spouse as regular as possible until a solution can be found. Modern medicine and therapeutic techniques can help over 90% of erection problems.
Erectile Difficulties
(Erectile Dysfunction, Impotence, Low Sex Drive - Male, Decreased Libido in Men)
In this factsheet: The Facts on Erectile Difficulties
Causes of Erectile Difficulties
Symptoms and Complications of Erectile Difficulties
Diagnosing Erectile Difficulties
Treating and Preventing Erectile Difficulties
Diagnosing Erectile Difficulties
To find out what's causing erection problems, a doctor will begin by asking about other medical conditions the man might have, what medications he's taking, when his erection problems occur, and what form they take.
Standardized questionnaires or surveys about erectile function and the satisfaction of sexual intercourse may be used to identify the nature of erectile difficulties. Blood pressure tests and tests of hormone levels are standard.
There are tests that aim to distinguish between psychological, nervous, and circulatory causes. One is the nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) test. A measuring device is attached to the penis to monitor erections during sleep. Men without physical disorders usually have erections during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.
Several devices, including a Doppler radar, can track blood flow in and out of the penis and identify circulatory problems.